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An image painted itself all too quickly in my mind—me gently gripping her curved hips, lifting her onto this desk and spreading those thighs?—
No, fuck.
Business.
Professional.
“I won’t expect that of you,” I continued. “And it won’t be in the contract. I’ve never wanted to mix business and pleasure. This is strictly a business deal with quite a bit of money involved. If we were to cross that line…” I cringed, damning the fire licking through my veins as the fantasy in my mind begged to play out. “Don’t you think involving that would make this incredibly messy?”
It was one thing to have a mutually agreed upon one-night stand, but an entirely different thing to agree to a relationship, sex,andmoney.
Aspen visibly swallowed, the motion drawing my gaze to her neck and then lower, and I quickly snapped my eyes back to hers.
Damn it, she was gorgeous. And the longer I looked at her, the longer I spoke with her, the more I liked what I saw and heard. But that didn’t matter. Not if she took this deal.
If she didn’t? Maybe I’d ask her out to dinner.
But from the internal debate working itself out behind those beautiful eyes, I could tell she was in. She just needed to figure it out how to say so.
Aspen blew out of breath, then nodded. “I agree with that,” she said. “Sex always complicates things, but what about kissing? Won’t some of that be expected in public outings?”
“It could come up,” I said. “But if you’re not okay with that, we’ll work around it. The last thing I want to do is make you feel anxious or uncomfortable.”
“I’m okay,” she said. “With kissing.Ifthe situation calls for it.”
I don’t know why that made me smile, but it did. “It sounds like we’re ready to get into the concrete details of the contract,” I said. “Have we ventured into negotiations?” I asked playfully.
“I think we have,” she said. “But don’t you want to know more about my background? I mean, I didn’t think to show up with my personal records, but I could beanybody. I could be a horrible person or a con-woman after your fortune. How would you know?”
I laughed at the adorable way she said all the horrible things she could be.
“I’m very good at reading people,” I said. “And while you’re right, I don’t know a thing about you, I kind of have a sixth sense for when people are trying to screw me over.” I planted a studious gaze on her, my eyes lingering on the softer features of her face. “You’re a good person. That’s why I picked you last night.”
She pursed her lips. “You picked me because I was the first girl you saw in a slightly skimpy romper.”
“Did I think you looked absolutely stunning?” I asked, pushing away from the desk and rounding it. I stopped next to her, leaning against the desk as I looked down at her. “Did I think about how your legs would look wrapped around my hipsas I fucked you into oblivion? Absolutely. I’d be crazy not to react to how damn attractive you are.”
Her breathing hitched again, evident by the way her chest rose and fell, but her eyes never strayed from mine.
“But your knockout good looks had nothing to do with why I chose you,” I continued. “You made me laugh,” I said. “All that sass about me not having proper food in my club. Plus, Jesse seems like an amazing guy. You are the company you keep.” I smiled at her. “But to be safe, with your consent, I’ll have my team do a thorough background check on you before we officially sign the contract.”
The slight heat in her eyes instantly shifted to something cold, something fearful.
Dread.
It wasdread.
Fuck me, what kind of skeleton was in her closet that would make this deal more of a liability than an asset?
I folded my arms over my chest like I was prepping to take a blow.
“Where did you just go, Aspen?” I asked, my voice soft.
She blinked a few times, and I could’ve sworn there was something glittering there, almost like tears. Just the thought of that tugged at something in the center of my chest, a pit opening in my stomach that I’d never felt before.
“My past,” she finally answered. “I went to the past.”
I swallowed hard. “And?” I pressed. “What are you afraid I’ll find?”
