Paige opened her eyes, gazed at the ceiling, and saw Pierce sitting on the side of the bed. He was wearing a complimentary plush white Palazzo robe, and she hoped he would shed it anytime now.
Paige smiled and stretched her body. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” he said but didn’t turn and look at her.
She glanced at the clock and saw that it was six o’clock. “So, how long have you been awake?”
“A while.”
Paige sat up, got on her knees, and slithered across the bed behind him. Then she rested her hands on his shoulders, preparing to give him a massage. But Pierce moved away from her, stood up, and held both sides of his forehead.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, confused.
“Everything.”
“I know, baby, but now that you and I are together, Camille won’t ever be able to hurt you again. Things are going to be very different.”
Pierce finally locked eyes with her. “Look, Paige. What happened last night was a huge mistake, and I’ll never be able to forgive myself. I never should have let something like this happen.”
Paige’s heart plummeted. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do, and I’m so ashamed.”
“But if this wasn’t supposed to happen, it never would have. Right?”
“I allowed it to happen, and now I’ll have to live with that decision for the rest of my life. I got drunk, but I knew what I was doing, and I knew why.”
“What do you mean?” Paige asked, panicking.
“I wanted revenge. I wanted to hurt Camille the same way she hurt me.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“I did, Paige, and I’m so sorry this thing happened between you and me, because I know how much you love your sister.”
“Thing?”
“Yes, this whole unfortunate thing that we both now regret.”
Paige’s heart raced. “Pierce, baby, please don’t feel that way,” she said, leaving the bed and walking over to him with nothing on. Pierce passed her a robe just like the one he was wearing and Paige reluctantly took it and wrapped it around herself.
Pierce moved closer to the window overlooking the Strip. “God, what in the world was I thinking?”
“You were thinking that you wanted to finally be happy. You did what your heart told you to do, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Yeah, but I did it for the wrong reasons. I acted irrationally, and for the first time since I married Camille, I was unfaithful to her. Fifteen years of marriage, and in one night, I did the worst thing imaginable.”
“But only because she’s been doing the same thing to you for months.”
“Still, as the saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right, and you and I both know that.”
Paige stood next to him. “True. I’ll give you that. But now it’s time you and I move on. I do love my sister, and I feel terrible about what I’ve done to her, but Pierce…I don’t regret what happened. Last night was amazing. I mean, we actually made love, and it felt so, so good. It was absolutely incredible.”
Pierce left her standing at the window. “Paige, what you and I did was have sex. We both lost control, and it can never happen again.”
Paige swallowed hard. “You just need time. You need time to end things with Camille and find closure. Then you and I can work on our new life together.”
Pierce frowned. “You’re not serious?”
“Of course I am.”
“No, you couldn’t be.”
Paige took a seat on the side of the bed again. “Okay, Pierce, I guess I need to be honest with you. So can you please come sit next to me for a few minutes?”
At first he hesitated, but then he did what she asked.
Paige exhaled nervously, hoping her words came out the way she needed them to. “The truth is, Pierce, I’ve been attracted to you since the first day I met you, and now I’m in love with you.”
Pierce raised his eyebrows, seemingly not comprehending.
“I am,” she continued. “I’ve loved you for years, but after making love to you last night, well, now I don’t ever want to be without you. Plus, baby, you can’t deny there has always been a certain chemistry between us.”
Pierce shook his head. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”
“Baby, I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
He stared at her and then got up. “This is crazy.”
“No, it’s not. It’s wonderful.”
“No, Paige, it’s horrible, because you and I can never be anything more than in-laws.”
“Honey, please don’t say that. Please just give what we have a chance, because deep down, I know you love me.”
“No. I don’t. I mean, I love you the way friends love each other, but that’s where it ends.”
“Like I said, you just need some time, and once you get used to the idea, you’ll be fine.”
“How on earth can you be in love with your sister’s husband?”
“Because I just am. I love you, and I can’t help it.”
“Well, if that’s really true, then now I’m even sorrier about sleeping with you.”
“Please don’t apologize, baby,” she said, walking over and hugging him.
But Pierce pushed her away. “Paige, no. And I think it’s time you got dressed.”
“Pierce, please don’t do this. Don’t give up on our destiny.”
“I need to take a shower and get ready, so I really need you to leave.”
“But Pierce—”
“Paige, please go.”
She gaped at him with sad eyes but quickly decided Pierce didn’t mean any of what he was saying. He simply felt guilty about what he’d done to Camille—especially with him being the decent man he was—but by this evening, he’d feel a lot differently. He’d spend today reminiscing about the passionate love they’d made, and then he’d think about Camille and her affair with William. A thousand thoughts would circulate his mind, and in a few hours he’d realize Paige was right. He would know she’d been correct in her assessment of them and that he was in love with her, and that he wanted nothing else to do with his wife. By this evening, he’d be begging Paige to rock his world again—he would beg her to do so from now on.