Free Raw Burn (Touched By You) by Emily Jane Trent Page B

Tanner, but didn’t see him at first. Her singularly handsome man should be easy to spot. The hostess asked if she needed help. Natalie just motioned that she was fine. “Just looking for someone,” she said.
    Stepping in further, sh e looked into the adjacent room and froze. She stopped so fast her heel caught on the carpet and she nearly fell. She recognized Tanner immediately, but he had his back to her. Next to him was a classy woman in a business suit, who she immediately recognized. Susan, her soon-to-be-otherwise-employed assistant, had her hand on Tanner’s forearm and her lips pressed against his.
    Natalie didn’t wait to see what happened next. The private moment between the two was clear enough. Her heart fell, but anger coursed through her veins. How could he? He certainly had her fooled. Tanner, being such a heartthrob, could certainly have any woman he wanted. Natalie knew she couldn’t compete with all the many beautiful, talented women. But she thought Tanner loved her, and had felt safe in their relationship.
    However , he’d never made a commitment, had he? No, and that was what was wrong. Natalie had no hold on him, not really. Anger boiled within her, though. Whether she had a right to or not, she felt betrayed. She was betrayed. She wouldn’t stand for it.
    Tanner was always the jealous one. And she’d never given him any reason to be. It was certainly okay for his eyes to wander, but not hers. She’d see a bout that. Jealous raged inside, ripping her apart. The tables had turned. This time Tanner would have to answer to her, and deal with her jealousy - if he could.
     

16 – The Truth
    Strolling in to the office, back from the café, Tanner was surprised to hear, “Natalie is waiting for you in your office.”
    “Why didn’t you send her down?”
    The receptionist just shrugged, knowing better than to get in the middle of this. The look on Natalie’s face when she’d stormed back into the office was all the evidence needed to know this was a confrontation.
    Tanner opened the door to find Natalie sitting in his des k chair looking out the window.
    “Hey baby, what a nice surprise,” he said, striding toward her.
    She wheeled in the chair. T he flushed color to her cheeks and the dark look in her eyes, stopped Tanner in his tracks. Something was wrong.
    “Yeah, I’ll bet it’s a surprise,” she retorted, with her arms crossed, holding back tears of anger. She was determined to keep the upper hand this time.
    Tanner sat on the edge of the desk, looking down at her. “What do you mean? You look ill. Are you okay?”
    Natalie sprang up and paced around the desk. “No, I’m not okay. Not at all.”
    Tanner was floundering, unsure of the situation. Clearly, she was upset but he was at a loss.
    “Did something happen?”
    “Yes, something happened! You and Susan,” she said in a shrill voice, and wrapped her arms around her body as if to hold on, to something, in the roiling waves of emotion.
    Tanner was silent, not knowing what she meant. He really didn’t. And that made Natalie even madder.
    “Don’t pretend you don’t know. I saw you. I mean I saw her. Well, anyway, you were kissing,” Natalie fumed.
    The shock of what she’d said struck Tanner like a bolt of lightning, and he reacted just as instantly.
    “You mean, she kissed me,” he replied, a little more at ease, certain he could handle this now.
    “Whatever.”
    Tanner reached out for Natalie, but she stood firm, unwilling to move toward him. Even in her agitated state, she knew if he touched her she’d waiver. Just looking at him, so darn perfect, in his charcoal suit weakened her.
    Seeing her res istance, Tanner sat on the sofa and said in a confident tone, “Come. Sit here.”
    Natalie sat as far away from him as she could, against the opposite arm of the sofa. She couldn’t understand why he was smiling, or how he could find humor in the violent end to the love they’d had.
    “Susan is leaving the