“Hello, Mr. Hayes,” I said politely, turning slightly to face him directly. My voice shook at his name. “I wasn't expecting you. Please, let me show you to my office.”
I didn't wait to hear his answer as I spun and started walking back toward my desk. Kathryn could handle the other Mr. Hayes and the crowd on her own.
From the corner of my eye I could see Darcie giving me a huge thumb's up from the library. I had told her everything about my trip. Her confidence in me made it easier to believe that I could do this. I grinned nervously at her and kept walking.
I could hear him behind me as well as the murmurs of people returning to their offices. Alexa liked a crowd, but I didn't. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I held open the door to the small space I called my own. As he passed I could smell his shampoo and it made me go weak in the knees with the memory of my hair tangled in his fingers.
I took another deep breath that still did nothing to calm my nerves, holding onto the door handle for an extra moment trying to steady myself before I had to turn around and face him. I had no idea what was going to happen next, but I closed the door anyway.
“Lena....” His voice was as soft as the hand he placed on my shoulder. I couldn't help but stiffen at his touch. It felt so wonderful, yet so far from what I could have. I couldn't turn from the door to look at him because I knew if I did, I would burst into tears.
He pulled gently. “Lena, look at me.”
I took a deep breath in, hoping that eventually these breaths would become calming, and reluctantly turned to face him.
He was so damn handsome he took my breath away. Every inch of him was perfect. I wanted to reach out and touch him, to kiss him again, but was terrified at the same time. My new found courage had completely deserted me when faced with the thing I wanted and feared most. The last few days of being alone tugged at my mind, telling me I needed to run before he could hurt me again.
But my feet wouldn't move. Couldn't move. I didn't want to leave him. It broke my heart to be near him and know that it was all going to officially end. He was here to tell me that he didn't want a paralegal. He had wanted a lawyer and someone who didn't lie or not know about his money. He wanted someone befitting a billionaire.
He let go of my shoulder and put his finger and thumb to my chin. The movement was gentle, but he tipped my chin up so I would look at his face instead of staring at his tie. I didn't want to look into his eyes because I knew I would just fall in love with him all over again.
“You left this,” he said, pulling something out from the inside pocket of his suit jacket. It was the shoe I had lost in his room on our last day. He held it out in front of him like a rope to a drowning man. I gasped, looking up into his hazel eyes. Suddenly, I wasn't sure which one of us needed the lifeline more.
I raised my hand out to touch the shoe, but didn't take it. I wasn't sure if I could. I needed to know if this was what I thought and hoped it was. I needed to know I would be enough for a billionaire.
“I'm not a lawyer,” I whispered. There. I said it. I just hoped it wasn't too little to late.
“I know.” Aiden's voice shook but the hand holding the shoe was steady.
“I'm sorry you had to find out from Alexa,” I said softly, looking at the shoe. “I just didn't know how to tell you.”
“I knew before she announced it to your office.”
I looked up from the shoe into his face. “What?”
“I knew you weren't a lawyer the day you arrived on the island.”
“How?” My heart was threatening to shatter into a million pieces and the only thing holding me together was the fact we were both holding my shoe.
“I wanted to know who the amazing woman from the MSW law fir
m was,” he said with a gentle smile. “It didn't take much to find out.”
“But...” He knew. He knew I lied that whole time. “You didn't say anything...”
“I didn't want to embarrass you.” He stared at the shoe in our hands. “I should have let you say something. I know you did try to tell me.”
I wondered if he could feel me shaking through the shoe. I felt like a leaf in a thunderstorm. “Why are you here?” I asked. Despite his gentle tone, it had been over two days. Two days where I wasn't sure what he felt or if he even wanted me.
“When you said you...” He stumbled on his words and stared at the shoe, brow furrowed and dark. “When you said you loved me, I didn't know what to do. I was so sure it was a lie.”
My eyes flashed up to his, anger threatening to spill out of my broken quivering heart. “It wasn't a lie!”
“All my life, people have lied to me to get what they want. Usually it's money or power.” He met my gaze, his hazel eyes full of honesty and heartache. “You fell in love with me without knowing I had either. I was just Aiden to you, and I couldn't fathom how that was possible. How could you love someone like me without expecting something in return?”
“I just wanted you,” I whispered. All the hurt and tears I had suppressed and worked through since getting on the plane to leave were threatening to overwhelm me.
“It took me a day and a half to realize that I am a complete and utter idiot.” He paused, his eyes enveloping me in their warmth. “You loved me for something no one else has. You loved me with no thought of any gain for yourself.”