Free Blindfolded Innocence by Alessandra Torre

dim.   I wrestled two of the Dr Peppers from the 6-pack, placing them on the table.   I put the other four cans in the mini-fridge and grabbed a roll of paper towels.   Brad sat down and flipped open the pizza box, grabbing two slices and spinning the open box to me.   I glanced in.   Half pepperoni, half meat lovers.   I grabbed a slice of each and sat down, the two of us taking up one corner of the long table.   There was silence for a moment as we dug in.   He broke the silence first.

     
    "So, this is the last time, huh?"

     
    I nodded in response, my mouth full of pizza.

     
    "You really think you'll be able to stay away from me?"

     
    "Oh my lord!" I groaned and looked to the ceiling in mock exasperation.   "Does your ego have no bounds?   As I see it - you've been the one who can't stay away."   I waved a pizza crust at him to emphasize my point.

     
    "I take an interest in all of our interns.   You are the future of our company."

     
    "Bullshit.   Are you telling me you are bringing dinner to your favorite intern Woo?"

     
    "I'm not attracted to Woo."

     
    "And you are attracted to me?"

     
    "Of course."   He had locked his ridiculously sexy stare on me and spoke softly, but with absolute confidence and conviction.   I swallowed.   I wanted this man so badly it hurt.   Knowing I couldn't have him made it that much more delicious.

     
    "Well, if this is truly our last encounter, we might as well make it count."

     
    "Meaning what?" I squeaked.

     
    "I want to know about you.   Let's finish our conversation from lunch.   You can ask me anything you want, as long as I have the same privilege."

     
    "I'm not as exciting as you are."

     
    He turned that over in his mind, shaking his head gently as he thought godknowswhat.   I started the game.

     
    "I was told you were recently divorced.   True?"

     
    "Yes."

     
    "Details?"

     
    He gave me a wry glance, put his hands together on the table, looked down at them, and then at me.

     
    "I have only been married once - to my college sweetheart.   We were together 11 years, married for 7 of those.   Hillary is a great girl, but we were too different, too incompatible.   I think we both realized our mistake early on.   But we stayed together and miserable, hoping… I don't know.   That something would change.   Nothing changed, and we separated."

     
    "Who represented her in the divorce?"

     
    He smiled slightly.   "No one.   We both did it unrepresented."

     
    "That's a little unfair."

     
    "It would have been if I hadn't given her everything.   There is nothing more she could have gotten.   I'd say it was extremely fair."

     
    "Why did you give her everything?"

     
    "I've seen divorce pull too many people to shreds.   It turns people into horrible things, and gets them to the point where they hate themselves as much as their exes.   It happened to my parents, and is one of the reasons I went into this business.   I make sure that I am the animal - the horrible one.   I don't want them to become that person.   This way the couple stays civil and a fair arrangement is made."   He shrugged, taking another slice of pizza.   "At least that is the plan.   It often goes astray."

     
    "I'm not buying the nobility you paint divorce attorneys into."

     
    "Hey - it normally works for chicks at the bar."   He grinned, making the statement a joke, but I saw truth in his jest.

     
    "Were you faithful?"

     
    "To Hillary?   No.   I had an affair that lasted the last year of our marriage.   It ended before my divorce, but was the straw that broke the camels back."

     
    "She found out?"

     
    "I didn't make much of an effort to hide it.   I think I wanted to get caught, wanted a way out.   She overlooked it for a while, until my affair starting leaving her voicemails describing our indiscretions."

     
    "Why?"

     
    "She wanted a relationship.   My wife got in the way of that.   I tried to break it off, and she got mad.