by Eliza Quinn
“Yes. I did. I choose you. I’ll find a way and if I can’t? I’ll still choose you. Please come back,” he said quietly.
“I don’t know that I can. What if you change your mind? You were willing to lose me. You didn’t choose me first.” Her reply was so soft it was nearly inaudible.
“Delia. I’ll choose you even when I’m too stubborn to choose you,” he whispered.
Delia shook her head but he took her in his arms and kissed her softly, slowly, like he had all the time in the world on a busy New York street. It was unlike any kiss he’d ever given her. In that kiss, all the things he hadn’t given her before, he gave her now. She tasted his heart and soul. Her heart exploded with happiness and she grinned at him in a moment of pure joy. He smiled at her too, boyishly happy for a moment before he stiffened.
“Fuck!” He swore under his breath.
“Senator Wolfe, how does it feel to be cheating on your wife so openly?” someone with a flashing camera yelled.
Delia blinked at the glare while her brain kicked into overdrive. Senator? Wife?
“Wife?” Delia screeched in disbelief. She stared at him like she was seeing him for the first time. The pain in her gaze, the disappointment, the disgust—it slayed him. He grappled for words to explain. Of all the ways she could have found out. He was a fool.
“Delia I can explain.” Bain struggled to shield her from the swarm of paparazzi that swarmed to get hold of her.
“Let go of me! I need to…” Delia couldn’t finish that statement; she couldn’t breathe. She ran across the crowded streets with photographers chasing her, yelling sordid questions at her. Delia ran and hid. When they passed, she found her way home. How she ended up at home she couldn’t remember. She was dead inside. Bain, or should she say, Wolfe, had left her soul shattered on the pavement.
Chapter Ten
“Vincent Bain Wolfe, Senator of the United States of America and on a fast track to presidency—or at least he was until he was spotted kissing Delia Dresden, who was until recently a literal maid in Manhattan and has a history of trying to use rich men to get big paydays…”
“Stop reading that shit. Stop watching TV. Just stop filling your head with that drivel,” Mari ordered. Celine snatched the paper from her, while Nora placed a cup of coffee in her hand.
“You would think they would be more original than ‘Maid in Manhattan’ but I guess if I was to be slandered any mention of J. Lo, no matter how unreal, is at least complimentary,” Delia said and hiccuped a sob.
“Fuck him for putting you through this,” Mari said vehemently.
“I slept with a married man,” Delia sobbed. She still couldn’t wrap her head around it. She’d ignored all the signs, every single one, and had fallen for him. She was still in love with him despite how despicable he’d proven himself to be. He’d tried to call her, but in between reporters requesting her own side of the story and “friends” checking up on her, he couldn’t get through. It was just as well. She felt sick to her stomach.
“You didn’t know. He said he was going to explain. I’m not sure how he’s going to explain this to anyone satisfactorily, but none of this is your fault. It’ll blow over soon. Celebrities will do something else and make the news in a couple of days,” Charlie tried to console her.
Please turn on your TV. I have a press conference. If after that you don’t want to talk, I’ll understand but give me a chance to explain myself.
Her traitorous heart skipped a beat. Delia sighed and pushed her phone screen away. He had nothing to say that could change the fact that he’d been lying to her for so long. She couldn’t bear to see him. The text was still on the screen when Mari picked it up.
“Delia…I think you should,” she said quietly.
“Why? He’s a politician, they lie,” Delia pointed out.
“Yes, but I think he might say something that would give us a clue about how to battle all of this.” Mari gesticulated vaguely.
“I don’t intend to deal with it. I intend to lie here until the entire state doesn’t think I’m a homewrecker,” Delia said.
“Nope. The Delia I know, she fights. Those people? Their opinions don’t matter. You will fight this and you will come out stronger in the end. We’re watching the news.” Mari clicked on the news just as the press conference came on.
“I stand before you today deeply humbled. I have made some bad decisions over the last couple of months and for that I find myself on the verge of losing the most important part of my life…” Bain began. Delia grimaced and tore her eyes from the screen.
“Torture is so much fun. He only cares about his stupid reputation. Not me,” Delia said angrily, reaching for the remote. Mari took it out of her reach, eyes glued on the screen.
