“What suggestion?” she asked warily.
Even her skepticism was a turn on. He had some serious issues.
But he also didn’t want to do this here. It would be much easier for her to walk out on him if she didn’t like his suggestion—and he knew, without a doubt, she would hate it. In a public place, with people surrounding them, she wouldn’t be likely to throw a fit. They both had a public persona to keep, after all, though him more than her.
“It’s not the sort of offer I want to make in such a sterile environment, if you catch my drift. How about we have dinner tonight? At that amazing little restaurant Charlie owns? I try to eat there every chance I get when I come visit.”
“You want to discuss this over dinner.” She shook her head, huffed out a laugh. Charlie owned both the restaurant and the Hawks. Talk about home field advantage. “I should’ve known you’d try something like this. I’m not going out with you, Hamilton. Hell, no. Bad enough what happened between us last night. If you think you can get me on my knees again, you’re sorely mistaken.” Her cheeks flushed the prettiest pink—the same shade her entire body flushed when she was aroused.
He knew this because he’d seen it for himself. More than once.
Shit. One mention of her on her knees and his cock was stirring to life. Damn thing was ridiculous. “I’m not trying to get you on your knees in front of me at a restaurant, Willow, Jesus. I have more class than that.”
The harrumph that escaped her told him she thought otherwise. “Please. My memories haven’t been erased.”
Oh. Oh. “Are you remembering our fondness for gettin’ it on in public places?” He scrubbed a hand along his cheek. Back in the day, they’d banged everywhere they could. It had been the hottest summer of his entire life, and not because of the temperature—though it was cool in the Monterey Bay, so that saying didn’t hold water.
The woman sitting in front of him had aroused him like no other. Set his blood on fire for her. And then he’d left her.
He was still beating himself up over it. Of course, he’d been forced, so what could he do? Young and dumb and a complete believer in what her father told him, he’d bailed at the first sign of a threat.
She shrugged, trying for nonchalant, but it didn’t work. He could tell when she was faking it. “I think you might’ve had issues.”
“You were just as involved as I was, darlin’, and don’t you ever forget it.” He breathed deep, trying to keep it together. Their conversations always spiraled out of control. Always turned sexual with a look or a simple comment. He blamed it on the chemistry that shimmered between them every time they were in the same room together. “Meet me tonight at the restaurant. Six o’clock. We can discuss my business proposition then.”
“And what if I don’t show up?”
“Then you might lose your chance at this bui
lding you want so damn much.” He stared at her for a moment, saw the way those velvety brown eyes went wide for a fleeting moment before they narrowed once more. “My terms, Will. You’ll meet me on my terms, or this deal might disappear.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” Willow said with a sigh and a slow shake of her head.
“The hardest.” He chuckled. He was hard as damn steel right now just thinking about it.
By the end of the evening, this woman would be his.
And she’d like it, too.
Chapter Two
“You’re going to dinner with Nick?” Sheridan turned away from the canvas, her brush still poised in the air, her gaze locked on Willow. “Tonight?”
Nodding, Willow chewed on her thumbnail. The bad habit from when she was a child only came out when she was nervous. “He owns the damn building I want to lease. Can you believe my shitty luck?”
“No, more like I can’t believe your fantastic luck. You’ve got him where you want him! Nick will totally cut you a deal on the place. He’s been chasing you for months. You can deny it all you want but I know the truth—I’ve caught the two of you together, and you always look so guilty. I’m sorry, but those looks scream the two of you are up to no good. The fun kind of no good.” Sheridan turned back to the canvas and started painting again: a festive Christmas tree she was going to use as an example for an upcoming hands-on art class in late November.
“He’s not good for me.” Willow said it as if he were a junkie who knew how to hook her on the bad stuff—and keep her hooked until she finally overdosed.
“You have a history with him, don’t you? We’ve known each other forever and somehow, you slipped Nick Hamilton in between your sheets and I totally missed it.” Sheridan shook her head with a smile. “Worse, you never told me about your secret affair. What kind of friend are you?”
“Oh, I don’t know, the same kind of friend who marries a famous hot football player and pretends it’s for love when it’s really a sham?” Willow refused to feel guilty about hiding her summer love affair with Nick from her best friend. That had been ages ago. Sheridan had no real excuse for hiding her fake marriage from Willow and everyone else, beyond a money motivation… Though Willow could relate.
And thankfully, Sheridan had the good graces to look embarrassed, if her red cheeks were any indication. “Hey, it started out as a sham but it ended in love.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Willow rolled her eyes. She was sort of sick of the “we’re so in love” talk, because Sheridan was madly in love with her husband Jared. And he was madly in love with his wife.
Gag.