Page 40 of Passion’s Song

“Because it is horrible,” she said. “It was one thing when I thought you were building housing for the people who actually live there now, but now that I know the truth behind this plan of yours, I can’t help but think of it as being an extremely horrible idea. And I want to show you why I think it’s horrible.

“Come on, Damien,” she urged. “Be a tourist in your own city. Let me show you around the Ninth Ward.”

He let out a deep breath and said, “Fine. I’ll play tourist. But I’m warning you that nothing I see will make me want to change my plans. I’m going to show you how the project I have in mind will help the Ninth Ward, not hurt it.”

April rolled her eyes. “Do you need me to break out the studies on gentrification?”

“I’m the one in real estate, remember? I’ve read enough think pieces to satisfy me for the rest of my life.”

“And yet you didn’t comprehend a single one of them? That’s so unfortunate,” she said.

Damien huffed out a laugh. “When did you get to be so sassy?”

Despite being pissed at him, she allowed a small grin to pull at the edges of her lips. “I’ve always been sassy,” she said. “I just usually keep it under wraps.”

Damien reached for her hand and trailed his fingers along her skin. Goose bumps marked the places where he touched her.

“Are you willing to return to the ballroom with me?” he asked. “Your new best friend, John Hiraku, is probably searching all over for you.”

“You sound jealous,” April teased.

Damien’s brows lifted. “Do I have reason to be?”

“Jealous?”

He nodded.

“Of Mr. Hiraku?”

He paused for a moment before he continued. “Not of Hiraku. But maybe the guy at A Fresh Start? What’s his name? Simeon?”

The only thing that stopped April from swallowing her tongue was the fact that she would need it to eat her white chocolate cheesecake. That Damien would even care enough to be jealous of any man where she was concerned seemed preposterous. But the look on his face had gone from joking to serious.

“Simeon is just a colleague and friend,” April imparted. “No reason to be jealous of him. Or of anyone else.”

The sensual smile that drew across his lips held a hint of relief. “That’s really, really good to know.” He held his hand out to her. “Now, let’s go back in there and try to get some investors for Alexander Properties and A Fresh Start.”

Chapter 7

April stood just outside the gate that led to her walkway. She noticed Damien’s sleek black car as it turned onto St. Ferdinand Street and motioned for him to grab the parking spot on the opposite side of the narrow roadway. He smoothly parallel parked, then took a minute to look around for something in his car. April continued to look on as he pulled a pair of sunglasses out of the compartment that dropped down from just above the rearview mirror.

She wanted to still be upset with him, but the minute he alighted from the car her anger from last night began to dissipate. He wore khaki deck shorts, a starched peach polo shirt and sandals.

God, why must he always look like someone she wanted to wrap up and tie to her bedpost? It made it that much harder for her to remember that she should still be pissed at him. But she’d always had a hard time seeing the bad in Damien. Because she knew, deep down, that he was good.

She just needed to remind him of that.

As she watched him make his way across the street, she had to remind herself not to drool.

“Good morning,” Damien greeted.

“Morning,” April returned. “I totally thought you would stand me up today.”

His brows lowered. “And here I thought you knew me so well,” he said. He leaned over. “In case you didn’t realize it, standing you up is never an option. You’re just too hard to resist.”

It took an unbelievable amount of effort to ignore the tingles that traveled along her skin, but April willed herself to do it. She knew she’d read more into Damien’s words than she should have. The same went for the way his voice dipped. If she allowed her mind to go where it really wanted to go where he was concerned, she would come out looking like a fool.

“Are you ready?” she asked him.