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Adam looks around us. “Is this…do you live here?” he asks.
I roll my eyes again. “Yes, Captain Obvious. I live here.” I look around, realizing it’s not exactly the opulence he’s used to, and I grimace. I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. I normally don’t feel bad about where I live because it’s all mine. I’ve worked for everything in here…the threadbare sofa, the secondhand bookcases, the old wing-backed chair that I reupholstered.
Adam walks to my shelves and looks at my books. I don’t have many nice things, but I do have a collection of original Nancy Drew novels that I’ve been collecting for ten years, ever since I found out the ones I read from the 1950s weren’t the first editions.
“You collect books,” he says quietly.
“I’m a librarian,” I state dryly.
He looks back at me. “I…” He trails off again. Suddenly, he looks nervous. He swallows and walks toward me. “May I?” he asks, motioning to the sofa where I’ve just sat down.
I scoot over and he sits. He smells good…too good. Damn it, Isa! I need to stay strong. Adam Wellington is not the man for me. I look into those blue eyes that I find so mesmerizing. No, he’s definitely not…well, mostly not…the man for me.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Adam
“You see…I hate women,” I start and then clench my jaw. “I mean, not all women. I mean…” I trail off. Idiot! Why am I saying this? I’m an amazing businessman. I can negotiate billion-dollar deals, and here I am stumbling over words.
“I—I’m sorry, what?” Isa stammers, her eyes growing wider with each word I’ve spoken.
I take a breath and start over. “I need a date for a few upcoming events. You’re clearly smart. You’re obviously well-read. It would save me a big hassle of finding someone to go with.” I pause. “Consider it a business deal. I’ll buy you all the dresses you need for the events. I’ll pay for everything. You just show up and act charming.” I pause again. “You can act charming, right?”
Isa groans and rolls her eyes. “Around everyone but you,” she retorts.
I level a stare at her. She glares back at me. I fight the smile that threatens to emerge. God, this woman is so good at getting under my skin.
“What else?” she asks.
“That’s it. Three dates over the next four weeks. And then, I’ll bring by the entire collection.”
“The entire collection?” she asks.
I nod.
“But I just needed…” She stops herself.
“You may borrow all of them. From the glass cabinet. You remember, right?” I ask.
She nods and I watch her throat constrict as she swallows. “I do,” she says quietly.
“Good. Do we have a deal?” I question.
She crosses her arms again and it does nothing to quell my desire for her because it pushes up her breasts in a way that makes me want to lean over and take one in my mouth.
“Eyes up here, Mr. Wellington,” Isa scolds.
I grin. “Deal?” I repeat.
She closes her eyes and rubs the bridge of her nose. “I still feel like I’m some sort of escort.”
She opens her big brown eyes again and I smirk. “A book escort?” I jest.
She rolls her eyes, but I swear I see a flash of hurt in them and something inside me snaps.
“You are not an escort. This isn’t about sex. I…will only do what you want. If you want this all professional, then it’s all professional, Isa,” I assure her; my voice tense, my jaw clenched. I want to know why she left without a word. I want to know why she didn’t take the books. But something inside me tells me not to push her, that if I push her, she’ll just run away again. And I don’t want that. We only spent a few days together, but she changed me in a matter of hours. I haven’t felt this alive in years, and that familiar feeling of having something, something you love, and being afraid of losing it has come rushing back to me. I don’t like it, but it’s a driving force inside me. If I have to play a game to get her, then I’ll play a game. I’m not entirely sure what I’ll do if I get her back, but I’ll cross that road later. For now, I’m operating in the present. And present me wants Isa by my side.
I go to reach out and touch her, but she pulls back. I feel my jaw tense again. How did we get here? She was writhing under me less than a day ago and now this. What the fuck am I missing? But I continue to rein in what little control I have and decide that I’ll keep my distance…for now. Adam, use your fucking negotiation skills.
