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“Ok. Let’s do this, time to suck up whatever is left of your pride and get Chloe’s name on that contract.”
The front door was open when he reached the main entrance to the house. That was odd. Chloe’s people were usually insane about making sure all the doors and windows were closed. And where was Martin and the other security team members?
Knocking on the doorjamb, he poked his head inside.
“Hello.”
There was the sound of approaching feet. A silver haired woman in a dark gray designer pants suit soon appeared. She took one look at Jordan and a broad smile immediately lit up her face. She held out her hand to him. “Hi, you must be Jordan Royal. Nancy L Rusen, I’m Chloe’s manager. Please come in we’ve been expecting you.” She beckoned for him to follow.
She’s got a new manager. I thought she and Foster were fused at the hip.
He stepped into the all too familiar kitchen area. Chloe’s favorite space. The place where she’d said she always felt the most comfortable. Around the table were seated several people in suits. One by one they rose, each offering Jordan a firm handshake. There was a new lawyer. A new accountant. A whole set of new faces. But no Chloe.
“Ms. Fisher will be downstairs shortly. We thought it would be good for you to meet the rest of her management team before she joins us.”
He desperately wanted to ask what had happened to the old crew, but that would mean revealing his prior connection to Chloe. She may well have brought her new team into her confidence, but he wasn’t going to risk putting a foot wrong so early in the meeting. Especially not before he had got her signature on the contract. Jordan was convinced that the three finalized and agreed upon versions of the deal, which he had brought with him, were burning a hole in the bottom of his leather document holder.
Jordan took a seat at the table, relieved when Nancy filled him in on who was who in the zoo. “You will have to excuse us if we appear a little awkward around the table. Ms. Fisher has recently had a change of management and staff and we are all still getting used to working with one another.”
It was an opening, and one Jordan was sorely tempted to utilize, but now was not the time for asking about Chloe’s people. Not until he knew exactly who had gone and who was still around. He would have to wait.
“Yes, well it’s my first time handling a deal like this, but I have gone through the contract numerous times, and hopefully I can reassure your client that everything and anything she needs from Royal Resorts and myself, will be provided.”
Nancy nodded. “Good.” His words of reassurance were exactly what he hoped she wanted to hear. “Speaking of my client, here she is.”
Jordan steeled his nerves. This first meeting was always going to be the hardest. If he could get through it without tripping over his tongue, he would be mightily relieved.
Get the contract signed. Then you can go back to the hotel and call the office.
His father’s words of instruction rang loudly in his mind. “Stay in town, get to know Chloe. It would be good for the company.” There would be no getting on board the company jet and heading back to NYC. Jordan was once again stuck in LA.
Taking a deep breath, he rose from his chair and turned to face his ex.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
“Chloe, this is Mister Jordan Royal from Royal Resorts. He is here to sign the contract with you, and also to have a bit of a meet and greet,” announced Nancy.
Painting a smile on her lips, Chloe gave a regal nod to Jordan’s outstretched hand. “How do you do, Mister Royal.” Their gazes met for a brief instant, after which Chloe shifted her attention and focused on the end of his chin. Avoiding his deep green sexy eyes was a must. They reminded her all too much of their shared past. Of long nights filled with passion.
He dropped his hand. “Please, call me Jordan. Since you and I are going to be working closely together over the next little while, Chloe, may I suggest we dispense with the formalities. I would also like to offer you my full assurances that whatever you need or want, you only have to ask. I am at your command.”
Smooth. Charming. Egotistical asshole.
At least no one else seated at the table knew of her and Jordan’s romantic past. Of the wicked things he had done to her in this very house. Her gaze lingered on the table.
He’d made love to her on that table, brought her to completion right at the spot where one of the lawyers now sat. Chloe’s mind quickly, furiously scrubbed away at the memory of Jordan seated in a chair eating her out as she lay spread out before him like a damn feast. Of her fingers grasping for purchase on the cold, hard surface.
When she involuntarily licked her lips, Chloe could have sworn Jordan swayed a little on the spot. Her eyes flickered to his, catching the unmistakable look of pain which burned within them.
Good. I hope this is as awkward for you as it is for me.
If this gig wasn’t the lifeline to her keeping this house, she would have pulled Jordan up on the use of her first name. In showbiz it was customary to address the artist in a more formal manner. Egos and all that bullshit. Chloe hadn’t ever felt the need to enforce it, but her entourage had. She’d lost count of the number of people Marta had mercilessly ripped into when they had make the simple mistake of not addressing Chloe as Ms. Fisher.
You might hate him, but he and his family’s resort is the only way back.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jordan. I expect I will have one or two things which will require your attention once I arrive in Las Vegas.”
The thought of him being at her beck and call suddenly held a great deal of appeal. She could exact some moments of sweet, petty revenge against Jordan. While nothing she did would be able to pay him back for walking away, she could still make his life more than a little uncomfortable. The prospect of many months of torturing Jordan Royal, and showing him what he was missing, had a wicked smile sitting on her lips.
