or the curves highlighted by the black power suit she wore.
“Also, we need to pick a venue right away. What dates would work for viewing possible locations?”
Her sharpened tone caused Royce to snap back to attention. She hadn’t been kidding about the participation thing. Her long stare reinforced her message.
“Check with Matthew. He’ll know what’s available.”
Smartly she stood up and pointed the stroller toward the door.
Royce had the sudden conviction that he couldn’t let her walk out the door without making himself clear, as well. “I realize my point of view isn’t a popular one these days, but as the child of a hardworking single mother myself, I have a strong opinion about children in the workplace,” he said.
Glancing back at him, she asked, “What’s that?”
“My office isn’t a day care but I do apologize for my rudeness on the phone.”
She gifted him with a sexy smile that had no place in his office, as much as he wished it did. But then came the sass. “Remember that and we will work together just fine.”
Before he could respond, she pushed the stroller out the door. He heard her tell Matthew goodbye with that same sweet tone—this time with no steel undercurrents. She was definitely infuriating and intriguing.
Thoroughly dangerous territory.
He’d thought about not showing up at all.
Staring up at the austere lines of the museum Jasmine had chosen as a possible venue, he wished he had ditched their meeting. But standing her up again was not a good option. She’d taught him that much.
Besides, his mama would have considered it ungentlemanly to simply ditch her—even if memories of his mama were what made him not want to show up at the museum in the first place.
But he had to stand firm. Today, he would take back the reins because he would not hold his event in a building he could no longer set foot in—much less play host in for an evening.
He was still staring at the building when Jasmine pulled up beside him in a pristine compact sedan. After climbing out, she smiled at him.
“Well, look at you,” she said, her voice as teasing as it had been that first night on the phone when he’d called her. He didn’t like to acknowledge the tingles of anticipation that hit him when he heard it—which were just as strong this morning as they had been then.
“I was a little unsure that you’d actually show up,” she went on, “much less arrive early.”
The tingle of anticipation grew, only this time it was for the challenge he knew was ahead of him. Still he struggled to keep any emotion from his expression.
“There’s no point in going inside,” he said, letting his tone match what he hoped was his deadpan expression.
Her frown as she shut the door and walked around the front of her car warned him that she was thinking hard about this turn of events. “May I ask why?”
“We aren’t having my event here.”
She glanced back over her shoulder at the building behind her, the multiple columns majestically holding up the austere gabled roof with its carved marble depiction of birds. When she turned to him, confusion reigned in those gorgeous blue eyes. “Again, may I ask why?”
“I don’t want it here.” And he didn’t. No need for discussion about his troubled childhood or dead mother. “Personal reasons.”
“Are they good enough reasons?” she asked, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
“It is when I’m signing the checks.”
Her expression told him she wanted to be offended, even when she knew he was right. But she wasn’t simply accepting his decree. “I thought you didn’t want to be involved in the decisions?” she demanded.
This wasn’t the same as dealing with any of his other business associates. When they slapped their hands to their hips, he never noticed the sway of their breasts. He shouldn’t be noticing Jasmine’s now, but somehow he couldn’t help himself.
“And you said you wanted me to be involved in making the decisions,” he reminded her. “Which is it?”
That little intake of air pushed her breasts out just a touch more. Heaven help him.
She nodded. He could tell she wanted further explanation. He wasn’t giving it.
Finally she turned away, giving him a break from that penetrating gaze. “Let me go touch base with the manager,” she said. “I need to stay on good terms here.”
“Of course.”
“Then we’ll talk,” she warned. Her heels clicked on the sidewalk as she strode away.
He waited until she went inside the museum before pulling out his phone. “Hey, Joseph,” he said when his construction manager picked up. “How are things looking today?”
Joseph filled him in on the details of the kitchen installation at Royce’s supersecret project, as well as other aspects of the restoration.
“Another day on track,” Joseph confirmed.
“Good.”
Royce hung up, a spur-of-the-moment idea buzzing in his brain. He had the lucky ability to run through all the immediate pros and cons of a decision in a relatively short amount of time. This had helped him jump on opportunities that other businesses spent months preparing for. Along with his intense drive, he’d used this to build his business to magnificent proportions at a very young age.
Today this ability would certainly come in handy.
He waited until Jasmine returned down the walk fifteen minutes later. His relief at finally being able to leave the site of one of his most traumatic childhood experiences was tempered with his desire to covertly take her in.
Jasmine seemed to enjoy ultrafeminine clothing. Even when she’d had the baby with her, she’d been wearing a women’s business suit with a skirt and an undershirt with lace lining the deep V of the collar. Today, the bodice of her navy dress hugged curves that he normally wouldn’t notice. But on her they made his mouth water. An inverted triangle cut out over her cleavage added to the effect. The flowing skirt that ended right below her knees revealed just enough of her legs to be tantalizing.
Was she trying to torture him?
“All done,” she said as she approached. “What now?”
Oh, she was gonna love this. “I have an alternative. Let’s go.”
“Now?” Her frown was back.
“No time like the present. I’ll drive.”
But
