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Back The Companion Project Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. Dedication
  2. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  3. ONE
  4. HENRY
  5. TWO
  6. EMMA
  7. THREE
  8. HENRY
  9. FOUR
  10. EMMA
  11. FIVE
  12. EMMA
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. HENRY
  16. EIGHT
  17. NINE
  18. TEN
  19. HENRY
  20. ELEVEN
  21. TWELVE
  22. EMMA
  23. THIRTEEN
  24. HENRY
  25. FOURTEEN
  26. HENRY
  27. FIFTEEN
  28. SIXTEEN
  29. EMMA
  30. SEVENTEEN
  31. HENRY
  32. EIGHTEEN
  33. HENRY
  34. NINETEEN
  35. HENRY
  36. TWENTY
  37. TWENTY-ONE
  38. EMMA
  39. TWENTY-TWO
  40. EMMA
  41. TWENTY-THREE
  42. HENRY
  43. TWENTY-FOUR
  44. EMMA
  45. TWENTY-FIVE
  46. EMMA
  47. TWENTY-SIX
  48. EMMA
  49. TWENTY-SEVEN
  50. HENRY
  51. TWENTY-EIGHT
  52. EMMA
  53. TWENTY-NINE
  54. HENRY
  55. THIRTY
  56. HENRY
  57. THIRTY-ONE
  58. HENRY
  59. THIRTY-TWO
  60. EMMA
  61. THIRTY-THREE
  62. HENRY
  63. THIRTY-FOUR
  64. EMMA
  65. THIRTY-FIVE
  66. EMMA
  67. THIRTY-SIX
  68. HENRY
  69. THIRTY-SEVEN
  70. EMMA
  71. THIRTY-EIGHT
  72. HENRY
  73. THIRTY-NINE
  74. HENRY
  75. FORTY
  76. EMMA
  77. FORTY-ONE
  78. HENRY
  79. FORTY-TWO
  80. FORTY-THREE
  81. EMMA
  82. FORTY-FOUR
  83. EMMA
  84. FORTY-FIVE
  85. HENRY
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ALSO BY CHELSEA CURTO
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I stop near my office door, daring a glance over my shoulder. Henry hasn’t moved, still rooted in place as his polished dress shoe rubs the carpet. My name is shaky, like he’s bewildered he even has the luxury of speaking to me and never wants to say anything else for the rest of his life.

“Yes?” I answer, coxing him, encouraging him, wondering what he’s going to say next and ready to hang on to every word.

“You look positively stunning.”

The compliment is so soft, so heartfelt, I’m uncertain he said it aloud. He raises his chin to stare at me, and the white-hot heat behind his chestnut eyes is scorching. Blazing. A dangerous inferno.

I’m burning from the inside out, yearning for more of his fire.

For more of… him.

I hold back a gasp, afraid to believe he meant those four precious words. If he did, it would forever alter the dynamics of us, our charted trajectory of neutrality disrupted and interrupted.

“Thank you.”

Throwing myself into my office, I close the door firmly shut, pressing my back against the wood.

I’ve never been so disjointed after an interaction with him before. The memory of his skin on mine is an image I wish I could have seen, desire rising from my toes and settling between my thighs.

I have to escape this building, afraid of how Henry will change my opinion of him if I don’t. Or, even worse, what I might do knowing we could exist as something other than coworkers. As I grab my purse, I can’t help but wonder something, a niggle of imagination I’m embarrassed to even entertain.

If this is how I reacted from a single touch of his, what would happen if he gave me everything he had?

For the first time in all the years I’ve known him, I’m achingly desperate to find the answer to that question.

SIX

To: JD7683

From: RBCompanions

Subject: Hooray!

Date: September 3

JD,

Hey! I thought I’d send you an email with the exciting news. Everything from your background check and the P.I. came back great. We’re clear to go ahead with planning!

Can you give me the specifics of the event? If you have an itinerary, that would be even better. What sort of role do you need me to play? Friend? Girlfriend? Business partner?

Let me know!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

RB

* * *

To: RBCompanions

From: JD7683

Subject: Re: Hooray!

Date: September 3

My savior, RB,

That’s great to hear. I’m excited to get the ball rolling. If you have follow-up questions that will ease your mind, ask away. I’m an open book.

The event is my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. They’re doing an extended weekend celebration. Here’s the tentative plan so far:

Wednesday: arrive at the house/dinner with my parents