Page 62 of Release

I nuzzle noses with him. “I love you.”

“Love you, too, Ma’am.”

“I wasn’t trying to push you away.”

He sighs. “It felt like it.”

“I’m trying to figure this out. Really bad shit can happen if I get this wrong.”

He arches an eyebrow at me and I know exactly where his thoughts go—Junior.

“I don’t want George to kill himself,” I say.

Another sad sigh. “Oh.”

“I also don’t want to fuck up nearly thirty years of friendship with him. I’ve got a…complicatedmix of emotions surrounding that man, and I’m still trying to sort them out.”

“Then couldn’t you at least tell usthat?”

“Itried.”

I get the eyebrow again.

“Maybe not in so many words,” I say, “but I did. I told you both I needed time and space. Istillneed time and space, but obviously that’s not going to happen.”

“Then what now?”

“I don’tknow. Let’s see how he is today and go from there. Ride in with me today.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. We can play tonight by ear if he’ll let me send you home with him.”

“I can already tell you his answer will probably be no unless you’re with me.”

I was afraid of that. “This is too much talking before coffee.” I kiss him. “Please get that started and meet me in the shower.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” He climbs out of bed to do it. Meanwhile, I take a moment to check my phone.

George’s gate opened ten minutes ago and the alarm was disarmed and rearmed.

Shit.

The only reason he’d be up this early is if he didn’t sleep last night and he wanted to go to work to avoid dealing with his brain.

Dammit, George. Why couldn’t you just take the boy and be happy without draggingmeinto it?

Because now I’m terrified I’m going to fuck up both their lives instead of just mine.

* * * *

We take my car but I let Declan drive so I can both read my e-mail and let him get a submissive service fix that’s been lacking for him. We’re not late, but we’re not as early as I prefer to be, either. Before we exit my car in the parking garage, I cup the back of his neck and pull him in for one last kiss before we start our day.

“You’re my good boy,” I whisper. “And I love you very much.”

He smiles as he nuzzles my head. “Thank you, Ma’am. I love you, too.”

“Go on. I’ll be up in a minute. You can say good-morning to George in passing, but don’t go into his office. Go to your office and wait for me there until I call for you, unless he orders you to stay in his office.”