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“So am I…But to be honest, it doesn’t seem all that important anymore, considering everything else that’s going on.”
“I know.” She gave him a sad smile. “A criminal investigation kind of casts a shadow over things, doesn’t it?”
The pain in her eyes tore at his insides. He hated seeing her this way, and he knew why she’d been crying.
Resting his hand on her arm, he slowly pulled her away from the conference-room door and led her to the end of the hall. “I’m not going to lie,” he said softly.
She tilted her head to meet his eyes, her gaze confused, then opened her mouth to speak.
“Wait,” he cut in. “I want you to know that just because I won’t lie doesn’t mean I won’t be there for you. Because I will, babe. I don’t care what the papers write about us, I don’t care how my career is affected. I don’t care about anything but you. I’ll stay by your side, Hayden. I promise, I’ll be here for you, as long as you need me.”
He blew out a breath, waiting for her to reply, praying she didn’t say, Well, I don’t need you, Brody. It was just a fling.
But she didn’t say that. She didn’t say anything, in fact.
Instead, she burst out laughing.
HAYDEN COULDN’T STOP the giggles from escaping. She’d come down here to tell Brody she was willing to wait until the investigation ended, that she would do anything it took to keep him in her life, even if it meant staying apart for a while. And here he was, telling her he wanted to stay by her side.
“You think it’s funny?” Brody said in annoyance, raking both hands through his dark hair. “Remind me never to make a grand romantic gesture again.”
She chuckled. “I only think it’s funny because I came to tell you I’ll stay away from you until the investigation is finished.”
“What?”
“I respect your decision. If you want to lie low until this blows over, I’ll do that.” She curled her fingers over his arm and looked at him imploringly. “But I don’t want it to be permanent. I don’t want us to end, Brody.”
His features softened. “Neither do I.” He paused. “I also don’t want us to lie low.”
“Are you sure?”
He moved closer, bent down and planted a soft kiss on her mouth, right there in the hallway. Then he pulled back, smiled, and dipped his head to kiss her again, this time slipping her a little tongue.
Flushed, she broke the kiss and stepped back before she gave in to the urge to pull him into the restroom and fulfill yet another kinky fantasy. “Come to the hotel when you’re done,” she said, her voice coming out breathy.
He grinned. “I’ll be there with bells on.”
“No bells. But naked would be good.” Her heart did a crazy little somersault. “And don’t keep me waiting too long.” She drew in a breath. “There are definitely a few things I still need to say to you.”
AN HOUR LATER, Brody stepped into the elevator at the Ritz. He waited for the bellhop to turn the key that gave him access to the penthouse floor, and when the guy left, Brody sagged against the wall of the car, feeling as if he’d just run the Boston Marathon and followed that up by climbing Everest. The interview with the league investigators had been pure torture. He’d sat there in his suit, with his oxygen-depriving tie, and had had to sell out a man he’d once considered a friend and another he’d respected as a boss.
Thank God this day from hell was over. He didn’t know what the investigation would turn up, how it would all end, but a load had been lifted off his chest. One load, at least. He still hadn’t quite faced the fact that Becker had betrayed him. He knew it would take more than one afternoon to come to terms with it. But he’d walked out of that conference with his conscience clear, and now he couldn’t wait to lose himself in Hayden’s arms and forget about everything except the love he felt for her.
“Hayden?” he called as the elevator doors swung open and he entered the living room.
Her voice drifted out from the bedroom. “In here.”
He found her in the bedroom, sitting cross-legged in the center of the bed, still clad in the flowy green skirt and yellow silk top she’d been wearing earlier. Damn. He’d been hoping to find her naked.
Ah, well, that could be easily amended.
She slid off the bed, her skirt swirling around her firm thighs as she moved toward him. “How was the interview?”
“Terrible. But I think I convinced them I wasn’t guilty of any wrongdoing.”
Relief flooded her features. “Good.” Then, looking somber, she added, “I found out something about Becker that you’re not going to like.”