I suspected that wasn’t the sort of sex where one person could boss the other around. Stroke my hair tenderly! Look in my eyes! I would have to be genuine, natural, totally of my own volition.
“I want to make love to you, Avery, but…”
I braced for his excuse, unsure if I could take it. “It’s okay. I get it. It can’t be forced.”
“It wouldn’t be.” He untangled our limbs and sat me across from him on the sofa. “Making love to you would be as easy as breathing, but the morning after might kill me.”
I lowered my gaze. “Because of my circumstances.”
“Yes.”
We were back where we started. “It’s only a few more months.”
“I don't know if I can sit around and wait for you to wrap up dating other men. I can put up with a lot of stuff, but not that. Consider it a hard limit.”
“You learned what hard limits are.”
“I learned a hell of a lot more than that. Consider Pandora’s Box opened.”
I smiled, but my amusement was short lived. This wasn’t a joking matter. “I need to talk to Micah.”
“Then do it. Call him and figure this out.”
Micah wouldn’t want to discuss this over the phone. He preferred to discuss such matters in person. I had more leeway in person as well, but I didn’t want to upset Noah. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes, but I don’t trust him or any of your other … clients.”
“Then give me until the end of the week to sort this out and let me do it my way.”
He reached across the couch cushion and grabbed my hand. “Don’t… Don’t let him sway you, Avery.”
He wanted me to break it off completely. I wanted Noah. The choice was obvious now that we discussed a future. But change was never easy. “I won’t.”
39
Avery
The moment I started the conversation with Micah, he predictably insisted we meet somewhere to discuss our situation face to face. I refused, and he grew frustrated, claiming he needed to take another call. Fifteen minutes later he knocked at my door.
“I wanted to do this over the phone,” I said, letting him into my apartment.
“That’s ridiculous. We’re going to resolve this like adults. Tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll fix it.”
“Nothing’s wrong. I changed my mind.”
“Something changed, Avery. We were fine last night. We agreed to wait until graduation to decide—”
“I don’t want to wait.”
His lips firmed. “Is it your neighbor? I can evict him, or we could find you another apartment.”
My hands gripped my head. “No. Don’t you see? This isn’t normal, Micah. I want a relationship, not a business arrangement.”
“And you think he’s the answer?”
“He might be.”
“Avery, what security would you have with him? Relationships have a shelf life.”
“So do business arrangements.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Is that the way you see our association? Over three years and you see me as nothing more than a work colleague.”
“Micah, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Hurt me?” He scoffed and released my hand. “You can’t.”
I drew back at the cold tone in his voice. “I’m sorry?”
“I pay you to be at my beck and call. Everything you have, I provided. I was willing to give you more if it kept you content, but you’d rather be with him. What’s he offering you, Avery? How will you afford to stay here?”
My insides literally shuttered. The gentleman I’d passed three years beside was suddenly replaced with a shrewd stranger. My chin lifted as I hid my uncertainty. “I’ll move somewhere cheaper.”
“You have three months of student teaching. That will be a full-time job, one with no salary. Where will your income come from?”
“I don’t know. I’ll figure it out.”
“That’s what I’m trying to get through to you. You need someone to take care of you. You’re smarter than this, Avery. Use your head.”
“Why are you being so mean? You always knew this wasn’t permanent.”
“Am I being mean? I was in the middle of a business meeting when you called. I dropped everything to check on you. The moment I realized you were upset and this was serious, I came here. Do you know why? Because that’s the arrangement. I take care of you, and you keep the drama to a minimum. This isn’t me being mean, Avery. This is me checking on my investment and deciding if it’s time to cut my losses. You know what I want. I’ve made my wishes crystal clear. But before you say another word, you better be damn sure you know what you want, because the minute this is over, that’s the end. It isn’t cheap to skip the emotional bullshit, but I damn well paid for the right.”
He’d never spoken to me in such a harsh way before. All at once, I felt cheap and replaceable. I couldn’t do it anymore.
“How long do I have until you rent the apartment? I can disappear with little notice if you want to show it to potential tenants. But I need to know how long I have to find a new home.”
His jaw ticked and his nostrils flared. “You’re making a mistake.” Pivoting, he snatched his coat off the chair and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
I flinched and shut my eyes, grateful Noah was at work and not around to witness Micah’s exit.
40
Noah
“See this shot here?” I zoomed in on the bottom of the mountain, showing the jumper at a new angle. “We want more like that.”
“Got it.” Steve marked down the file location and removed the thumb drive from the computer. “I’ll check the other feed to see if we have more like that.”
“Good.” We both stilled as voices carried. “What the hell is that?”
Steve frowned and I went to the door. Lucy came bustling down the hall. It was the first time I saw her since last night.
“Lucy, what’s all that—”
“I’m going to find out.” She kept moving down the hall, back in her sensible shoes and glasses.
The shouting continued, so I followed, as did Steve. Lucy made it to the end of the hall first, and her voice was that of a grade school principal’s.
“Just who do you think you are coming in here and abusing our staff? If you have an issue, you can take it up with me or Mr. Wolfe. Leave the receptionist alone.”
I turned the corner and came up short as Lucy stood toe to toe with none other than Micah. He glanced down at Lucy and did a double take. “You.”
This guy was becoming a royal pain in my ass. “What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped.
He pulled his scowl from Lucy and glared at me. “I need to speak to you in private.”
When he stabbed a finger in my direction, Lucy scoffed. “I’m almost certain this man doesn’t have an appointment, Noah.”
“I don’t need an appointment.”