Deeper Healing

51| Don't Stop

Nikolai Coleman

It'd taken me at least an hour since we got home to compile an accurate list of Leilani's options and holding the result in my hands felt satisfying.

As if on cue, she stood by my home office door, leaning against the doorframe with her arms loosely folded. She'd already changed into her nightwear, covering whatever she wore underneath with a red satin nightgown.

Leilani had been quiet half of the time since her altercation with Isla and I knew she had a lot on her mind. Giving her options regarding her career wouldn't solve them all, but it'd certainly lift at least one burden off her shoulders.

"Come in, Leila," I invited her, getting up from my chair with the paper in my hands. "I'm done compiling the list."

She nodded with a soft smile, walking in and joining me to sit on the couch. She looked at me softly and intently like she had a lot to say, but didn't know how to and part of me could relate to that dilemma.

With an affectionate smile, I framed her face with my hand, tucking her hair behind her ear with my thumb before leaning in to kiss her softly on her forehead.

"We can do this some other time if you feel too preoccupied and stressed out," I offered.

"No," Leilani responded, moving closer to me and placing her hand gently on my thigh. "You've been working so hard on it and that means a lot to me. I want to do it now."

I nodded, withdrawing my hand from Leilani's face before I began taking her through the options I'd gathered so far.

Naturally, I wanted to have her close to me, so I started with a vacancy at the Elite Project. Our financial analyst was just a few days from taking her maternity leave and someone needed to step in and take the position.

Leilani was well-qualified and competent enough to secure the role without my influence. I knew she was the kind of person who liked earning her things, so I tried ruling out the idea of actively influencing her chances of being hired.

However, if challenges arose, I knew how to step in without making it obvious.

She could choose to work at Coleman Inc. instead with broader opportunities in the finance department and a long-term job offer. There were multiple positions she could get interviewed for and qualify for.

If she didn't want to work so close to me, I'd already called a couple of my friends and colleagues with their own business ventures that could accommodate her and they were hiring. She had a broad range of industries to choose from and I made sure to give her detailed pros and cons of every one.

Perhaps the idea of being someone's employee suffocated her and she hated it even more now. I had a couple of business ideas I was hoping to start and branch from my established companies soon, including an investment company. 

She'd be most interested in that and I didn't mind having her as my partner or supporting her in starting her independent venture altogether.

By the time I finished explaining the last option at the moment, I realised how so close her face was to mine I could feel her breath on my skin.

Just a slight turn of my head was enough for me to look directly at her, our eyes instantly connecting, breaths mingling into one. Oh, what I could give to read what was going through that beautiful, troubled mind.

I waited for her to speak, the inches separating our faces the only barrier stopping me from kissing all the stress and despair out of her system and feeding her with all the love and warmth I had to offer instead.