his goal—the formula.
She didn’t flinch, holding herself rock steady. “You think you have special rights because of our former relationship? Think again.”
His element of surprise hadn’t worked to catch her off guard and, for some reason, that made her twice as attractive. Or maybe the unexpected draw had come about because they were equals now. It was an interesting shift in their dynamic he hadn’t expected, and it was throwing him off.
So he’d up his game. Gage had never met a woman he couldn’t charm. When he wanted something, he got it. “That’s no way to talk to an old friend.”
If he moved an inch, they’d be touching. He almost did it, curious if she still felt the same—soft, exciting and warm. Except he had the distinct impression Cass was all business and little pleasure these days. And that she wasn’t interested in mixing them up.
“Is that what we are?”
There came that sexy laugh again and it did a powerful number on his already-primed lower half. She really shouldn’t be so intriguing, not with his agenda and the lost element of surprise. But all of that actually heightened his sense of awareness, and he had a sharp desire to get under her skin the same way she’d managed to get under his.
“Friends. Former lovers. At one time, mentor and student.”
“Mmm. Yes.” She cocked her head. “You’ve taught me a lot. So much that I’m running a successful company I need to get back to. You’ll excuse my rudeness if I request you make an appointment. Like anyone else who wants to talk business.”
All at once, her heat vanished as she pulled away and clacked toward the entrance to her building. Ouch. He’d been relegated to the ranks of “anyone else.”
He let her go. For now.
There was no way a former pupil of his was going to take away even a single point of his market share, and he’d pay handsomely to ensure it. But one had to do these things with finesse.
Remind her of what you’ve done for her. Remind her how good it was.
The voice in his head was his own conscience. Probably. But sometimes he imagined it was Nicolas guiding him from beyond the veil. A big brother’s advice in times of need, which usually led Gage down the path of living life to the fullest. Because Nicolas couldn’t.
The philosophy had never steered Gage wrong before.
He wasn’t about to stop listening to sound advice now, especially when it aligned with what he wanted. Cass clearly needed a good, solid reminder of how tight they’d been. So tight, he knew every inch of her body.
Your best strategy is to use pleasure to influence business.
Nicolas had spoken. And that pretty much solidified Gage’s next steps because that genie wasn’t going back in the bottle. He wanted her. And her formula. If he did it right, one would lead to the other.
He gave her a good five minutes and went after her.
Turnabout was fair play in love and cosmetics.
* * *
Hands shaking, Cass strode to her office and checked her strength before she slammed the door behind her. That would only invite questions and she had no answers for why her entire body still pumped with adrenaline and...other things she’d rather not examine.
Okay, that was a flat-out lie. Gage Branson was the answer, but why seeing him again so severely affected her after all of this time—that she couldn’t explain.
God, that smile rocked her to the core, even all these years later. And his still-amazing body had been hidden underneath casual-Friday dress, when it should clearly be on display in a pinup calendar. He’d always had the messiest, most casually cut hair that somehow managed to look delicious on him. Still did. Oh, yes, he was just as sexy and charismatic as he’d always been and she hated that she noticed. Hated that he could still put a quiver in her abdomen. Especially after what he’d done.
Breathe. Gage was just a guy she used to know. Put that on repeat a thousand times and maybe she’d finally believe it. Except he wasn’t just a guy from college; that was the problem.
Gage Branson had broken her.
Not just her heart, but her. Mind, body and soul. She’d fallen so hard for him that the splat hadn’t even registered. Until he casually declared their relationship over, and did she want the clothes back that she’d left at his place?
Nine years later and she was still powerless to move on, unable to fall in love again, incapable of forgetting and far too scarred to forgive. And that’s why her hands were still shaking. Pathetic.
The only positive was she felt certain Gage hadn’t picked up on her consternation. God forbid he figure out how greatly he’d affected her. Emotions had no place here, not at work, not in her personal life. No place. That’s the most important lesson she’d learned from her former mentor. Thankfully, he’d taken her advice to make an appointment without too much protest, giving her much-needed regroup time.
Her phone beeped, reminding her she had five minutes until the meeting she’d called would begin. Five minutes to put her thoughts together about how Fyra should handle the leak in the company. Someone reprehensible had publicized Harper’s nanotechnology breakthrough before they’d even gotten FDA approval or a patent. Five minutes, when she should have had an hour, but didn’t because of the car wreck on Central and the surprise appearance of the man who’d laced her nightmares for nearly a decade.
And maybe a few need-soaked dreams. But he didn’t have to know about that.
Great. This was exactly what she needed, a come-to-Jesus meeting with Trinity, Harper and Alex so soon after locking horns with the offspring of Satan. Who was here strictly because of a leak that never should have happened.
Well, she’d have to get her wild swing of emotions under control. Now. It wasn’t as though she didn’t already know how she felt about the leak—sick, furious and determined to find the source. They’d not only lost a potential competitive advantage, until they figured out who had spilled, there was also no guarantee the same person wouldn’t leak the secret formula—or steal it.
But five minutes was scarcely enough time to settle her racing heart before waltzing into a room with her best friends, who would see immediately that Something Had Happened. They’d probably also realize “Something” had a man’s name all over it.
Working with people who’d held your hair when you drank too much and borrowed your clothes and sat with you in a tight huddle at your grandfather’s funeral meant few secrets. Most of the time, Cass appreciated that. Maybe not so much today.
In the bathroom, she patted her face with a blotting cloth and fixed her makeup, which was equal parts wardrobe and armor.
No one saw through Cass when she had her face on—with the right makeup, no one had to know you were hurting. The philosophy born out of the brokenness Gage had left her with had grown into a multimillion-dollar company. Best Face Forward wasn’t just the company tagline, it was Cass’s personal motto.
No man would ever put a crack in her makeup again.
Fortified, Cass pasted on a cool smile
