Gone Too Far by Angela Winters Page A

type.”
    â€œShe’s very pretty,” Leigh added.
    Max nodded and said, “But my life is focused on the governor’s race next year. I’m not seeing anyone right now.”
    Why did she care? Leigh asked herself. She had already made such a fool of herself in front of this man with her assumption last night.
    â€œThe governor’s race?” she asked, even though she probably should have stopped talking. “Isn’t that a done deal? I hear that an actual election is a formality. Why be so concerned?”
    Max smiled a winning smile as he placed his paper on his lap. “So you can believe what you hear, but I can’t? Interesting.”
    Leigh laughed her way out of awkwardness, but her mouth pulled her back into it. “This country doesn’t often elect unmarried governors.”
    â€œYou offering something?” he asked.
    Leigh’s brows set in a straight line. “Now it’s you who flatters yourself. I’m just trying to make conversation. If we’re going to be sitting here for an endless amount of hours, we might as well be civil.”
    â€œI thought I was,” he said. “Nevertheless, dating is extremely complicated. The only serious girlfriend I had since my wife passed…Well, politics can be unkind at times.”
    â€œYour Republican backers weren’t that excited about you dating a white woman,” Leigh said. She could tell she was getting a little too personal for his taste and enjoyed having the upper hand in this conversation for once. “That was what was rumored, of course.”
    â€œThere is some truth to that,” he answered, “but I would have never let that end a relationship if I really loved her.”
    â€œIf that’s what you want,” Leigh said, “you’re better off being with her and hoping people see your courage as a positive thing rather than wanting her but tossing her aside for a more politically safe woman.”
    â€œIs that what you think I would consider a black woman? Politically safe?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Leigh said. “Your wife was white. The only woman you’ve been serious with since was white. I’m not dogging you, Senator. I—”
    â€œYou couldn’t possibly be,” he said ardently. “Since you’ve swirled yourself. Recently, I believe it was an actor?”
    Leigh didn’t want to talk about Lyndon. She would rather forget that ever happened. “I’m not running for office.”
    â€œYour assumptions about my…preferences are wrong,” he said. “I married my wife because I fell in love with her, and I dated…Well, I guess I didn’t love my girlfriend as much as I thought. If I had, I wouldn’t have let anything keep us apart.”
    â€œYou guess?” Leigh asked. “You don’t know if you were in love?”
    â€œIt’s hard to tell,” he said. “After my wife…”
    Leigh watched his entire face soften, and his eyes seemed to look somewhere that was far away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten so personal.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it,” he said. “I’m sure you understand how difficult dating can be when you or the person you’re with is famous.”
    That was the understatement of the year.
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    As CFO of Chase Beauty, monthly division finance reports didn’t reach Michael’s desk until they had been scoured over by several levels of finance. Still, he demanded to see the details, because he could always find a mistake. He thought he’d just spotted an error in the expense reports for the marketing division when his assistant buzzed his phone.
    â€œI told you not to disturb me until I’m done reading the reports.”
    â€œIt’s your wife,” she answered quickly, sounding very upset. “She’s been trying to reach you on your cell. You have to take this.”
    Michael