Free Playing with Power - Book 5: New Adult Office Romance by Adele Huxley Page B

through some of the toughest shit I’ve encountered in my career. Because of him, I was brave enough to even explore my idea in the first place. Without him, I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to come out to Sonoma when you invited me.”
    “Okay, okay. I’m sorry,” he said defensively. “He just has a bit of a reputation of being a hard-ass, that’s all. It’s completely out of character from everything I’ve heard. If he’s been good to you, then I’m satisfied.” Lauren huffed, not yet ready to let go of her anger. She wasn’t used to men just apologizing right away. “Really, I’m sorry,” he said placing his hand on her knee.
    She exhaled loudly and smiled at him. “It’s alright. I know what that must’ve looked like. I’m just glad you’re here now and everything’s moving ahead. This shit with Nick is just getting annoying now. I can’t believe he managed to hack into my phone, our phones. The guy needed help setting up his cable box.” Landon laughed and gave her an incredulous look. “Well, not really, but close. It just doesn’t make sense.”
    “Do you think there’s any chance we’ll run into him this weekend?” Landon asked, his expression darkening. Lauren loved the way his eyes turned almost black when he was upset.
    “There’s always a chance, I suppose. I figure he’s probably staked out watching Damon’s building. Maybe we can really throw him off by sending each other texts on the old phones?”
    “Yeah, why not? I’d rather put my fist through his face.” A brief quiet fell between them as she shared the same fantasy. “Have you thought about what you’re going to tell your parents about your battle wounds?”
    “I was just going to wait until you were out of the room and tell them you hit me,” she replied in a monotone voice.
    “That’s not fucking funny!”
    She giggled. “Alright, not that funny. I guess I’ll just tell them the truth. Some psycho bitch attacked me after I fired her.”
    “I can’t believe you aren’t going to press charges, even after the cops asked you about the cut on your head.”
    Lauren shrugged. “I don’t see the point. She’s obviously unstable so I’d rather not instigate anything further.”
    “Fair enough. You make your own choices.”
    Landon couldn’t sit still in the passenger seat, legs twitching in the footwell like he’d had four cups of coffee. “You aren’t nervous, are you?” Lauren said with a chuckle. He groaned and stomped his feet flat on the floor.
    “I can’t help it,” he almost whined. “I feel like they’re going to hate me from the start.”
    “Why would they hate you?” she asked incredulously.
    “Because I’m stealing you away. They don’t even know me and already I’m taking you to the opposite coast. From everything you’ve told me, your family is incredibly close and here I am—”
    “Will you stop? They’re going to love you.”
    Landon’s head tilted slightly. “Because you love me, right?”
    “Maybe,” she said pointing a finger at him playfully. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “A turn of phrase. We’ve only just established a proper relationship status, albeit on a rather shaky foundation.”
    He put a comforting hand on her thigh and nodded, looking out the windshield. She laced her fingers through his but kept her eyes on the road. “Fair enough. And don’t feel like you have to say it back...I just couldn’t stand the idea of you never hearing it from me. I know I haven’t exactly been the best boyfriend but in my defense, I haven’t really had much experience. That has to get me off the hook a little bit.”
    Lauren stuck her tongue out at him and gave him a sideways smile.
    “Your forgiveness is a testament to what a wonderful person you are,” he continued. He lifted her hand to his mouth, kissing her palm delicately, then returned it to her lap.
    “Yeah, yeah. You really lay it on thick, don’t you DeWitt?”
    “Hopefully