‘It pays the bills.’
‘And do you work at your nightclubs or an office?’
‘Both.’
Okay, then. So he wasn’t going to make this easy.
Unperturbed, Alexa leant against a glossy cabinet, watching him reset the machine. ‘You know I’d really love to come to the opening of your club this Friday night. I’ve never been to a nightclub before.’
‘No.’
Alexa blinked with surprise at his curt tone. ‘No?’
‘That’s what I said.’
‘Why not?’
‘You’re too straight.’
‘Too straight?’ She scowled at him. ‘What does that mean?’
‘It means what it means,’ he dismissed in a way that only ratcheted up her annoyance. ‘And I have no intention of arguing with you about it. It’s too early in the morning, for a start.’
‘Then don’t be obnoxious.’
‘I’m not being obnoxious.’ His brows drew down, matching the set of his mouth. ‘You’re not the clubbing type. If you want to do touristy things like shopping or going to the West End or the ballet, just let me know and I’ll have Hannah arrange it.’
‘Hannah?’ She was completely miffed at his condescension. ‘One of your old girlfriends?’
‘She’s my assistant.’
Oh, right. She remembered Nasrin mentioning Hannah now that she thought about it, but she’d been too incensed by his attitude to place her. ‘I’m nowhere near as straight as you seem think I am,’ she said, wondering what he would say if she told him about how she had gone behind her father’s back to be with Stefano.
‘Yes, you are.’
He retrieved his coffee and turned to face the kitchen windows as if that was the end of the discussion.
Infuriated, Alexa glared at his wide back. ‘You’re as immovable as my father,’ she snapped, her temper spiking. ‘And you think you know everything, just as he does.’
‘Alexa—’
‘Are you usually this grouchy or is it having me here in your space that’s making you so unreasonable?’
‘I’m not a morning person.’
‘You don’t say. Well, I am, and when you walked in before I thought maybe we could find some common ground between us, maybe even become friends, to make the next two weeks easier, but you’re really making me rethink that strategy.’
Rafe let out a rough breath as if the very sight of her annoyed him. ‘Good. It’s best if we’re not friends.’
Not having expected such a brutal response, Alexa blinked. ‘Then what would you suggest?’
He paused, his blue eyes as stormy as the Atlantic as he stared at her. ‘Nothing. I suggest nothing.’
Alexa’s brows shot up. ‘So you want me to come up with all the ideas?’
‘No.’ He pushed a lock of hair back from his forehead, clearly frustrated. ‘I meant that we literally do nothing. This isn’t a forever thing, Alexa. We’re here because I mucked up and let chemistry get in the way of rational thinking. That won’t happen again.’
‘By chemistry you mean—’