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“Doubtful that can happen when we want two separate things.”
Livie’s smile hit him with a punch of lust to the gut. Damn it. He had to keep dodging these blows. “Then we’ll just have to get creative.”
Images popped into his mind of how creative he could be . . . but he didn’t think her line of thinking matched his. She was trying to get him off course and if he wasn’t careful, she’d succeed.
“You should know,” she went on, “I never lose.”
She spun on her heel and marched away. He didn’t even bother telling her she was wasting her efforts fighting because he’d come out on top. How could he say anything when his gaze was fixed on the sway of her hips . . . and the imprint of his greasy handprint on her ass?
Chapter Two
Infuriating, frustrating man. Clearly, he wanted this place just as much as she did, but there was no way she was backing down. They had opposite goals and there was no way to get what they both wanted.
Olivia could’ve easily handled him if he’d been the boy she once knew. The quiet, mysterious teen with curious eyes, and a desperate need for an orthodontist. But now he had that whole nobility thing going with his military background and he was just as determined to fight as she was. He was definitely n
ot the same person . . . then again, neither was she.
The man she’d verbally sparred with had a strong desire to hold on to his life, but all that did was force her into a past she wanted nothing to do with. She wouldn’t let anyone pull her back in. Not Jackson, not the memory of her late father.
Olivia cringed as she walked in the back door of her childhood home. She was used to working with men wearing Italian-cut suits, not holey jeans and tees that stretched across impressively broad shoulders. And since when did airplane grease smell sexy?
She’d temporarily been thrown off her game, that’s all—not to mention she hadn’t expected him to be so passionate about such a run-down place. The money she’d offered had been more than what he deserved for half... which only meant he had deeper ties than she’d ever considered.
Okay, so she needed to refocus and go back in for the kill. At least now she knew what she was up against. A formidable opponent is something she valued in her job—it made her sharper, made the win that much sweeter. However, with her father’s airport, she wanted in and out.
In the sixteen years she’d been gone, her father had reached out to her several times. She hadn’t ignored him, but she hadn’t once taken him up on his invitation to return. Once she’d gotten out of the small town and into the city, she knew she’d never come back. The narrow way of life didn’t appeal to her anymore.
And it didn’t appeal to her now.
“I don’t like that look on your face.”
Olivia didn’t even attempt a smile for her best friend. Melanie didn’t need things sugarcoated. They all knew full well exactly what was at stake, what this buyout meant to Olivia.
Thankfully, Olivia’s two best friends had come with her for support. As strong as Olivia thought she was, there was no way she could handle all of this on her own. Besides, Melanie and Jade had their own demons they were running from, so getting out of Atlanta for a while was a smart move.
Melanie leaned against the center island, her smoothie bottle in hand. From the looks of the green contents, she was back on her cleanse. Her vow to stay on top of her weight was a personal battle—stemming from an extremely arrogant, controlling jerk who’d emotionally crushed Melanie. And the jerk was still causing problems, which was just another reason why Melanie came to Haven with Olivia.
“Speaking of face, you have something on yours.” Melanie tapped on her own cheek to indicate the area to Olivia.
Confused, Olivia blinked. “My face?”
“It’s black.”
Olivia resisted the urge to scream as she swiped with her palm. She knew exactly what her friend referred to now. Sure enough, grease.
“That bastard,” she muttered.
Melanie wrinkled her nose. “I take it things didn’t go as planned.”
Olivia sat her bag on the worn laminate island and blew out a sigh. Where did she begin? The fact that Jackson looked nothing like she remembered, or the fact that her emotions nearly choked her when she arrived?
“He refused my offer, but I’m not giving up.” She took a seat on the wooden barstool and reached for the yellow hand towel on the island. Wiping Jackson’s childish prank off her hand, she added, “He’s going to be tough to crack, but I will win this fight. I have to.”
The back door opened and closed. Olivia glanced over her shoulder to see Jade dabbing her palms over her sweaty forehead and cheeks. “Oh, good. You’re both here.”
Jade McCoy was the only person Olivia knew who could go on a run and still look like a damn supermodel on the other side. With her fitted, matching workout gear, her bright red hair in a top knot that she managed to make look stylish, Jade could have just jumped off the cover of Shape.
She and Olivia had become instant friends when they bonded over their patent leather pink flats in the third grade. They’d met Melanie only a few years ago at a marathon. Melanie had stumbled and hurt her ankle just a quarter mile shy of the finish line. Jade and Olivia had each taken an arm and helped her limp across to finish. It was only after they learned why that marathon had been so important for Melanie, and their friendship had been formed.
