Page 15 of The Upper Crush

‘I wouldn’t say I was frightened…’

‘What are you then?’ she asked, before immediately wishing she hadn’t.

His gaze flicked to her mouth and she swallowed.

He paused before speaking. ‘Challenged… I think we’re going to work well together.’

‘We’re not going to be doing anything together,’ she snapped.

‘I disagree.’

‘We are never going to see each other again. Ever.’

James took a card from his pocket and held it out. ‘Re-read the contract you signed, then give me a call.’

She snatched it from him and tried to rip it in half. However, it was laminated in plastic and wouldn’t tear. She dropped it to the pavement.

‘Littering? Really?’

Dammit! Bending to pick it up, her face took a whistle-stop tour of James’s perfectly formed body. Despite the December cold, she was burning up. Stalking to a bin, she threw the bent card inside, then headed down Stall Street towards Southgate car park.

He followed.

‘What are you doing?’ she spat.

‘Enjoying your scintillating company?’

‘Fuck you,’ she muttered.

‘Anytime, foxy lady.’

She whirled around. ‘Don’t call me that.’

‘Then what can I call you?’

The question hung in the air.

‘Star?’ he finally asked, his voice low, as if the word was for her and her alone.

A wave of emotion flooded Estelle’s chest. She shook her head, hitched her skirt up under her coat, and ran.

4

Fuck.

James stood, his focus entirely on the curls of Estelle’s hair as she dashed away. It was only when she finally disappeared from view that he allowed the rest of the world to re-enter his sphere of awareness.

To his right, Day-Glo horses cantered around an antique merry-go-round to chirpy organ music. To his left, stallholders with rosy cheeks and beaming smiles made eye contact with the public to entice them closer.

Every sound grated on James’s nerves. He needed peace and quiet to think, and he couldn’t do it in the middle of this bullshitmas-fest.

He stalked back up Stall Street, heading for the office he and Max had to vacate by the end of the day.

Max…

James didn’t need to check his phone to know his sole employee had received and read the email he’d sent to cancel the meeting with Estelle, but had blatantly ignored the directive.

Gaslighting little shit.

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