Gage (Men of Honor 1)

Gage has reassured me time and again that he had no interest in her and even went so far as severing their business relationship but still that lingering fear persists. I always feel gauche and unattractive in her presence, maybe because secretly I believe that she’s more suitable for a man like him than I am.

That’s the hardest part, accepting that he might be more suited to be with someone like her. Lively, vivacious and outgoing. From what little I know and understand about relationships, the two of them seem like a more likely match.

But after what happened at lunch yesterday and how it made me feel to see Gage totally ignore her, and seeing for the first time, his utter disdain for her and her antics, I’m beginning to feel less threatened.

Until then I honestly didn’t think I had the right to stand up to her, to tell her to back off of my husband. Silly I know, but her personality is such that I thought I should just keep my head down and hope for the best.

The few times we’d met away from Gage she’d make these slightly veiled comments about him that made it seem like they had more than just a work related relationship and I was well on my way to believing her. I mean, who could resist someone that looked like her, especially for someone as lacking as myself?

She really had me believing that my husband was interested in her and was willing to leave me. All the things my parents had warned me about seemed on the verge of becoming a reality and nothing had ever made me as miserable as I was and have been until yesterday.

Now I know that my husband loves me and only me. I ran my hand over my tummy and smiled. Gage had said that I’m ovulating but I’m hoping that I have even better news for him this time. I have a feeling that I’m already finally pregnant after trying since the night of our wedding when he whispered how much he wanted me to have his child.

I turned away from the mirror and headed into the master bedroom to the walk-in closet to get dressed for the day. For the first time in weeks I didn’t have that gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that my fairytale life was about to come crushing down.

* * *

DONNA

* * *

I flounced from one side to the next as I laid in bed. This is getting old, I’m still annoyed from yesterday and haven’t even been able to eat anything since that horrible lunch. I finally came to rest on my back to look up at the ceiling of my seven hundred square foot bedroom.

My stomach was still in turmoil from the day before even though I thought I’d wake up this morning feeling better. I barely restrained myself from screeching as I pounded my fists and heels into the mattress. Fighting back tears of frustration I tried to do my calming exercise but I was running out of patience.

This should’ve been resolved by now, it’s never taken me this long before. How can that insipid cow be more deserving of him than me? I refuse to believe that he could possibly be the only man who can resist me. Especially since he’s the first that I’ve ever truly wanted.

Gage Sievers is the kind of man any woman would want in her bed and out of it. He’s rich, handsome and sexy as hell and just his voice alone can get my juices flowing. I’ve done my best to get him into my bed even after learning that he’s married since that has never stopped me before. And after meeting her I was sure it would be a piece of cake to snatch him away from her, but it’s been months and he’s still with her, leaving me out in the cold.

I heard what sounded like my housekeeper arriving downstairs and that gave me the initiative to roll out of bed and hop into the shower. All was not lost as long as I still had my ace in the hole.

I rushed through my shower before coming to sit in front of the vanity mirror to take stock. Leaning in close I looked myself over and saw what I wanted to, reassurance that I was still who I wanted to be. It had taken a lot of hard work to get here, much pain and suffering.

No Donna, don’t think about that now. I brushed those depressing thoughts aside or tried to as I moved my hair back from my temples with my fingers. I tried, but it was no use. For the first time in a very long time I felt threatened and what’s more, I was beginning to feel like the sad little wimp I used to be.