Page 10 of Intern

“You make me feel beautiful, desirable, and wanted in ways that I’ve never felt before. Most importantly, you make me feel alive. I’m happy for the first time in… forever. Truly happy and all that has to mean something. Right?”

He clears his throat, but still doesn’t look happy. “I’d like to think so. What’s holding you back?” he swallows. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Oh, Tyson,” I scramble onto his lap and cup his cheeks in my hands as I look down at him. “There’s nothing wrong with you. How can you think that?”

His light green eyes shutter. “You don’t want me.”

“I want you,” I lightly kiss his full pouty lips. “That’s not the problem.”

“What is?” he implores me.

“The fact that everyone wants you and once you get tired of me, you’ll find someone much younger and prettier.”

“Age is only a number. Don’t give it power over you. Overus.”

“I know, but,” I let out a deep sigh. “This is all new to me. I’m not used to being a cougar. If it was the other way around, I probably wouldn’t care.”

“A cougar? Is that what you think you are?” he asks on a laugh.

“I’m the definition of a cougar, Tyson,” I cry out. “There’s a fourteen-year age difference.”

His hand rubs up and down my back in a soothing motion. “I know, but like I said don’t give the number power. From the moment I saw you in the halls at work, I’ve been attracted to you. I don’t care how old either of us are.”

“It’s easy for you to say because no one’s going to think badly about you for being with me,” I huff.

His brows furrow. “Who’s going to think because you’re fucking me you’re a bad person?”

“Is that all this is? Fucking?”

“I don’t know, Sadie. You tell me. I want more,” his jaw ticks. “But you’re the one holding back.”

“I have reasons,” I sigh, resting my head on his shoulder.

“You have reasons, but what do you feel right now, right here, wrapped in my arms?”

“Safe, treasured, beautiful.” And so much more I don’t want to admit.

“All good things, so why are you holding back?”

Tears sting the back of my eyes, and I choke out my confession. “I don’t want you to break me. I already feel too much.”

“Hey,” he says, pulling back to look at me. “I don’t want to break you either. That’s not the plan.” Looking up at the ceiling, he mutters. “If you only knew.”

“Then tell me. Maybe it will help.”

“Or it will hurt my chances, and you’ll run far, far away,” he says, continuing to speak to the ceiling.

What could he possibly say that he thinks will make me run away?

Does he want a dozen babies?

Is he wanted by the law?

“Well, I’d like you to share, but I understand. It was hard for me to open up, and I won’t push you. I haven’t even told you everything.”

Tyson perks up. He sits up, his hands gripping my hips. “What else is there?”

“We work in the same building, and if you continue on, you’ll be working under me on some projects. Well, I’ll oversee your boss, but I’ll get the final say in who’s campaign we use and if I choose you, then it could be seen as favoritism.”

---