Page 59 of Wild Highway (Runaway 2)

She came into the office, closing the door behind her and took the chair opposite my desk. “You left without waking me this morning.”

“Is that why you’re here?”

“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “I owe you another apology for last night. I unloaded a lot on you and I’m sorry. I hate that you saw me cry.”

This woman. She pretended to have it all together. Except no one did. When would she realize she didn’t need to pretend for me?

“It’s fine, Gemma.”

“It’s really not. I apologize for the drama.” She folded her hands in her lap, keeping her expression neutral and her posture poised. Her hair was styled, curled in loose waves that fell over her shoulders and down her back. Her eyes were lined with black and shaded with a soft glimmer.

She looked gorgeous this morning. Chic.

Guarded.

Goddamn it. She really was driving me fucking insane. I shook my head, annoyed and frustrated. “Don’t. Just . . . stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop apologizing,” I barked. “I don’t want a fucking apology.”

“Never mind.” She held up her hands and stood from the chair, leaving the flannel draped over the arm. “I’ll let you get back to work. Clearly, I’m bothering you.”

She was two steps out the door when I shot out of my chair and chased her down.

“Oh no, you don’t.” I gripped her elbow and spun her to face me. “You don’t get to run away from me.”

“You just snapped at me.” She threw an arm toward the office. “I’m not running away. I’m letting you cool off.”

“Well, I don’t want to cool off. I don’t give a damn about the drama. For once, it was nice to see you. The real you without all of”—I flung my wrist, motioning up and down her body—“this.”

“Clothes? Pretty sure you saw me without all my clothes last night.”

“No.” I frowned. “With the armor.”

“Oh.”

“Be real with me.” I inched closer, bringing my hands to her shoulders. “If no one else, be real with me.”

She dropped her gaze. “I don’t know how.”

“Yes, you do.” I hooked a finger under her chin, tipping it up. “You were last night.”

“That was me having a breakdown, then practically begging you to take me to bed. And this morning, I woke up alone. Not that I blame you for sneaking out. If I were you, I wouldn’t want to deal with my mess either.”

“Now hold up. Me leaving this morning had nothing to do with you crying last night.” She’d been all too tempting naked in that bed. The reason I’d left was definitely not because she’d let her guard down.

“Sure,” she said, dryly.

“It’s the truth. I left this morning because I’m doing my best to keep some distance from you, Gemma.”

Another woman might have gotten pissed at me for that comment. But not Gemma. Her eyes softened and the tension in her shoulders fell away. “Can I make another confession?”

I nodded.

“You make me feel things.”

“You told me last night. Isn’t that what you wanted?”