Because you couldn’t help yourself, that’s why. You fell in love with her before you tasted her food but once she started feeding you, you were smitten. Admit it. The years of looking after himself had made him jaded and he’d forgotten how much he loved a women’s touch in his life.
Not that he loved her for what she could do for him and the family, not at all. But that was how she’d initially wrangled herself into his heart. Once he realized how much he cared about her, it was too late to stop. His heart had already decided and his brain had no say in the matter.
Despite what she said about taking it one day at a time and hoping for things to work out at the end, it was going to end badly. She had her career and he had his son. They both resided in different states and there was no way it would work between them as a long-distance relationship. He had to break it off with her before he lost the will to make his own decisions.
After the big dinner, he’d take her somewhere quiet and explain why they couldn’t be together anymore. He couldn’t possibly compete with her current life, no matter how much he wanted to. It could only end in broken hearts if he continued to delude himself. Maybe one day she would see it for what it was – an amusing change to her normal high-flying life.
The rest of his day dragged on. On his way home, he debated whether or not to call in and see how she was going. She’d warned him she might not make it home early enough to see him and Jake didn’t know if he could sleep without setting eyes on her again. His heart and his brain were at war and it made him sick to his stomach.
As he drove past the hotel, he turned into the back car park before he could change his mind. A van with a major broadcaster’s logo he recognized sat parked near the door and he almost backed off then thought better of it. He had every right to be there but Jake wondered if he would be stepping on toes.
He walked into the foyer and into a hive of activity. “Look out.” He ducked as a harried man scuttled past him with a heavy camera on his shoulder. The cameraman pushed through the doors to the kitchen and Jake followed.
Bella stood at the counter, hands gesturing madly as she argued with a man who had his back to Jake. She slammed her hand down on the counter, shouting above the din around her. “I said no and I mean it. Defy me, Russell, and I swear to God, I’ll walk, regardless of the consequences.” She looked up and saw Jake.
The anger on her face turned to one of resigned annoyance. Maybe he should just slip out and leave her to it. Looked like something was happening here that didn’t involve him. She hadn’t said she was filming anything, but then again, why should she? It was her business. He turned and pushed out the doors again, ducking around a couple of young men laying cables and lights down the hallway to the ballroom.
“Jake.”
He strode out the door through the foyer, hurt creeping in to take over from the need he’d felt for her moments earlier.
“Jake, wait!”
He paused outside under the shadow of the back entrance.
She grabbed his arm, spun around to stand in front of him. “Why didn’t you stop when I called you?”
“You looked busy. Figured it was best if I left you to it, whatever it was.” Because I don’t fit in here. I get that now.
Her eyes flashed with anger. “Are you pissed at something? Because I really don’t need you behaving like a prima donna right now. I have enough to deal with in there with the crew and an overzealous producer who doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. I’m sure he has a God complex.”
“What have I got to be pissed about? The fact that you seem to have half the movie industry in the hotel and I didn’t know anything about it? Nope. Not my business.”
Bella put her hands either side of his face and brought his lips down to hers. As she pressed against him, used her tongue to force her way in to meet his, his resolve started to fade away. He slid his arms around her back, pulled her against his chest, and kissed her, all the frustration and determination he’d been tossing around turning into a passion he couldn’t hold back. When it came to Bella, he was as weak as a newborn foal.
She sighed when they broke apart, her anger replaced with a satisfied grin. “Wow. I’m glad you came in. That was worth waiting for.”
“Sorry. I had no right to be annoyed with you. What you do is your business.” He rested his forehead against hers, tried to calm his racing heart. How was he going to deal with losing this firecracker of a woman?
“Welcome to my world.” She kissed him again. “Come inside and meet Russell, my producer. He arrived today with hardly any notice to shoot some scenes for the show, otherwise I would have warned you. Editing lost a huge amount of what we’d already shot for my last program and he needed more footage, demanded I go back to sort it out.” She wrapped her fingers through his and tugged him back inside.
“Ah, I get it. You said no because of the dinner, right?”
Bella grinned at him. “You catch on quick. I couldn’t say anything to you about it because when I pitched the idea to him, he didn’t answer me. But he’s here now and it will do the hotel good to give it a bit
