Page 32 of The CEO

Suddenly, she heard a soft knock on her window.

Adam stood there.

Where did he come from? He must have been watching for us.

She opened the door, grabbed her keys, and exited the vehicle. “What do you want?”

He lifted his eyebrows. “I wondered if you wanted me to take our sleeping daughter,” he jutted his chin toward Lilly, “into the house.” He didn’t mention the elephant in the room.

“I could take her inside, but she’ll probably stay asleep if you do it. I’ll get the diaper bag.”

He nodded and proceeded to extricate Lilly from the car seat.

Because they would be downstairs, Adam laid her in the playpen in the family room.

Bree covered her with a light blanket. When she looked up, she saw Adam gazing at her with a smile.

“I want?—”

Bree put a finger over her lips. “Shh. Kitchen,” she whispered. Even though the kitchen wasn’t far away, Lilly was at the far end of the family room, so they could speak normally.

Adam followed her.

Carole had already been there and was nowhere in sight.

“Now, what did you want to say?”

“Just that I want you to move the rest of your things into my room. The bed is much more comfortable than the one you’re in now.”

“No.” She turned away and grabbed a cup from the cupboard over the Keurig coffee maker. Then she took a pod of Earl Grey tea from the revolving holder and put it in the machine. She needed something to calm her nerves, and the hour was too early to drink bourbon.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “No? That’s all you have to say?”

“Yes. I won’t be moving into your bedroom now or in the foreseeable future. And what do you mean by the rest of my things?”

“Why? I thought, after last night?—”

“Last night was a mistake. One that will not be repeated. I should have known you didn’t love me, but I was like a schoolgirl and convinced myself you wouldn’t have come if you didn’t love me. That’s on me.”

He ran a hand through his hair, then he let out a deep breath. “Bree…I…I thought you understood. There can’t be anything more between us than what we have. I do love you…as my best friend. How many people can say they married their best friend?”

“Not many. How many people can say they were screwed over by their best friend? Probably a lot more than anyone wants to admit. You knew I wanted love before having a sexual relationship and yet you took advantage of me. That’s not what best friends do.”

“Bree…I never meant to take advantage of you. I thought when you opened your arms to me, that you needed me as much as I needed you. I still need you, Bree. I want you. I want to have a true marriage. We have a real marriage; you simply don’t want to admit it.” Adam stood and paced as he talked. Then he stopped in front of her. “You enjoyed what we did last night as much as I did, don’t deny it.”

“There is no talking to you. You will never understand.” She took her cup of tea to the room they had made into her office. Remembering what Valerie said, she wondered if it was true. Would he never love her? Was he incapable of loving a woman as she needed

Adam picked Lilly up from the playpen and followed Bree. Then he stopped on the other side of the desk from her and held Lilly with one arm around her belly and the other under her bottom. “Most of your things have already been moved. I thought you’d say yes, so I called and instructed Carole to move them after you left to get Lilly.”

She set her tea on her desk and then rounded on him. “How could you do that?” Her voice was soft, even though she wanted to scream. “You. Had. No. Right.”

“I have every right. You’remy wife.” He thumped his chest. “And I want to sleep next tomy wife.”

“No. I’ll just move them back.”

He threw his arm out. “And I’ll have them moved again. Carole won’t want to keep doing it, but I can hire someone whose job is only that and I’ll pay them well. They won’t leave and they will be loyal to me.”

Bree felt her blood boiling. She stood with her hands fisted at her sides. “You can be a real bast?—”