Page 61 of Loving Her Enemy

A short while later, they received their meal, which was served family style and included cola-braised short ribs and orzo with cremini mushrooms, as well as a rack of lamb with crispy roasted potatoes and asparagus.

As they ate, Sloane’s mind was still on Owen. God, if he could go back in time and do things differently he would. If only he had thought his actions through, maybe he wouldn’t be in this situation. Maybe he wouldn’t be risking his marriage to the only woman he’d ever really loved.

How were they going to get through this unscathed? What he had to tell her would not only disappoint her, but it would break her heart. She trusted him. Would that still be the case when she found out he had paid her ex-fiancé to break up with her?

“What’s wrong?” Halayna’s question jerked Sloan out of his thoughts and his eyes snapped to hers.

He flashed a smile he didn’t feel but hoped it would suffice. “Nothing’s wrong. Why do you ask?”

She watched him carefully, as if she could see through to his thoughts. “You’ve been distracted off and on throughout the day, and now you’re still distracted. Is everything okay? What’s on your mind?”

This was the opening he needed. Yet, he couldn’t get his mouth to form the words. Part of him was thinking that if they never heard from Owen, this was a moot issue. But the other part of him, the part that didn’t want any secrets between them, knew he had to tell her everything. She deserved the right to decide if she could forgive him for overstepping in her life.

“Sloane, you’re doing it again.” She set her fork down. “Something’s bothering you. Why won’t you tell me? If we’re supposed to be a team, we should be able to talk to each other about anything.”

Sloane nodded. He was going to have to trust their relationship was strong enough to handle his truth. In that moment, he knew he would tell her but not there. Not with people around and not outside their home.

“You’re right. We are a team, and there’s a ton on my mind, mainly you.”

She sighed and wiped her mouth with the cloth napkin before saying, “I know I’ve been a pain to live with these last couple of weeks but—”

“No, sweetheart. I love taking care of you, being here for you, and being the person whose shoulder you cry on. What I feel for you scares the hell out of me. I’m always worried I’m going to screw things up between us. I didn’t realize it, but I’ve never been in love before, not like this. Not with what I feel for you.”

She put her hand over her heart, and the tender expression in her eyes had his heart squeezing. There was so much love, and it drove home the fact that, if he messed up what they had and what they were building, it would kill him.

“I feel the exact same way for you.” She covered his hand with hers. “We’re in this together, Sloane. I know we’re going to make mistakes along the way, but as long as we keep the lines of communication open and be there for each other, our marriage will only grow stronger.”

“Dance with me,” he said abruptly and didn’t wait for her to say yay or nay. He just needed to hold her close, feel her heart beat next to his.

As he held her tightly against his body, and they swayed to the instrumental song the band was playing, some of his tension fell away. They danced, they laughed, and talked, all the while allowing the music to move them.

When they got on the topic of Halayna’s lab, Sloane’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He didn’t bother answering because the only person he wanted to talk to was currently in his arms. Her excitement about the small, self-contained building they’d found for her lab was palpable. He loved how she already had plans for outfitting the space. She was giving herself three months to order equipment and set up the space. In the meantime, she was still experimenting with fragrances but had three she was already satisfied with.

“When are you leaving for Japan?” Halayna asked close to his ear as the music changed to something softer and slower. “Isn’t the meet and greet next Friday?”

“It is, but I’m not going without you.”

After the incident at the mall, the doctor had said she wouldn’t be able to fly with her head injury. Sloane immediately had Lindsay cancel all his upcoming business trips because he didn’t want to travel without Halayna.

“I thought we agreed I would catch you on the next trip.”

“That’s what you said. I had already made up my mind I wasn’t leaving you.”

Watanebe had understood and admitted that, if his wife had gone through what Halayna had experienced, he wouldn’t have been traveling either. Besides, that trip had been more about getting to know the people who’d be working on the joint project. The real work wouldn’t start until the new year, and even then, thanks to technology, it wouldn’t require too many trips to Japan.

Besides, Sloane had Reece and a staff, who he paid very well, who could travel in his place. Now that Sloane was married, and they were talking about having a family in the near future, traveling around the world for business wasn’t as enticing as it used to be. With Halayna in his life, he had a reason to stay home more.

When his phone buzzed again, Halayna said, “You’re not going to check and see who keeps calling you?”

“Nope.” And they continued dancing for another few minutes.

When they returned to the table, Oscar was coming out of the kitchen.

“How was everything?” he asked. “Ready for dessert? I have a sample platter prepared for you—everything from banana pudding to key lime pie.”

Sloane glanced at Halayna who was looking at him with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. No doubt she had something else in mind for dessert, and he was all in.

“Actually, Oscar, we’ll take dessert to go.”