Page 35 of Jason
He arched a brow.
“Okay,technically,you are the boss of me.But only up to a certain point.I can’t just leave L.A.without a return date.I have a life there you know.”She got in the car and refused to look at him.
He marched around the driver’s side, climbed in, started the car and looked at her.“I knew this would happen.”
“Knew what would happen?”
“That you’d get verklempt and start acting weird.That’s exactly what you did the last time.”
He put the car in gear and started driving.
“I’macting weird?You started barking orders at me first thing.”
“I wasn’t barking.”
“Youbarked.And I didn’t actweirdthe last time.I acted responsibly.”
“Uh-uh, you’re not getting away with that persnickety superiority thing with me.You were totally weird and you know it.You half admitted it last night.I’m sorry if I barked, but we have a bit of a crisis on our hands.I’m a little caught up in it and I can’t totally change my personality just because we have insane sexual chemistry.”
Mallory couldn’t help but smile a little.Theydidhave insane sexual chemistry, and she was glad to know it wasn’t just her who thought so.Frankly, if she could, she would crawl onto his lap right now and kiss that smirk off his face.Instead, she folded her arms over her middle and looked out the window.“Well, me either.”
Jason looked at her for a long moment as he pulled up to the gate.“I have something to say that will 100 percent annoy you.”
Mallory rolled her eyes.“What is it?”
“It’s a bit of a cliché, but in your case, it definitely applies.”
“Go ahead, Jason—we don’t have all day.We have locations thatmust be nailed down,remember?”she asked, mimicking his stern instructions earlier.
“Okay, here goes—you’re adorable when you’re mad.”
She stared at him.What nonsense was this?“Are you kidding me?No I’m not.”
“Yeah, you are,” he said, and grinned.“I told you you’d be annoyed.”
“You know how I hate that sort of thing.”She’d once had to sit him down and explain to him how some of his remarks could be viewed as sexist.
“Oh, I know.”
“You’re just saying it to get my goat.”
“I don’t want your goat, I’m saying it because it is true.I could kiss you right now.”
She couldn’t keep the grin from her face.“Well, don’t.You’re driving.”
They drove into King Harbor and down a leafy street to what looked like a grand mansion.“What is this?”
“The Bickmore,” Jason said.“It used to belong to a film star.It’s been converted to a luxury hotel.”
It looked extremely luxurious.Mallory was beginning to think she could get used to this life of private planes, summer estates, and luxury hotels.
“I’ll be right back.”Jason hopped out, grabbed her things from the back hatch and jogged up the steps to the entrance.Not five minutes later, he was in the car again.
“That was quick,” Mallory said as he strapped into his seat.
“Yep.The Blackthornes keep a couple of rooms there in the summer for an overflow of guests.”He looked at her.“You’re getting one of them for as long as I need you.”
“I’m getting one for as long as I agree to stay.”
