Page 98 of Games We Play
“Because when you talked about making decisions and moving on like it was nothing, it made me wonder if my own life could’ve been so different. I’m not… you know I’m not confidant about my decisions. I’ve been second guessing everything I’ve ever done since I got pregnant a long time ago.”
Sloan didn’t say anything for a few seconds. Then, “I know a few things that could boost and refine your confidence.”
“You mean like getting back into bed with you?”
“Well,yes,but that’s not what I was going to say. I was thinking about you commanding your own business like a fucking badass.”
“You would want a girlfriend like that? I thought you preferred the more…”
“You should know more than anyone that submissive does not equal a pushover little lump of mush that can’t make her own decisions. You can stand up for yourself. You can stand behind your beliefs and your decisions. So, do it. You did it when you dumped me, right? If you can dumpme,” she said with a sniff, “then you can do anything.”
Leah bit her lip. “Bet you wouldn’t mind punishing me for that.”
“Ha! I thought you were more into rewards?”
“I am, but there’s always room for improvement, right?”
Something rustled on the other end of the line. Had Sloan been looking through a stack of papers? “If you’re serious about it, I’ve got a plan. I need a lot of help telling my bastard ex-husband that it’s time for him to permanently exit my life. Because he’s going to put up a nasty fight as soon as I say I’m taking half our clients and investors with me.”
“Sounds intense.”
“You havenoidea. I’m not afraid to ask for help. And, well, I need it.”
“Are you sure the help you need isn’t me showing you my tits through the window?”
“While that would help me tremendously, it’s not what I had in mind.”
“Thenwhat?”
“First…” Sloan sighed. “Tell me what you’re wearing.”
Leah hung up on her. If she were going to climb back into Sloan’s web, they could do it on Leah’s terms – that did not yet include flirty phone sex. Although it might, soon.
Chapter 31
The car pulled up in front of a skyscraper simply labeledThe G&S Enterprise Building.Sloan had joked that it might soon be calledThe Margaret Sloan Towerto piss off her ex, but she was willing to give him the building in the divorce if it shut him up about other shit.
Leah wasn’t sure about that. Because now that they were here, everything becamereal.
She only agreed to help Sloan after a few more phone calls that became more flirtatious every time they said hello.I think we’re back together. I’m not sure, though.Sloan never called Leah her girlfriend. All she promised was that they would have a serious discussion about what they wanted as soon as the matter of Aaron Giles was handled.
It had been a week since Sloan was last in Portland, and a week since Leah tentatively agreed to go into business for herself. Since then – aside from the buttery phone calls – Leah had received messages from Ayla and a few others she had never heard of before, but a quick Google search proved fruitful when she discovered these unknowns werequiteknown in other circles. Namely, Sloan’s circles.
Leah had a vital role in scaring the shit out of Aaron. She also understood that this was about helping herself as well as her girlfriend (if Sloan even was her girlfriend again.) Sloan had played up how much this would boost Leah’s confidence, which, Sloan declared, was dead sexy.
Although Leah understood the purpose behind this event and why she was involved, it didn’t stop the butterflies from exploding in her stomach as soon as Sean pulled up in front of the office building and nodded to Leah in the rearview mirror.
“How do I look?” Leah asked Sloan’s bodyguard. “Intimidating?”
He cocked a smile. “Hardly. You look like the role you’re meant to play, if I may say so.”
“You may.” Leah pulled a box into her lap before getting out of the car. Sean had another trip to make, but Leah was promised she would have security. “Thank you. Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need luck. You’ll do fine.”
The doorman met Leah at the sidewalk. She showed him the box of goodies in her hands and pretended it was another day of delivering baked items to a group of corporate big-wigs in their ivory tower.
“God,” said a tall woman by the front desk. “I could use a donut right now, but I’ve promised to lay off the sugar until further notice.” She shrugged. “Shall we?”
