I close the door behind me and wait for her to offer me a seat. Actually, I’m waiting for the eruption that I sense is coming.
She’s standing at the room’s only window, looking out. From here, I can’t make out what she sees, but I’m guessing it’s the park across the road. Her building is in a residential area of the city—it’s pleasant. Especially on a day like today, when the sun is out, not a cloud in sight.
Her shoulders lift as she takes a long, drawn-out breath. ‘It’s a shame you didn’t have the decency to let me know about your little arrangement with Houston.’
Her voice is brittle. As if I’ve done something to offend her. As if it’s me who kicked her out and not the other way around. My teeth grind.
Control, Lucas. Today is about business.
Except it’s not.
If it was purely work I would have left it until next week to prove my company’s worth. Instead I’m here now, trying to push past Friday night.
‘An oversight—my apologies.’
My tone is careful, restrained, and she turns to me.
If looks could kill…
‘I like to feel prepared for my meetings, don’t you?’ she asks.
She has a point. ‘Of course.’
She walks to her desk and wakes up her computer. ‘Then you’ll understand my request to rearrange.’
I laugh before I can stop it and her eyes flash to me.
‘Something funny?’
‘Look, I’m here with the perfect deal, tailored to your product—there’s nothing you need to prepare. Unless…’
I look at her—really look at her. The quick undulation of her chest is giving away her rapid breath, and there’s a persistent flush to her skin. I had it tagged as annoyance, but now I’m not so sure.
I close the distance between us and she backs up, her eyes widening. ‘What is it, Evangeline? Did you want more time in the hope that whatever this is between us would go away?’
She scoffs and looks back to her screen. ‘So bloody full of yourself, aren’t you?’
I raise my hands in defence. ‘You’re the one acting all angry. A simple switch in meetings shouldn’t warrant this. Although, let’s be honest, it’s me who got the brutal rejection—a naked one at—’
‘Stop it, Lucas.’
‘What? Reminding you of the truth? Of what we were about to do before that—’
‘Look, you want to talk business? Fine. Let’s do that.’
She drops into a seat and gestures for me to do the same. She won’t look at me, though, and I’m itching to push my luck, to walk around her desk and lift her chin, force her to accept it’s still there, riding strong.
‘But stick to business, Lucas, or you’re out.’
I move to the seat she’s offered me and stand before it. ‘Just tell me one thing…’ I shouldn’t ask, and part of me doesn’t want to know, but… ‘What changed?’
She looks up at me, eyes hesitant, the bob of her throat giving her away. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘You do know what I mean. One minute we’re having the best sex of our lives…’ I see her entire body clench, her fingers fisting over her keyboard, and I know she’s fighting it—fighting the heat the memory triggers. ‘The next your watch tells you something and you turn into an ice queen… So what gives?’
She closes her eyes, her fingers relaxing over the keys, and I can’t bear it. She’s shutting me out and I want to know why.
‘Or should the question be—who?’
Her lashes lift. Her eyes are unreadable—hatefully unreadable. There was a time I could have read her like a book, but this new skill she has is driving me crazy. All the more so because I’m letting it get to me.
‘That has no place in this conversation.’
‘Are you sure about that?’
‘Positive.’
She looks at her phone and activates the screen, calm as the day outside. ‘I have another meeting this afternoon, so I suggest we get on with this.’
I feel my mouth gape and quickly snap it shut.
‘I’ll find out what’s keeping Clare first.’
She stands and leaves. Her absence is just as frustrating as her presence.
‘That has no place in this conversation…’
That makes the reason personal. And if it’s personal, does that mean she has another man? Was it guilt that had her kicking me out?
I can’t believe it of her. The Eva I know wouldn’t be unfaithful, no matter how strong our connection. But if it’s not another man…
I look to her phone on the desk. Whatever that notification was, there’ll be a record of it on there. The temptation to lift it and take a chance on it being unlocked, or possessing an easy-to-guess PIN is there, but I’m not going to sink that low. I’m not.
As if I’ve summoned it, the phone starts to flash with an incoming call: Nate.
Something twists deep inside me and I feel I have my answer.
She took me back to her place straight off the back of seeing her parents. Their hold over her wasn’t enough to stop it. But Nate…
My lip curls; the bitter, acrid taste of betrayal stings my throat.
I let him get between us before, there’s no way I’ll let it happen again.
This contract was important enough when it was purely business—now it just got personal, real personal, and I’ll do everything within my power to see it signed. Pull every trick in the book if I have to.
She will sign it.
And do a whole lot more if I have my way.
The business is revenge enough, but Eva… She’s the icing on the cake.
As I walk back into my office, I notice two things that stop me in my tracks.
Firstly, Lucas has made himself at home, and I don’t want to feel the excited rush that comes with the sight. His jacket is slung over the back of his chair and he has his laptop propped open as he taps away, his crisp white shirt rippling with the movement
