Page 22 of Between Desire and Denial
“Are you seriously contemplating being with another man when I just fucked you into oblivion?”
“Of course I am. I’m trying to get out there and date. I don’t want to be lonely or feel like I’m not good enough anymore.” Why had I told him that?
“You won’t be because you’re coming to Paradise Grove with me where I need you,” he said as he straightened and rearranged his pants. He zipped them up and buckled his belt, appearing one hundred percent professional again.
“Um…” I tried to smooth down my curls without a mirror and rearranged the flower that was falling out of my hair. “No thank you.”
His jaw flexed, and I immediately wanted to smooth my hand over his cheek and soothe his frustration. Getting feelings involved along with our physical attraction would be disastrous, so I took a step back.
“Look, it’s a weird place. Just sell your investment and contract. Chalk it up to a loss.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because Paradise Grove doesn’t accept outsiders. And I get it. The community looks amazing, right? It offers what most people dream of. The iron gates open to beautiful homes with lush landscaping and the nice hall and the pretty golf course and the exclusive services and amenities offered to everyone there.” I was talking fast now, rattling off all the things I knew people wanted. “It seems great that you’ll be rubbing elbows with all those amazing elites at private social gatherings but it’snot.” I remembered how they’d shunned me before I left, how I was made to feel so small.
“It actually sounds like the perfect place to expand our hospitality empire into real estate and master-planned communities.”
“So that’s what you did?” I shook his head at him. “And how did it turn out?”
“Well, I’ve been blocked for a whole year on getting offices into the building we constructed just north of the community boundary. I’m finding that Paradise Grove is to blame because they have more pull than I anticipated. So, you’re coming with me to change that.”
Crossing my arms, I lifted a brow at him. “Why would I do that?”
“I’ll pay you what Kee is. I just need you to fly in for a week and give me the rundown.” He looked me up and down, and I swear he contemplated how he could make this work. “I’ll call your university.”
“What?” The word slipped out in disbelief.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Oh, just like that?” He didn’t have that much power.
“If I have it taken care of by the end of today, will you agree to go later this week with me? That Paradise Grove meeting is on Friday.”
“Well, Kee probably needs me to—”
“To what, Olive? She’s got a whole team here and you know it. I’ll cover your salary in exchange for your commitment to getting information regarding moving my plans along. I’ll be happy to hire you rather than have you sitting here fluffing Kee’s more-than-adequate PR team.”
“Wow. Don’t pull any punches.” That hit a nerve. It was a reminder of what I already felt—that suddenly I wasn’t needed here either.
Still, he didn’t stop. “Be a part of something you might be interested in. Give it a chance. It’s your hometown after all. Ifyou have some sort of problem there, don’t just let it go. Go back, take a chance, and enjoy the dance.”
“That the saying you love so much?” I remembered him telling me he lived by some motto. But now he was throwing it in while he stressed me out. I rubbed at my temples. “You’re going to give me a freaking migraine.”
He frowned and nudged my hands away to rub my temples for me. “You get them a lot?”
It was such a small gesture but one that had me biting my lip far longer than I should have as I stared into his eyes. “I guess so. My doctor thinks it’s potentially hormonal, but it’s probably just stress, considering…” I shook my head and stepped away from him. “It doesn’t matter.”
He slid his hands into his pockets. “You’d be less stressed if you took me up on this offer.”
I thought about it. I’d just screwed him while bent over a desk. Going to my hometown together was a recipe for disaster, and yet I didn’t feel like I had anything else. I didn’t feel like I wanted anything else. If he could smooth over my university issue, I blurted out, “I’ll go foroneweek.”
“Fine.” He clapped his hands together. “That’s perfect. Act like you like me during that week and give some key pointers at this HOA meeting coming up. I’ll give you the details. They need to believe I’m trustworthy. And—"
I held up a finger. “Let’s see what you’re capable of doing with the university first. I’d like to know before I text Rufford back.”
“Your ex is texting you? What the hell for?”
“To apologize. He wants to talk and maybe help figure out what we can do for my thesis. He’s sorry, I’m sure—”
