Free Seven Day Seduction by Emma Shortt Page A

of sleeping with a
piece of William’s clothing.
    “Hi, Louise,” William said.
    She stood back to allow him to enter, and
felt her heart squeeze as he ruffled her hair.
    “I have good news,” he said.
    Louise followed him into the living room,
twisting her hands as she did so. “I have some news too,” she said
softly.
    “Me first,” William said. He sat down on the
couch and patted the spot next to him. Louise swallowed nervously
and lowered herself. They were right next to one another, not
really any space between, but her heart did not thud like it did
when she was in close proximity to Jude. Her stomach did not flip,
and her breath did not catch in her throat.
    “The interview went very well,” he said.
“They’ve offered me a position!”
    “A position?” Louise asked.
    William nodded. “Starting at the end of the
month. The salary is twice what I earn now, and they’re even
offering a relocation package.”
    Confusion flooded her and Louise stumbled
over her words. “The job…the interview…it’s in Texas?”
    “It is,” William confirmed. “I know we
thought it was going to be closer to home, at one of their
satellite offices, but they want me at head office.”
    “That’s…” She breathed out slowly. “That’s
really good news.”
    He grinned. “We need to start packing. The
month is going to go so quickly.”
    We …
    It was time. Louise clenched and unclenched
her fists, tucked her hair behind her ear, and shifted on her
seat—trying to find the right words. In the end there were none, so
she simply reached forward and lifted the jeweler’s box.
    “I’m not going to come with you,
William.”
    He started, his eyes going from the box and
then to her. “What?”
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I really
am.”
    “I don’t understand,” he said. “Is it
because you don’t want to move? Louise, neither of us has any
family here, and we’ll make new friends. This is a wonderful
opportunity, who knows how long PSO is going to manage to stay
afloat. We have a real chance here.”
    “I know,” Louise said. “And it is a great
opportunity for you, just not for me.”
    “ Then we’ll stay
here.”
    Her heart squeezed. Louise shook her head
and met his eyes. She didn’t want to, would rather have kept them
lowered, but this was William, and she cared for him. None of this
was his fault. He had been nothing but good to her for all the
months they’d spent together. He deserved a proper explanation.
    “I don’t think marriage is the right thing
to do anymore,” she said slowly. “Not for either of us.”
    He shook his head, confusion in his gaze.
“But, Louise, I don’t understand, where has this come from?”
    “I’ve been thinking a lot this week,” she
said. “About our relationship.” She took a deep breath. “I want to
ask you something, William, and I want you to be honest with
me.”
    “Okay.”
    “Why have you been happy to wait for us to
have sex?”
    He frowned. Silence settled between them for
a moment before he spoke. “Is that was this is about?”
    “It’s part of it,” Louise admitted.
    “I simply thought it would be more
sensible,” he said carefully. “That it would make it special.”
    “But don’t you want me now?” she asked.
“Don’t you think about it? About us together?”
    “Of course I want you,” he said. “If this is
the problem then we can fix it right now.”
    He reached out and took her hand, and then
gently, tentatively, leaned in to kiss her. She’d kissed him many
times. They might not have made love, but they kissed and cuddled,
heavy petted. As they had been all those times before, William’s
lips were soft on hers.
    Undemanding.
    He moved gently, as if
trying not to break her. There was nothing at all wrong with the
kiss, it even felt vaguely pleasant, and when Louise considered it
all by itself it was fine. But she had a comparison now, and knew
that it was not fine. It was all wrong.
    She pulled back. “I