don’t think so.” Her grandmother shook her head. “Not considering the cold shoulder you’ve given him these past couple of months.”
She could have sworn she’d kept that from her grandmother. Mariah wasn’t at the office often at all. Amie had imagined—hoped—her chilly reception would be perceived as businesslike.
She’d guessed wrong. “I apologize if you think I haven’t been receptive to your new CEO. I thought I was simply being professional.”
“Don’t try that innocent act with me,” Gran snorted. “You won’t even stay in the same room with him unless forced by a meeting. I’m not sure what your differences are and I don’t need to know. We are very lucky to have lured him away from his job in Oklahoma. It was a big sell convincing him this job would increase his corporate appeal as a man of serious net worth and business importance. I do not want to lose him at Diamonds in the Rough, as our stocks continue to rise since we announced he was taking the helm.”
“Rising at the expense of firing some of our most loyal, long-serving middle management,” she reminded her grandmother.
“And I can see you’re still bitter about that decision to consolidate here and expand other offices.”
Amie pressed her lips together to keep from arguing with her grandmother, something that would only stress her out since clearly this battle was already lost.
Gran nodded wearily. “Reconcile with him. Because, like it or not, he is the CEO, and if having you there upsets the flow of business, well, I can’t have that.”
The full weight of her grandmother’s words sunk in. “Are you threatening to fire me?”
And just as troubling, what did Preston have to do with this? Had he been pressuring Gran to nudge her out of the company? Or to find another angle to wrangle his way into her bed?
His approach tonight might not have been coincidental. He could have set this whole thing up, damn him. Anger fired hotter inside her, almost a welcome relief after the frustrated passion, fear for her child—and grief for Gran.
“Let’s not borrow trouble. Focus on the week and learn to forge a friendship with Preston.”
Friendship? With the father of her child from a one-night stand? And how was he going to react to the news of the baby? Gran’s request might not even be possible. “What if Preston doesn’t agree? Or if he’s antagonistic?”
Her grandmother smiled with a narrow-eyed determination Amie recognized well. “Then you’ll just have to win him over. Because, like it or not, your days of avoiding him are done.”
Hands jammed in his tuxedo pockets, Preston strode away from the barn to the resort cabin where he planned to spend the night. Most of the guests were either staying in the main lodge or in one of the bungalows scattered around the property.
He’d done his duty at the reception, put in an appearance. With luck, he could pull out his laptop and log some extra hours preparing for his upcoming business trip. He would try to numb his mind and body against the attraction. Just being near Amie at the wedding had desire pumping through him. He needed to come up with some kind of plan to work with her without this eating them both alive, but damned if he knew which way to turn. For now, burying himself in reports and numbers would have to do.
The reception was still going strong in the towering barn, music and conversation swelling out into the night. The lodge itself held two wings, one for family suites and the other for guests. Then the cabins offered larger, more private space, farther away from the din of the ongoing party.
A movement from the family quarters snagged his attention, a shadowy figure charging across a first-floor veranda. The moonlight cast a glow, illuminating the unmistakable silhouette of... Amie. She paused at the railing, scanning the grounds. She was looking for him—that was clear the second her gaze landed on him.
Her shoulders went back, her breasts straining at the strapless dress, teardrop earrings brushing her bare shoulders. She flicked her long hair over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing. She stomped down the porch steps, hem of her bridesmaid’s gown in her fists and hitched to her knees so she could storm closer all the faster. Something had lit her fuse. He wanted her attention back on him anyway.
He stopped in his tracks and waited. Anticipation pumped through him. Even mad, she was incredible, a sight not to be missed. Besides, there was something about knowing he got under her skin this much. That he’d put all that spark and fire inside her.
She stopped in front of him under the shade of a sprawling oak strung with white lights. Her breasts rose and fell rapidly, enticingly. “Are you responsible for this?”
Responsible for what? He could hardly think with her so close, her heaving breasts nearly brushing his chest. He would only need to move one step closer. “You’ll need to narrow that down for me.”
“You said on the dance floor that we need to talk soon.” She jabbed him in the chest with one finger.
He grabbed her finger. “And you said our secretaries need to set up a lunch next week.”
“Did you know that couldn’t possibly happen? Did you pressure my grandmother into making me travel with you around the country this week?”
He dropped her hand. He didn’t know what the hell she was talking about. He was heading out for a week to launch a new line for Diamonds in the Rough, but he’d made no plans to take her along. Apparently she thought otherwise for some reason.
Still, that didn’t explain her angry reaction. They’d worked together for two months. Why was she so upset about this trip? He was missing something and he wasn’t sure what.
But he intended to find out. “Why would I go out of my way to insist on that?”
“For a week of repeats of our encounter in the coat closet two months ago.”
Righteous indignation steamed through him. “Have I pressured you in any way that would make you assume that I would disregard your wishes? Because I take the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace damn seriously.”
“No, you haven’t done anything inappropriate,” she acquiesced, chewing her full bottom lip. “But you sounded determined tonight. I just had to know if you’re manipulating me behind the scenes as well.”
Unable to resist taunting her, he stepped closer, letting his gaze linger on her mouth as their bodies brushed. “Should I have?”
A light flashed in the night sky and an appreciative murmur went up from a crowd gathered on the western lawn. The fireworks show had started to celebrate the nuptials.
“Quit twisting my words around.” She tipped her face toward him without backing down, her creamy skin lit by the purple-and-white lights sparking overhead. “I don’t like being played, that’s all.”
He swept a stray lock of silky dark hair over her shoulder, his knuckles skimming her soft skin, the teardrop earring cool across the top of his hand. “I take this to mean we’re going on a business trip together this week.”
The