“Delia Dresden. I hope you’re watching this. I didn’t cheat on my wife with you. We have been quietly divorced for the past year. We didn’t break the news because my PR team was convinced it would affect my ratings. I read the stats, heard the arguments, and I chose not to share that information. Until not sharing that meant losing you. All my life I have dedicated myself to becoming a leader, to devote myself to the American people. It was a dream I craved. So no, you’re not the other woman. I was a coward, I didn’t want to lose you and in my dedication to the service of the people, I did. So consequences be damned Delia. I love you. I’m saying it, in front of cameras, in front of the good people of New York, so it’ll be on record. You asked me to choose you. I do. I would like to spend the rest of my days choosing you, with you at my side, winning at whatever life throws at us. Delia Dresden? I am Vincent Bain Wolfe, Senator of the United States of America, and I would like you to have dinner with me.” Bain stepped off the podium and walked away as journalists threw questions at him.
“Well damn…” Charlie said.
Delia sat still, her mind running a mile a minute. Bain loved her; Bain wasn’t married! Bain has just declared his love for her for all of New York, knowing there was still a chance she would reject him.
“You still love him don’t you?” Mari asked with a smile.
“I do. I was ashamed of it just twenty minutes ago,” Delia whispered.
“And now?” Nora asked.
“Now I…” The doorbell rang, cutting her off.
Delia moved on shaky feet to the door knowing who stood behind it. She pulled it open and watched as Bain took in her swollen face and tear-stained cheeks.
“I’m so sorry. I should have told you. I love you. Forgive me and I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for this,” he said, gently wiping the tears that poured from her eyes.
“I was going to kill you. For turning me into a mistress, for creating an avenue where the newspapers could print more shit about me. I was going to kill you.” Delia shook her head fiercely.
“Was?”
She saw it. The cautious hope in his golden gaze.
“Was,” she said firmly.
“And now?” Bain asked carefully.
“Now I’m going to have dinner with you. You did just invite me in front of the entire state and it’s hardly senatorial to be stood up and Vincent Bain Wolfe? I love you. I think we have a long way to go but love? That’s a good foundation,” Delia said.
Bain grinned.
“I love you too Selene, my moon goddess. If it’s fine with you I want to spend forever getting to know you.” Bain laughed.
“That’s fine with me,” Delia said primly. When he kissed her, it was like they could finally breathe again.
THE END
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Rule #1: Never get involved with a student.
Professor Patel Park knows better than to risk his career on a student. It was right there in the rules; rule number one, to be exact. So what if it was his own personal rule
? But when Tatiana Edwards enters his classroom, he knows things are about to heat up. Because she’s attractive as can be and there’s a look in her eyes begging him to dominate her.
Tatiana wants to seduce her anatomy professor.
Tatiana isn’t happy about her unexpected move, but when she meets her new anatomy professor, she can’t stop thinking about him. She can’t stop imagining him taking control and taking her. Is he the kind of guy that’s into all the dark things she wants? Or is he as vanilla and boring as most of the guys that try to come on to her?
There’s only one way to find out!
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About the Author
Eliza Quinn lives in the Midwest with her husband and two boys. She’s loved reading since she could hold a book and has spent many a sleepless night reading just one more page. Now she has channeled that joy of reading into writing and hopes to provide you with many sleepless nights too.
She wants people to laugh, smile, and sigh as they fall in love with her characters. She wants to write books that make people feel. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or trying to keep up with two boys and a husband as incorrigible as the children. And she loves every second of it.
I’d love for you to stay in touch with me. Contact me at [email protected].
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Other Books by Eliza
I’ve listed the books below but you can see them all easy when you click on my Amazon Author Page.
Desire Series:
Controlled Desire - Book 1
Unleashed Desire - Book 2
Bound Desire - Book 3
Surrendered Desire - Book 4
Concealed Desire - Book 5
Fated Desire - Book 6
Strict Series:
A Strict Lesson - Book 1
A Strict Hunger - Book 2 September 2020
A Strict Need - Book 3 September 2020
A Strict Fate - Book 4 Fall 2020
A Strict ???? - Book 5 Fall 2020
A Strict ???? - Book 6
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