But if she pulled away now, it would seem weird. And if it affected the deal then the whole time here would be utterly pointless. Better to just have her virginity lost rather than the deal, too. Though, if she could go back …
No. She wouldn’t change it. Because at least she knew now what she could have. At least she knew she wouldn’t settle for less ever again.
Unfortunately, everything would seem like less after stupid Luc.
He doesn’t love you. You deserve more than that.
Hell, yes, she did.
She gritted her teeth, fought against the tears that were burning her eyes. She wasn’t going to let this get to her. And she wasn’t going to pine. Not when he didn’t deserve it.
Clint had wasted her time. He’d hurt her. But Luc had devastated her.
“Mr. Fleischer,” Luc said, smiling. She had no idea how he did that. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he had all his emotions locked up so tight no one could reach them. In which case, she wouldn’t ever be able to.
If he could smile now, it meant he could feel nothing, and she really wasn’t ever going to be able to break those locks.
“What are your thoughts now that you’ve stayed here?”
“I think I’ll be making an offer,” Luc said. “It’s definitely the perfect place for a romantic getaway, and I think I have the ability to grow the resort.”
“That’s wonderful news.”
“I’ll submit my offer after Christmas,” Luc said. “For now, I need to get Amelia back to New York so she can spend time with her family.”
After making what felt to Amelia like very awkward goodbyes, they walked out. Their car was waiting for them, and as soon as she thought it was safe Amelia wrenched her hand from his and opened the car door, sat down inside and buckled up, refusing to look at him.
Luc rounded to the passenger side and got in, buckling up as the car pulled away from the hotel.
They rode in silence until the airport, where they exchanged short, necessary words about where the plane was and where the luggage should go.
Amelia managed to keep up the silence a couple of hours into the flight, her brain turning over the past twenty-four hours. Their kiss in the spa, making love with him for the first time, the fifth time. Realizing she loved him. Telling him she loved him.
It had changed her. She was utterly and completely changed and she was supposed to just go back to her life like it had been before.
No. That wasn’t happening. She was breaking up with Clint. And she was going to have to take action with Luc, too.
“I quit,” she said, the words leaving her mouth in a rush.
“What?” His response was sharp, shocked and very loud after the prolonged silence.
“I can’t work for you anymore.”
“You said none of this would be a problem,” he bit out. “You said you knew what this was.”
“Yes, and it changed. I didn’t mean to lie, but I guess I did. I don’t want to work for a man who was inside me, then looked at me like I was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe while he rejected my love.”
He made a short, incredulous sound.
“Neither do I want to be with a man who does those French … noises you do. It’s annoying. You’re annoying. I’m not making you coffee ever again. I’m going to eat every peppermint stir stick and scone on your plane and never make you coffee or fetch you a bagel again!”
She was breathing hard, adrenaline pouring through her. She was mad, she was hurt, but at least she was sure of this decision. And she didn’t care how it affected him. She didn’t care if it was upsetting or disappointing for him, not when it was right for her.
“You won’t have a job, and you won’t be able to pay your rent. And unless you are marrying Clint—” he said the other man’s name like it disgusted him “—then you’re going to have a bit of a rough awakening.”
“Don’t care. I have savings,” she said, tugging the peppermint stick from her latte and crunching the end. “I will be fine. Just fine. You on the other hand will have to find another assistant who doesn’t care that you’re a gigantic pain. So good luck with that.” She took another bite of the peppermint and chewed loudly.
“You’re being unreasonable. And emotional,” he ground out.
“News flash, that’s because I’m a human being. And humans are emotional. You, sir, are a robot. A cyborg, actually, because you’re part human, but robotic nonetheless!”
“Amelia …”
“Don’t talk to me. Unless you want to recant all the horrible crap you’ve said to me in the past eight hours.”
“I can’t.”
“Then shh. I’m drinking my latte and pondering a career folding leggings at a department store.”
She tucked her feet up under her and drank her latte, brooding for the rest of the flight while Luc worked with his head down.
When the plane landed, she stood. “I’m not going to ride with you,” she said. “After my bags come out, I’m going to the taxi line like a plebeian. Have yourself a merry little Christmas, jackass.” She turned to face the cargo area where the bags were being gathered and started humming.
Luc didn’t wait for his bags. He simply got into the waiting car. “Goodbye, Amelia,” he said.
“Bye,” she said, turning back to the plane, blinking back tears. She heard the car door close, and she folded her arms over her stomach to keep from folding in on herself.
When she got her bags, she started to drag them to the airport door, to the cabs, tears rolling down her cheeks. She drew in a shaky breath and started to sing. “‘Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy.’” Her voice broke on the last word and she looked down, wiping a tear off her cheek. She swallowed hard. “‘Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.’”
HIS OFFICE HAD a disturbing lack of singing happening in it. And he didn’t like it at all. All of the things he’d relished prior to having Amelia in his life, and things he’d imagine he would enjoy again if she was ever gone, were just not enjoyable at all anymore.
At the moment, his office was just cold, dark and lacked coffee.
Sure, he could call someone up from another department and demand they make him a drink. And he could make his own. But it wouldn’t be the same. He’d taken for granted just how much he counted on her.
And it wasn’t just
