He gripped her chin between his thumb and finger again. “First of all, you have always been more than just an assistant. I wouldn’t get anything done without you. You deserve more credit than what you give yourself.”
His words warmed her deep into her heart. She knew he valued and appreciated her. Luke had always been the best boss and treated her with such respect. Even if she wasn’t halfway in love with the man, she would love him simply for the way he treasured her.
“Second,” he went on. “Since my engagement ended, I don’t do much with dating or even looking to add someone into my life. I’m devoted to Wingate and determined to grow our product line.”
“Your ex wasn’t right for you.”
Kelly hadn’t meant to let that out, but now that she’d expressed her true feelings, she didn’t care that he knew.
“Did our engagement affect how you felt?” he asked.
Kelly didn’t want him to think she was looking to slip into that role of trophy fiancée. “Despite wanting you, I wasn’t looking for more. I just didn’t think she fit into your world. She seemed to... I don’t know. Needy.”
“She was,” he agreed. “I’m glad I realized it before we married. I wasn’t in love with her and she wanted a social status that she thought I could give her. It seemed like a good fit at first, but I seriously dodged a bullet with that one.”
Marrying someone like Luke Holloway would certainly give someone a bump in their standings. It would get someone invited to the poshest parties, an automatic in with the elite Texas Cattleman’s Club and money would never be an issue. Luke would give his woman everything she could ever want, and he would totally treat her like a queen.
Kelly never wanted a man to take care of her, she was more than capable of taking care of herself. She wasn’t looking to marry Luke, she’d just wanted him in her bed. She wanted him to make her feel alive, to fulfill these fantasies she’d had for years.
But now that she knew they would make one hell of a team in the boardroom and the bedroom—it still didn’t change anything. Because when it came down to it, they wanted different things out of life.
“She didn’t find the work hours too appealing,” Luke went on. “She wanted the prestige and the money, but without the work.”
“Well, that’s impossible, especially during crisis mode.”
Luke snaked an arm around her wa
ist and hauled her back down onto the bed. “I don’t want to talk about my ex anymore,” he told her brusquely.
That was something Kelly could definitely get on board with. She’d rather talk work than the woman who used to wear Luke’s ring.
“I didn’t even know I needed this,” he stated after a minute of silence. “You were right.”
Kelly snuggled deeper into his side, tucking her head just beneath his chin. “I’m always right.”
His laugh vibrated against her cheek.
“What?” she asked. “I am. Where would you be without me? You’ve admitted you couldn’t live without me in the office and now I’m right about you needing this break.”
“I would have never left for anything other than meeting with an investor or finding a way to fix Wingate.”
He didn’t have to admit that, she knew, and that’s why she had to essentially lie to him to get him on that plane. When Zeke approached her, he’d told her there would be no way his brother would meet with anyone without her by his side. He trusted her with every aspect of his business.
“I should feel guilty for deceiving you,” she finally said. “But I honestly don’t.”
“You could have seduced me in Royal.”
“As I told you before, the timing was never right.” Kelly eased back and rested on her elbow to stare down at him. “And that’s not the sole reason I brought you here. I really was worried about you and so was your brother.”
“He’s just as much of a workaholic.”
“That’s true,” she agreed. “It’s in your blood, but he does know when to take a day off here and there to give himself some space. Everyone needs to recharge at some point in time. And besides, he has Reagan.”
He tucked her hair behind her ear and trailed his fingers down her cheek. Her body had never really calmed since the waterfall and now each touch and each smoldering gaze from Luke only revved her up all over again.
“How many more days do we have?” he asked.
“Three.” Not long enough. “I have a fun day planned tomorrow, but if you want to stay here and be lazy and naked, I can cancel.”