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COLIN
Jaxon was gorgeous and pompous and not necessarily in that order. I could barely hold my ire in. In fact, I was surprised I did as well as I did.
In person, he was even more charming than he was on the computer screen, something I’d already gotten a taste of in the coffee shop. He’d quickly ruined that with his phone call. He didn’t even seem to understand why I was frustrated.
I bit out, “No. I’m not selling to you. I’m not doing business with you. I’m not kidding when I say you can go back home. I know what you want and your plan. I’m not biting. You can wave your money around, all you want. I may be a Podunk business owner, but I’m not desperate and, again, I’m not selling.” I leaned forward on my leather office chair that had taken me forever to find.
After a second, I picked up a pen I’d set on my desk to do something with my hands. “I’m sorry to have wasted both our times. I’ll have Carlisle take you back to the airport. I’m sure you can catch a hop back.” I looked down at a stack of papers, unwilling to look at his masculine features a moment longer. He was distracting and that wasn’t even the worst part.
The worst part was I could still smell him and that was driving me insane – and not in a good way. I didn’t like how he wore his money even in his scent. There was a thing such as humility and it went far in dealing with others.
Plus, pulling on my anger helped push the physical attraction to the man under the surface where it belonged. It would never do for a woman who had sworn to be single for the rest of her life to crave attention from a womanizing businessman. I added the womanizing part because it made me feel better to keep that assumption wrapped tightly around me like a protective cape.
Further ignoring him, I picked up the paperwork I’d been studying and swiveled my chair around to face the lake. Highlighting parts of the definitions and the contract basics for a different business situation, I lost myself in the work, only stopping once in a great while to find myself thinking of the boldly brash man I’d kicked from my office.
Odd, I hadn’t heard him leave. That didn’t matter. What mattered was that I could still smell him! Why? I didn’t need to think of him when he was out of my life. I couldn’t focus lately. With the thoughts and memories of Mathias haunting me, I was having a hard time doing anything normal. Even being around a normal man was making me insane.
I needed a run. My ability to breathe normally was hampered and I leaned forward, bracing my hands on the windowsill. I was hyperventilating, breathing faster and faster, black spots dotting my vision. Would I fall? Was I having a heart attack or something? Who had anxiety attacks in the middle of the afternoon?
I must have whimpered because suddenly roughly gentle hands supported me from the sides, leaning me back in the chair. Thinking it was Carlisle, I glanced up with a grateful smile that froze on my face.
Jaxon hadn’t left.
Concern darkened his blue eyes. He knelt beside me, studying my face. “Colin, are you alright?” His touch was calming while making me severely aware of him.
I nodded, unable to be anything but alright and strong in front of anyone but Carlisle. My assistant understood my loss, my challenges. He didn’t judge me for them or for the ways I tried to cope. He didn’t know I’d resigned myself to a life of loneliness. Carlisle would never tolerate that kind of talk, so I didn’t pursue it.
Carlisle wanted me to find happiness, but I knew it wasn’t possible so I just smiled when he mentioned finding me a match.
Plus, my attraction to Jaxon Stint wasn’t something I wanted my nose rubbed in. Attraction wasn’t an option. Anything my body wanted wasn’t something that could go anywhere. I didn’t believe in more than one love and my body wasn’t easy to reason with.
Plus, Jaxon was the last man on earth I would consider as a partner in any way.
Brushing his hands off my arms, I gulped for air and stood. “Yes, I... Thank you. I thought you left.” I glanced toward the door as if he would get the hint that I needed to see him leave this time.
He stood beside me, keeping his hands out as if he expected me to faint and ignoring my unspoken plea to leave.
I almost scoffed at the notion that I was going to faint until I remembered that I’d almost passed out in my chair moments ago.
“Well, you might have dismissed me, but that didn’t mean I left. I came all this way, the least I could do was wait until you had time to have a discussion instead of yelling at me.” His gentle rebuke didn’t sting like it should have.
I searched his face for rancor, but he watched me without a guarded expression. His eyes were guileless and intrigued. I shifted under his gaze.
After a moment, chagrin set in and I nodded bleakly. “I’m sorry. I heard what you said downstairs on the phone. I wasn’t clear about my expectations in my email. I thought you understood I was interested in an investor. I’m not interested in selling.”
Jaxon inclined his head, twisting his lips regrettably. “I’m sorry you heard that. I can be rather blunt with people who have worked with me for a while. I’m not going to lie. My original end-goal is complete acquisition of ClickandWed, however, if that’s off the table, then maybe you’d be interested in eating with me tonight and taking the time to consider having me partner with you in some way. I need to find a hotel room and get something to eat. You need to eat, correct? You almost passed out. Maybe you’re hungry.” He glanced toward my left hand. “Your husband or significant other would, of course, be welcome to join us.”
The way he said it left me feeling like we had reached that moment when a man and a woman have to decide which direction their relationship was going to go.
How I answered his probing invitation for my “husband” to join us would determine how he proceeded. I didn’t hesitate. “My husband is out of town on business.”
“Well, that’s too bad. I would have liked to have met him. Since you’re alone for the evening, shall we meet somewhere at, say, six?” He cocked his head to the side, purely professional, but with enough of a teasing behind his tone that I was left wondering what exactly he wanted from me.
He’d trapped me. I’d hoped to avoid eating with him by mentioning I had a husband. Or lying about having a significant other. I tried not to wince. He wouldn’t miss any expression shift from his close proximity.
It was hard to think though with his masculine scent distracting me. He smelled even better up close. Lemons. How did he carry the scent off without smelling like a disinfectant and more like a rich lemon meringue pie paired with a spicy cider? The smell wasn’t cloying, but more comforting.
“Um, okay, yeah, that will work.” I smiled tightly at him, irritated at the fluttering in my stomach at the thought of having dinner with him. I pressed a button on the intercom on my desk and in seconds Carlisle appeared at the door.
Turning from Jaxon while trying not to appear even ruder, I smiled at Carlisle. “I need to go for a run. Can you help our guest find a room and get settled?” My desperation was about to overwhelm me. I needed to get out of there. Guilt consumed me.
How dare I have any kind of attraction toward another man? What was wrong with me? I loved Mathias and there was nothing that was going to break that love.
Not even a man with well-tailored clothes and a custom scent that smelled like solace and strength. I swallowed to get thoughts of Jaxon out of my head. The effort wouldn’t be so hard, if he wasn’t still standing beside me.
Maneuvering around the desk without glancing at Jaxon, I offered a half-smile his direction. Carlisle held the door for me and then distracted Jaxon as I beat a hasty retreat.
I needed to escape, clear my mind. Nothing else would keep me from going crazy.
Nothing.
Plans for dinner loomed over me. Maybe I could get out of them, or he would forget. I had a strangely comforting feeling that Jaxon didn’t strike me as the type to forget.