Bound Beneath His Pain (Dirty Little Secrets 1)

Sitting on my couch, surrounded by the soft lighting coming from the lamps on the end tables, I stare into Taylor’s wide eyes through the iPad screen. “Yup, I said yes.”

“But why?” she continues with a frown. “I thought you were totally against the idea of dating him.”

“Oh, I was.” I fiddle with the long necklace over the top of my favorite little black dress, not at all surprised that I changed my mind about Micah. Little did he know I had already mentally agreed to our date at Holt’s Day. Everything that followed after was only confirmation I had made the right choice, including the night in my office. But the biggest deciding factor was his agreement to ensure I stayed out of the tabloids. I’m no idiot, and Micah had unchecked all my concerns about him, so there’s no reason for me to stop this anymore. This guy lights up my body and touches my soul. I want to explore that. “Things with him are weird and powerful and intense and scary. I don’t know…he seems so different, so unlike the guys I’ve met before. There’s a sweetness and depth to him that’s hidden under that sexy body.”

Taylor giggles.

I wait until she stops, then add, “So, today, he negotiated the date and expertly knocked off every objection I had, making me feel better about it all. Then he touched me and, Taylor, my God, he is hot. I’ve never felt like I do with him. The guy is so damn sexy it practically oozes out of him, so my mouth just opened and I said yes.”

“Okay, well, this is good, isn’t it?” Taylor asks.

I shrug. “Maybe.”

“Why maybe?”

“Like I said…” I add with a smile, “…it’s weird and powerful and intense and scary.” I can’t forget these things about Micah. I need to go into this with my eyes wide open, never forgetting that a part of me is still on guard with him.

She jumps on her bed, sending the iPad screen bouncing around, and leans against her fabric-covered headboard. “Well, that’s better than being normal and boring.”

“True.”

“What else did he say to you?”

“Be ready outside of your condo at 8 P.M.”

“That’s all he said?”

For the past hour, while getting ready, Micah’s text to me had been on repeat. One second he’s hot as fire, sweet and sensitive. The next second he’s cold as ice. It’s a little confusing. “Yep, that was it.”

“What did you say back?”

“I told him that I’d meet him at the restaurant.”

She smiles, and I notice the dark circles under her eyes are gone tonight. “Of course you did. And what was his response?”

I’m sending my driver to you was what Micah had texted.

I texted back: I don’t want to be photographed with you and be splashed all over some trashy magazine. You promised that wouldn’t happen.

His response took less time than mine did: You want to have dinner somewhere private, then?

Yes, I replied.

That can be arranged.

Okay, where?

I’m sending my driver, Allie. I could almost hear the exasperation in his tone at that comment.

Micah…I had hoped he heard mine, too.

Which he followed up with, I take your privacy seriously. My driver is trained to protect you. Be ready at 8 p.m.

I sigh to myself, rehashing that frustrating conversation in my mind, but saving Taylor from the power struggle. “He won the argument, of course. But let me tell you, if I’m on a magazine cover tomorrow, things are going to get ugly.” Because I’m not ready to go there. I like my life. I like my privacy. I don’t want things to change.

Taylor laughs in her easy way. “Your situation sounds more complicated than mine.”

“It is what it is. And I’m going with it.” I place the iPad on my crossed legs, staring down at her, a few strands of hair falling beside my face. “We’ll see what happens tonight. This could be an epic disaster.” If I learned anything from the death of my parents, it’s to live to the fullest. I won’t stop the natural flow of where things are going with Micah, but I will protect myself. “Before I go, tell me, how are things with Shawn?”