Surrender: Keeping Her in the Dark Vol. 4 by Leslie Sansom Page B

‘heebie jeebie’ dance as soon as the door to my office closed. I had never been so turned off by a person. He was usually so suave and charming. But something about him in our little conversation had changed him into a very tall weasel.
    “Norah, I can’t let you go alone,” John paced the floor of my bedroom. He had never been in my bedroom before, I didn’t think he had ever been upstairs. But after Nick left my office he rushed in to tell me there was no way he was letting me go with another driver. Especially not one from Nick. We had been discussing Nick the rest of the afternoon.
    “Funny,” I looked out from my closet, “I don’t remember asking for your permission,” I said. I walked out with my black floral cotton wrap dress and heels and put them on the bed. I started to unbutton my shirt then stopped and looked at him.
    “Unless you want our relationship to dramatically change, I think you need to leave,” I huffed.
    “Norah, you aren’t going unless I take you, and that is final!” he yelled.
    “Final?” I shouted back. “Correct me if I’m wrong, John, but you aren’t my father! The only man in my life that makes up rules that I have to follow isn’t here right now. So I am making up my own rules. And I say I am going!” I turned my back to him and started unbuttoning my shirt.
    “Liam told me to keep an eye on you, to take care of you. How can I do those things if I am not even with you? This guy kidnapped you and now you’re getting in a car and going to some unknown place? That doesn’t make sense, Norah!” I had never heard John be this angry before. I turned back to face him with my shirt half unbuttoned. I was sure he could see my black bra, but I didn’t care.
    “I know it doesn’t make sense. But right now, I can’t explain. I have some sort of,” I stumbled with my words a little, “plan in my head. Part of the plan is having dinner with him, getting him to trust me, getting him to want me again.”
    “Then what?” he asked. “Because last I checked, Nick Meyers has never stopped wanting you,” he had taken a few steps toward me.
    “Then,” I paused and looked down. “Then, I don’t know,” I looked back up. “I haven’t gotten that far in the plan yet,” I slapped my hands against my legs.
    “Well maybe you should do us all a favor and clue us in to this brilliant plan you have cooking in your head, so those of us who are supposed to be protecting you can do that…protect you.” He walked out and slammed the door behind him.
    I put on my dress and slipped on my shoes. I started pulling the curlers out of my hair when Kelly walked in the bathroom.
    “I don’t need to hear it from you too,” I snapped.
    “Oh, I have no intention of lecturing you,” she said.
    “Thank goodness,” I exhaled. “Someone on my side.” I ran my fingers through the long curls and then sprayed my whole head with hair spray.
    “Oh, I think you’re absolutely fucking nuts. But I have no intention of trying to convince you to stay here.” She gave me a wink and turned to walk out of the bathroom.
    “Oh by the way,” she stopped and came back in the door. “Marcy had her baby today!” she exclaimed.
    “What?” I shouted. I leaned up and looked at her in the mirror.
    “Yeah. She went into labor last night and the little guy was born today around 1 o’clock, I think. Marcus went to the hospital to see her. She named him,” she patted her lip. “Gregory Mason….after his grandfather I think.” I started to say something but she stopped me.
    “Don’t worry,” she held up her hands. “We sent flowers, a big stuffed monkey, some balloons and I plan to take her some food tomorrow morning,” she smiled at me. I was so thankful for Kelly.
    I loved my business and the people that worked for me, but Tim couldn’t run things on his own, and Margaret just stressed herself out trying to handle everything. Kelly had jumped right in and become my assistant, another