“Come on.” He stood tall, towering over her. “I’ll show you.” He waited for her, but she threw him an icy stare.
“Fine,” she grumbled. “I’ll take a look.”
He hid his smile as he led her inside the house. Brooke followed behind him closely as they ascended the stairs. At the end of the dark hallway was a set of double doors. Lee opened them.
Brooke gasped. “This is the office?”
“Think this would suit your needs?”
She strolled to the center of the room. He watched the wonder on her face. There was pride welling in his chest. He knew he had impressed her. There was so much he could show her. So much he could do for her.
She turned around to face him. “It’s incredible. But there has to be a catch.” She stood over the design table.
He shook his head. “No catch. We’re used to working in the finest offices in the world. We’ve thought about having a working office here, but every time we’re about to pull the trigger we change our minds.”
“Why?” she asked.
Lee sighed. “I think it would ruin it. If we turn this place into another corporate headquarters, what’s the point? There are no more places to escape.”
“So this is a full-fledged hideout, isn’t it?” she pried.
“Not a hideout,” he snarled. “We needed a break. This is a break.”
She rolled her eyes. “If you say so.” Her fingers smoothed over the deep mahogany on the bookshelves.
“I’ll let you get comfortable.” He started to back out of the room.
“I’m going to win my freedom,” she reminded him. “Just watch.”
He grinned. “I have no doubt you’re going to try.”
He closed the doors and walked to his own set of rooms. It had taken everything in him not to kiss that defiant look off her face. This was never his plan. Ty had lost his fucking mind. Convincing Brooke was going to be a hell of a challenge.
Lee grabbed his hiking jacket and his camera. He had to get out of this house and away from Brooke. Away from the temptation she dangled in front of him.
He stormed out of the house and straight into the woods.
Eleven
Brooke
God help her, she had felt a thrill when Lee was in the office. He left before her body completely betrayed her. She drank her coffee quickly, as if that would somehow restore bits of sanity. She was going to need an entire pot of coffee to make that happen.
She sat behind the desk and looked out the window. She peered closer, trying to focus. What in the hell? He was already outside. She watched in disbelief as he stomped into a path behind the house. How did he make it out of the house so quickly? And why was he in such a hurry?
There was something ruggedly handsome about him. Something almost primal that made her shiver. She knew he was educated and polished. In the city, he was sophisticated and in a group of elite billionaires. Here, he was all man.
The kind of man that made her sigh and giggle a little too much. Stare a little too long, and linger when she should be running.
She bit her lip, remembering last night’s dream. Remembering how the two men together made her feel. Her head leaned back as she gripped the mug.
What in the holy hell was she thinking? She had to put stupid dreams aside and get to work. It was the only way she was getting out of here.
She had to pave her own way to freedom. Because it was clear—Lee and Tyler wanted her to stay, and she couldn’t count on their mercy to release her a second before she had fulfilled her obligation.
She exhaled. Work. She needed work. But her gaze landed on the trail again. She wished she could escape in the snowy forest like Lee did. Or did she just want to follow him?
Twelve