Page 57 of Forsaken Trail (Runaway 4)

Brody chuckled. “No, she’s in Vegas. The meeting is virtual.”

“Oh. Do you have meetings with her every day?” It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Coreen required he be in a suit.

“Not daily, but often enough.”

“But you still wear a suit every day.”

“This is really bugging you, isn’t it?” The corner of his mouth turned up. “My suits?”

Yes, it was. Because when it came to Brody Carmichael, my curiosity was piqued. “Humor me.”

“It’s something I started doing years ago. Any day that I’m working, I wear a suit. And I work every day. People expect a certain image from their leader.”

“Not Clara. You don’t need to dress up for her.”

“Yes, I do. She deserves me at my best. All of my employees do. It was something my grandfather always did. He wore a suit every day. He showed up for his company every day.”

“And you’re showing up too.” I took in his handsome profile and the strong cut of his jaw. “You wore jeans on Saturday.”

“That was different.”

“Why?” Because we were hauling boxes?

“Because that was for you.”

One sentence. One answer.

And the world fell away from my feet.

Did he realize what he’d just confessed? Did he realize how special he’d just made me feel?

I was the exception to his rules.

One sentence, one answer, and we were back to that night. He was in a tux. I was in a green gown. And electricity sparked between us.

Brody’s hands tightened on the wheel as he picked up speed, racing down the highway toward his house.

Maybe he hadn’t meant to let it slip, but it was too late. It was out there, living and breathing and changing everything.

What did this mean? Did he want a relationship? Did I?

I’d been so absorbed in this pregnancy, I hadn’t let myself consider my feelings for Brody. I hadn’t realized until just this moment that there were even feelings there.

Feelings more than the obvious sexual attraction, because Brody was gorgeous, and I wasn’t blind. I liked the man behind the suit. I liked the man who showed up for his people every day. I liked the man who let down his guard just for me.

God, this was so messed up. Any other guy and we’d date. Any other guy and we’d have sex and fun and see if this was the lasting sort of fling.

The baby changed everything.

My mind spun as fast as the Jaguar’s wheels. When Brody slowed to open the gate and ease down the driveway, I still hadn’t figured out what to say, probably because I didn’t know him. I was walking on eggshells around Brody because he was practically a stranger.

And that was a problem we were going to fix.

“Would you make me a deal?” I asked.

“Depends on the deal.” He kept his eyes focused on the road. His spine was ramrod straight. He’d shown me a hint of vulnerability and now he was erecting those walls.

“Have dinner with me. Every night.”