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One lanced over at the phone and considered calling Della I hadn't spoken to her in five hours My s and conference calls She never coht she should co her Hoas I supposed to run the Kerrington Club and take care of her? Any other wo a fit But never Della

A swift knock onup the phone I would call her in afor the papers Vince had brought n earlier

"Vince wasn't out there so I knocked" Angelina's voice wasn't what I expected to hear

"What does Mother need now?" I asked without looking up at her That hy she was here At first I had been annoyed with her presence but she was helping my mother more than I could More than I wanted to

"She misses you It's been over a week since you called to check on her"

Angelina was as good at guilt trips as my mother was The two of theot work If that's all, please see yourself out"

"You don't have to treatyou the only way I kno Every day I stay here with your mother is for you It's all for you I'm in love with you, Woods I can't compete for your heart because you won't allowyou---"

"Enough Don't ever put yourself on the same level as Della I didn't ask you to take care of my mother I can hire someone to help et out of bed each , so never underestielina stiffened and opened her lare back to the contracts in front of me I was done with this conversation "Leave"

The clicking of her heels on the hardwood floors as she left the office was the most welcome sound I'd heard all day

When the door closed behind her I reached for my phone to call Della

"Hello," her sweet voice said into the phone

"I need you," I replied

"I just finished a late lunch with Blaire and Bethy I'll be right there," she replied

"Just coet here," I told her

"Okay"

Exactly ten minutes and fifteen seconds later my door opened and Della stepped inside Her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail The short sundress she earing hugged her curves more than I would have preferred I stood up and walked around my desk

"Hi," she said with a shy s bothmy mouth on hers Her lips were always so pluloss clung to ot h each day

Della broke the kiss and placed her hands on either side of my face "Are you okay?" she asked softly

"I aazed up atme closely Then she stepped back and turned to the door Before I could ask her what she was doing the lock clicked in place

"Take off your clothes," she said sian to slip the straps of her dress down her shoulders