Page 24 of Second Act

“You of all people should know that’s just the outward trappings. You told me often enough.” Something twisted in her chest at the melancholy in his voice.

“Aren’t you happy? You’ve succeeded beyond anything we dreamed of.”

She saw the old, familiar darkness in his eyes as he said, “I never thought success would make me happy.”

No, he’d thought it would prove that he wasn’t worthless, the way he’d so often felt as a child. “But you should be. The entire world has acknowledged that you’re brilliant and talented.”

The angles of his face took on a stark edge. “I’m no longer much interested in the world’s opinion.”

“Because you’ve won, so you don’t need it anymore.” But she wasn’t sure that was true. Hugh had been abandoned by his parents when he was too young to remember them. It sometimes seemed like nothing could ever fill the void left by that ultimate rejection. Not even her love.

“You should go to sleep until we get to the hotel.” He shifted to the seat facing backward, signaling an end to that topic. “Stretch out and make yourself comfortable.”

Opening one of the limo’s compartments, he pulled out a pillow and a blanket. She couldn’t help admiring the way his muscles flexed under the fabric of his sweater or how his inky hair curved against his temples. He pinned her with his striking eyes. “Lie down. I’ll make sure someone takes good care of your patients while you’re sleeping.”

His words somehow sent exhaustion spiraling through her, so she slid down on her elbow and curled her legs onto the seat. He leaned forward to position the pillow under her head. His face was close enough so she could see lines at the corners of his eyes and mouth that hadn’t been there when they were engaged. But those marks of maturity only made him more magnetic. When he brushed a strand of her hair off her cheek, just that tiny contact made her shiver with delicious sensation. She slammed her eyes shut to ward off any further reactions.

But he wasn’t finished. She felt the blanket drift down over her before he pulled it up around her shoulders to tuck it in with little strokes of his hands. Heat rolled through her body.

Hugh had had that effect on her from the first time he’d touched her under the dog tent. All he’d done was lift her ponytail off the back ofher sticky, sweaty neck and blow a breath against her skin, but the graze of his fingers had vibrated all the way down between her legs. She had been glad he was behind her and couldn’t see her eyes close or hear her stifled gasp. In fact, the one thing all their problems had never lessened was Hugh’s sexual pull on her.

But then, millions of women felt the same way about him.