“Right this way,” Trevor heard Collette say before she stepped back in. “Mr. Dane, Mr. Wittman, this is Ms. Elisabetta Gardelli from the News Journal.” Collette stepped aside.
And the woman who’d haunted his dreams for the past ten years took his middle-aged secretary’s place in the doorway.
“Hello, Mr. Wittman.” Elisabetta nodded at Alex. “Hi, Trevor.” Her husky voice had only grown deeper, sexier.
He immediately found himself sucked into those green eyes, the color of freshly cut grass. Just the sight of her was a sucker punch to his stomach as memories that still had the power to gut him swept over him like a tsunami. “Oh, no. No fucking way.”
Lissa paled at the words that slipped from his mouth.
Alex stepped back, his expression full of stark disbelief. Trevor was sure the man had never heard him speak that way.
“You two obviously know each other,” Alex said.
“From high school,” Lissa said, her voice not as steady anymore. “It’s been awhile.” She met his gaze, giving him time to adjust to the shock.
He tried to find his composure but surprise made it impossible. Since she blatantly stared at him, he returned the favor. Here in a professional capacity, she wore a simple black dress obviously meant to give her a professional yet elegant appearance, but her body outshone any dress and her cropped jacket showcased her full breasts and indented waist. Time had brought changes to the girl he’d known—and they were good ones.
Curves he’d felt in his hands as a teenager had only blossomed over the years. Glossy hair he’d once wrapped around his fingers fell over her shoulders, while her face had filled out in a way that highlighted her cheekbones and full lips. She was still beautiful. And there was no way he could deal with her on a professional level and remain immune. No way he could let her trail after him for days and go back to his solitary life afterward.
“I can’t do this,” Trevor said into the uncomfortable silence. He didn’t care how juvenile or unprofessional he sounded.
“You two obviously have some things to work out,” Alex said. “But Trevor, I don’t need to remind you how important this interview is to you and to the firm.” With that parting shot, Alex inclined his head to Lissa and stepped out of the office, pulling the door closed behind him.
Trevor pulled in a deep breath. “Some warning would have been nice.”
Lissa had the good grace to duck her head in embarrassment. “I didn’t think you’d see me if I put my name on the proposal. And I’d have been right.”
“So you ambushed me.”
“This interview is important for us both. We’re adults now. Can’t we find a way to get through it?” she asked.
Trevor knew he didn’t have a choice. Alex had implied as much and Lissa knew it, too. Now that the shock was wearing off, he realized what an ass he’d been. Completely unprofessional—and if Trevor prided himself on anything, it was his professional demeanor.
“
Fine. Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to a chair.
She’d had time to think about this meeting, plan for the occasion, and prepare. He hadn’t. In return, he intended to unsettle her as much as she unsettled him. So, instead of retreating behind his massive cherry desk, he settled himself on the corner of the desktop, directly across from Lissa and definitely in her personal space.
“So how have you been?” he asked, shifting so his pant leg brushed her bare one.
Her cheeks flushed in response. “I’m good. And yourself? Is life in the city as fun as I imagine?”
“More,” he lied. It was cold, lonely, and filled with work—not that he’d give her the satisfaction of that truth. “So. The News Journal. I’m impressed.”
He’d been rocked when he’d read her interview with Faith Harrington last month, surprised to see her name after all these years. He’d also been proud of her, at least until painful memories replaced the warmth he’d been feeling.
“Thank you. After my divorce, I didn’t think I’d get beyond writing obits for the Serendipity Gazette, but Faith Harrington changed my life.”
Trevor couldn’t get past the word divorce.
His family, his mother and sister in particular, filled him in on Serendipity gossip, but they’d both learned long ago not to try and feed him information about Lissa. Their phone calls were more enjoyable that way.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “About the divorce.” Another lie. His heart hadn’t stopped pounding in his chest since he’d realized she was free.
“I’m not. It was a long time in coming.” She glanced down, then looked at him again. “It wasn’t love, Trev. It never was.”
Her honest words startled him. From the minute she’d told him she was pregnant with Bradley Banks’s baby, all he could think about was that his greatest fear had come true. Lissa had gone out with Brad, the high school quarterback and rich boy, and after they’d broken up, Trevor had made his move on the girl he’d always wanted. Though they’d fallen in love and made plans for the future, he’d still been insecure about his place in her life. Back then he hadn’t been able to give her what Brad could, the things she deserved that money could buy.