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“What?” I asked. She was usually so confident and put together that I couldn’t tell what her mood was.
“I hope that I didn’t overstep.” Her cheeks were heated. “I know that I am your employee and shouldn’t…”
I stopped her. “We are co-workers and friends. Candice, you are incredible, I hope you know that.”
She beamed as if lit from within. “Thank you, Sutton. I know that your life was turned upside down when you came here. But I am so glad that you did. I hope that in time you feel the same way.”
And the crazy part was that I didn’t hate my new life, and I had fully expected to.
Her smile fell and she tipped her head to the side in concern. “Are you still thinking about Gabriel’s visit this morning?”
There wasn’t any point to lie to her, and so I answered honestly.
“Max was a surrogate father to me. I am really concerned about him.”
Candice blew out a breath. “We could leave early on Friday and make a weekend trip to Otterville Falls. That way you could check in on Max and see if Gabriel was telling the truth.”
“You would go all that way with me?” My voice was small and hesitant.
Candice shrugged. “Sure, just let me know and I will schedule us some flights.”
It seemed so easy when she put it that way. I had tried to call Max when I returned from Mark’s office earlier, but I hadn’t been able to reach him. Sometimes I forgot that I had access to funds if I needed them.
With trepidation, I agreed to her plan. “Let’s do it. Candice, you had better get your shots and grab a pair of Chucks because we are headed to the county.”
She laughed and waved her hand at me as if I was teasing.
I wasn’t kidding, but I kinda hoped that I would see her face when she realized just what she had signed up for.
This was going to be fun.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mark
I could hardly believe that we were flying on my private jet—correction, our private jet—headed back to hillbilly hell. I was feeling ten kinds of shit about what had happened in my office with Sutton after that douche canoe Gabriel showed up.
I never lost control like that. But it had happened twice now when Sutton was concerned. I was well aware that I had lost all objectivity when it came to her. I had vowed right then and there that I would take a step back.
Whatever was happening between us scared the living shit out of me. I was also painfully aware that it wasn’t fair to Sutton to force whatever fucked up feelings that I had developed on her while she was trying to adjust to a new life.
And fucking her against my office desk—shit, as hot as that had been—it was no way to treat her.
When I walked out into the hallway with the intent of going and apologizing, I ran right into Bethany. Instead of stepping back as any rational person would do, she leaned into me and clutched my chest in the guise of needing to steady herself.
Sutton had excellent instincts. Bethany really was a bitch. I promptly opened my office door again and invited her inside. Bethany’s eyes had widened with hope and a fair bit of lust. It honestly turned my stomach. Did she think that I could fuck one woman and turn around and fuck her too?
What kind of person would allow a man to do that to her?
In a few short words, I let her have it.
“We take security very seriously here,” I began. “Because you allowed someone who was not only unexpected but possibly dangerous on our floor and into our offices, you have proven yourself a liability.”
She tried to ramble some lame excuse about Gabriel’s personal relationship with Sutton, but I shut that shit down.
“You didn’t contact Sutton to alert her that someone was here to see her. I checked with downstairs and they said you gave the okay for him to come on the elevator. This is unacceptable. You will pack your things and be gone as quickly as possible.”
Her face, which I had once thought somewhat attractive, twisted into something very ugly.