Page 92 of Perfect Assumption

Ward is immediately in his space. “Who said she was alone?”

The tension level in the outer office rises drastically. Becks’s voice is eerily quiet when he asks me, “Angie? Are you okay?”

Suddenly, I’m tired of all of it. I fling up my hands and yell, “I’m fine! Do all of you hear me? I don’t mean any offense to anyone, but I want to spend lunch with the man I didn’t want to leave my home. I’m sorry, Carys, but I don’t feel like talking about it. And Becks, he’s my choice. Therefore I’m not only fine, I’m wonderful. What I’m not is going to remain is a victim the rest of my damn life. I refuse.”

And just that quickly, the tension dissipates like a balloon that was punctured. Ward plops the two cups of coffee he’s holding down on the desk before he leans over and captures my face between his hands. “You know there’s a few phrases for what we are to each other.” His smile is wicked.

“Don’t you dare…” I warn him.

He begins to tick them off in a voice so low only I can hear him. “We can start with the basic boyfriend and girlfriend. Then there’s the tidy term ‘involved.’ But the one I think suits us best is the one you used yourself when you asked for me to slide inside your body the first time.”

“Ward,” I growl.

“Lovers,” he says firmly. “You’re my lover, Angie, and I’m yours. And that involves so much more than just our bodies. It involves our minds, our hearts, and our souls.” Pressing a kiss to my lips, he snags his cup of coffee before winking at me and heading in the direction of the inner sanctum.

I finally get my wits about me enough to yell, “You’d better hope I don’t see too many references to you on the blogger feeds today!”

“It will be made up. Just like always,” he calls over his shoulder.

Becks and Carys gape at me. I stack papers together to appear like I’m doing something. When they don’t move after a few minutes, I finally ask, “Do you guys need something?”

“I think I need popcorn for that show. Either that or I need to take my husband back home,” Carys says faintly.

Becks punches her in the arm good-naturedly before coming over to wrap his arms around me in a fraternal hug. “I couldn’t be happier for you,” he murmurs against the top of my head.

Carys joins us in our circle before she asks, “Becks, did you need something?”

He squeezes us both before letting us go. “Maybe I just needed that. And, well, to annoy Dave.”

Carys rolls her eyes and gestures him inside.

Becks gives me a wink before following her.

But there’s a part of me that wonders if he wasn’t telling the truth just then. After all, we all need love, the rich, the poor, the famous, and the people who hide in the shadows.

And sometimes if we’re blessed, we get a shot at it.

Thirty-Six

Angela

The Lockwood Industries jet landed at Teterboro Airport before performing a quick turnaround. If billionaire Ryan Lockwood wasn’t so completely in love with his husband, lawyer Jared Dalton, he would be fighting “Winsome Ward” to top our Most Eligible List.

— Sexy&Social, All the Scandal You Can Handle

Inever knew someday I could feel like this. Love is a currency worth more than any item of value in the world. Who knew all the tears I shed, the misery I suffered, could be traded in for something with so much a price can’t be placed on it?

These thoughts float through my head while I wait for Ward to finish up with a call with a potential client on the West Coast. In just a few short weeks, I feel stronger. More empowered.

I no longer wonder what would happen if I shared the identity of my attackers with Ward. I close my eyes, recalling the secrets we’ve shared while lying in each other’s arms: his self-flagellation about his parents’ deaths, my fears of being known forever as the girl who stood up and failed.

“What devastates me as much is if they did this to me, who else did they do this to?” I whispered to Ward.

“Angel, you can’t take that burden on your shoulders.”

“Logically, I can’t, but every time…” I clamped my lips closed.

“Every time?” he prompted.