Built Strong (Middleton Hotels 3)

“I know I can. I didn’t have money for school and my sister needed help at the studio.”

“That’s all I need to know. This is better than the shit I saw on the plane. I was looking at some gaudy shit. This place shouldn’t look like the Waldorf. It should have a quaint beauty all its own.” I looked at her glossy eyes and felt that I was right. I’d bet on it. She could do this, but I still wanted to have a talk with my lawyers and brothers.

“Excuse me. Are you ready to order?” the waiter asked, setting down our drinks.

“Morgan?” I asked, wanting her to go first. I hadn’t even seen the menu.

“Um, I’ll have the apple pecan chicken salad,” she said, smiling up at the waiter. A moment of jealousy passed my eyes and slammed into my chest. It was stupid and immature, but I wanted her smiles.

“And for you, sir?” he asked me, but I didn’t take my eyes off Morgan.

“I don’t know. I actually have been so preoccupied with my date that I couldn’t concentrate on the menu. I’m from Texas, your best steak will be great with a baked potato or something.” She looked at me with those pretty eyes and her mouth parted again. Fuck, I was trying to still the throbbing in my cock.

The guy nodded and walked away, which was good because I wasn’t even acknowledging him anymore. She was busy eyeing me suspiciously.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked, knowing she was probably put out by what I said, but that didn’t change that despite everything between us, we wanted each other. Her body language was a dead giveaway, but she was looking a bit angry at the moment. Somehow, I still found her undeniably beautiful, even with the scowl.

“I’m not going to trade sex for the contract. I don’t care what my sister loses. My integrity is priceless.”

“You don’t have to get bent out of shape. I’m not giving you the contract in exchange for sex. I saw what I liked in the folder. And something about you tells me that you’re too honest for your own good.”

“So…the whole distracted thing wasn’t true?” she cautiously asked.

I blew out a breath and took a drink of my scotch. “Now, I didn’t say that. The first thing I thought when you walked through the door was how much I wanted to kiss you like a woman should be.” She turned beet red, embarrassed by my admission. “This contract actually puts me in a shitty position with you. I can’t touch you, no matter how much I want to take you back to the hotel and make love to you all night long.”

“You, sir, are a bit much for me,” she said, shaking her head.

“The feeling’s mutual, Morgan. And call me Julian.”

“When do you want to meet again for the hotel design plans?”

“We haven’t even finished this meeting,” I reminded her, although I knew she was well aware of it. I saw the distance she was reaching for, but I wasn’t about to let that happen.

“I’m sorry. I’m trying to maintain professional.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Because that’s what I’m here for. I’m not the ‘fall into bed with a millionaire’ kind of girl.”

I bit my lip and clenched my fists in irritation. It wasn’t at her, but with myself. The thought of her with another man pulled a pre-historic caveman out of me. I wanted to fuck her and let her know that sleeping with other men wasn’t going to happen. “I’d like to hope not,” I bit out, rubbing the back of my neck. Thankfully, it came out mildly. I didn’t want to come off as crazy as I felt.

We

sat in silence for a bit longer before I grabbed the file again. I didn’t say a word as I looked through it. Within minutes, I decided many of these things were completely perfect for what I envisioned. “I’m in meetings for the next two days, but I want to get this wrapped up and moving along before I go back home. We can meet on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning.”

“I’m available for either, so I suppose the sooner the better. Wednesday will have to be okay,” she said, taking her cell phone out of her purse.

“My call will go until one. Please meet me at the hotel at one-fifteen.” She nodded as she made a note in her phone then placed it back in her bag. Just then, the waiter came back with our plates. It smelled fantastic and I was dying for a steak. Her salad looked a bit sad in my opinion, but she wasted very little time taking a bite. My eyes and the rest of me resented that fork as it slipped past her lips.

I had to distract myself, so I focused on my steak, taking my time cutting it and savoring the first bite. It was pretty good and my stomach remembered that it had been empty. I managed to take another bite before looking up at her. “What first interested you in design?” I asked, wanting to learn more about her.

“It’s kind of a family thing. It started off with my parents and then continued with me and my sister.”

“Really? You mentioned your sister gave you the assignment. Do your parents still work at the studio?” I wondered if they had retired already.

“No, my parents died three years ago.” Fuck, I just had to open my big mouth.

“Wow, I’m sorry. How? A car accident?” I guess I didn’t know how to shut it.