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“I appreciate the offer.” He met her gaze again. “But you and I getting involved personally could create professional complications that neither one of us will want to deal with.”
A cool expression came down over her face. “I’ll take that as ano, thanks.”
“It’s not a good idea.”
“You don’t like to mix business and pleasure, hmm?” She reached out to straighten the collar of his button-down khaki shirt. She swept her gaze to his faded jeans and back up again. “This must be your Bliss Cove suit. You look great, but I prefer the Armani.”
He took hold of her wrist and gently set her hand away from him. “Juliette, I couldn’t have asked for a better colleague all these years. You’re right…we could have had a great partnership, if things were different. But I still have to decline your offer.”
Her mouth tightened. “It’s that girl, isn’t it? The one from the cat café.”
Christ. He was that transparent?
“I was wondering why you’ve been going soft on her.” She dropped her hand away from him with an abrupt laugh. “The Hunter Armstrong I know would have had that little girl’s contract signed, sealed, and delivered in less than a day.”
Tension ran through his shoulders. “She has nothing to do with this. I’m not interested, Juliette. I’m sorry if that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the truth.”
“Fine.” She held up her hands and backed away, an invisible shield coming down over her. “But if you’re losing your edge because she’s batting her eyelashes at you and pouting about her poor abandoned cats, then you need to get your shit together fast. Have you forgotten that your promotion and quite possibly the CEO position is hinging on you locking down the Mariposa deal?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten. How I handle this is none of your business.”
Her eyes flashed. “It is my business if the Oceanview project goes to hell because you’ve got the hots for a small-town girl who was stupid enough to open a café in the worst district of Bliss Cove.”
“Enough.” He pointed to the door, his jaw clenching. “You need to leave. This is my project. I’ll handle it my way.”
“Your waybetter work.” She spun on her heel and grabbed her briefcase. As she started toward the door, she swept her gaze over the room. She stopped at the chair in the corner, where Aria’s torn dress and pink flowered bra and underwear were still folded. His insides clenched.
Juliette gingerly lifted the bra between her thumb and forefinger. “She has nothing to do with this, huh?”
“You need to go.”
“Watch out, Hunter.” Dropping the bra, Juliette drew her shoulders back and eyed him coldly. “That girl may look all sweet and innocent, but she’ll play you like a grand piano if you’re not careful.”
“Leave now, Juliette.”
With a toss of her hair, she strode out, slamming the door behind her.
Hunter dragged his hands over his face. Though he regretted hurting her, he wouldn’t apologize for kicking her out.
He sank onto the edge of the bed and rested his head in his hands. His stay here was supposed to be straightforward. Simple. Get the lay of the land. Convince the Mariposa owners that signing the contract was in their best interest. Make sure the residents knew Imperial Properties was on their side.We’re all in this together, folks.
But now? His thoughts—his stupidfeelings—were increasingly knotted. He couldn’t give Aria what she wanted—and she knew it—but he liked her more with every second he spent with her, every little thing he learned about her.
She had both fire and steel, two qualities he hadn’t even known he liked in a woman. He’d always sought out women who were sedate and sophisticated—the ones who would potentially fit into his vision of the future.
Aria never would. It would be more than just “round peg, square hole.” She was like a piece of glass tumbled by the sea, all multifaceted colors and smooth, soft edges. Even if she were cut tofitinto his world, she’d lose all her natural appeal.
He stood abruptly and strode to the window. Why was he even linking her and his future in the same thought? His brain seemed to fire on the wrong synapses when it came to her. This was just a comparison, a reminder that his lifelong plan was still very much in place.
You’re still a fucking idiot, Armstrong.
Grabbing his keys, he picked up Aria’s clothes and headed out to his car.
