More Than Want You (More Than Words 1)

“Why? You know your brother will go mental when he meets her. She can charm him right out of his sanity. Is she backing out? You found the leverage to bend her into this agreement, right? If so, you need to remind her—”

“No. That’s not the problem.” I’d rather not tell Rob my personal situation. He’ll only roll his eyes anyway.

“Then what is it? Do not tell me your conscience has decided to get uptight.”

Okay, that’s annoying. “Don’t you think it’s a shitty thing to do to a woman? Imagine how she feels.”

“Who cares? She’ll be gone in two weeks.” He curses. “Christ, when did you grow morals?”

Rob’s tone makes it clear he thinks I’m a fidiot. Maybe I am. I just… Last night, after I kissed her with a wholly new passion that stemmed from somewhere other than my dick, then all but blurted that I’d give her up to beat my brother, the devastation on Keeley’s soft features nearly took me out at the knees.

“Don’t be an asshole,” I snap at Rob. “I have to think about this. She means something to me.”

“Since when? Have you even fucked this girl again?”

I remember all the times Rob and I swapped morning-after stories. At one point, I knew every sexual partner he had in the last three years. I also knew whether they were a screamer or if they liked their sex kinky. I was pretty good about reciprocating, even with Tiffanii. But Rob’s question now infuriates me.

“That’s none of your business.”

“In other words, no. Grow up and get laid. I mean this as a friend and a business associate. Don’t fuck this up. You asked Stowe for a shot.”

“And we’re going to pitch to him.”

“Yeah, blindfolded with one hand tied behind your back. Why would you do this halfway?”

“Why throw Keeley under the bus for ambition?”

“For fuck’s sake. Your feelings are going to cost us a lot of money, like six figures each. I need that money. Britta does, too. Why don’t you tell Keeley you like her and give her a cut of the payoff to play along?”

“I tried.” More or less. “She won’t.”

Rob rakes a hand through his hair like he can’t believe what I’ve said. “Persuade her. You fucking sell things for a living. You have this whole plan in place. You’ve been working it for two weeks. Now five feet short of the goal line, you’re going to pack up your gear and quit? Who are you?”

That’s a good question. I’m not even sure I know the answer anymore. I don’t feel happy without Keeley nearby teasing or scolding me. I don’t run right when I don’t know where she is, if she’s happy, or whether she’ll be home when I get there.

I’m so fucked.

“Get off my back.”

“Give me a reason to. I came to work for you because you never failed to go for the kill. I would have sworn you’d stab your own mother to get ahead. And now you’re giving up your chance to catch the biggest deal of your career for some fucking broad you met in a bar two weeks ago.” He shakes his head at me. “When did you become the guy willing to fuck me out of a paycheck so you can get laid? Get your shit together, or I don’t think I can work for you anymore.”

Before I can say anything else, Rob is gone.

I honestly don’t know if he’ll be back. He’s an essential part of my team. He knows how to make sales faster…and he knows where all the bodies are buried, so to speak. This sucks.

I curse and grab my gear. Rob’s tirade aside, I know I have a hard decision to make. I have to talk to Keeley—somehow. We need to work this out. No matter what happens with Griff, in my head she’s mine and she’s going to stay that way.

I can’t say I’m in a great mood when I climb into the car and tear out of the parking lot for home. Yes, I’ve known for a long time that Rob is a complete bastard. Frankly, it’s one of the reasons I hired him and why we worked well together. Birds of a feather and all. Sometimes I have to be charming for clients, but I could always count on my marketing manager to be ruthless.

His shit tonight was way over the line.

I get that my indecision has thrown him for a loop. Since he gets paid when I get paid, I realize that if I don’t reel in the Stowe estate, I’m costing him a lot of money. He should also know I’m going to do my best to succeed and make things right for him. If he’s calmed down tomorrow, we can try to work it out. If he continues to be an asswipe, I may be hiring a new staff member.

My phone rings, butting into my thoughts. There’s just enough glare left in this sunset that stabs my eyes through the windshield, I can’t see the display on my Range Rover. But my insides torque up at the hope that Keeley is finally not pissed enough to talk to me.

I grope for the button on the dash and stab it. “Hello? Keeley?”

“Sorry. It’s Harlow.”

“Hey, sis.” I try not to sound disappointed.

She laughs at me. “Tell me how you really feel?”

“Give it a rest.”

“You got it bad for this woman, don’t you?”

Yeah. I’m not sure what that means yet or how it’s going to play out in the future. The not knowing is making me antsy. “Did you want something?”

“Well, I called to tell you a few things, but since you’re so ribbable now, I think I’ll keep the good stuff to myself until I’ve had my fun.”

I sigh. “Why aren’t you taking your frustrations out on your fiancé? Is he still in London?”

“No. He’s flown on to Athens. He’s very important,” Harlow says in a voice that makes me worry she’s questioning her own importance to him.

“You okay?”

“Are you?” she counters. “How is it going with Keeley?”

I’m a smart guy…usually. I am definitely intelligent enough to realize that I will never understand the female mind. Harlow isn’t much like Keeley—but she’s closer than I’ll ever be.

“I’m not even sure. Good one minute, not so good the next.” I fill her in on last night’s un-hilarious comedy of errors.

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. What do you think I should do?”

“You have never once asked my advice with a woman. By the way, if you had, I could have told you Tiffanii was a selfish whore.”

“Thanks for the FYI. I figured that out.”

“Finally. Look, you’re obviously tied up in knots over this girl. Are you in love with her?”

I’ve never been in love. How the hell should I know? “Maybe.”

Harlow laughs without humor. “You sound so clueless. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.”

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I bite back a curse. “Are you going to make fun of me or help?”

She hesitates, and I wonder how much she’s enjoying my torment. She’s not usually cutthroat like the males in our family, but she’s also no slouch. My little sister learned from some of the most ruthless assholes ever and she can keep up. I’m actually worried about her answer.

“Neither,” she says finally. “Look, there’s no redeeming Dad, so I gave up on him a long time ago. You and Griff… It’s been a toss-up which side of the fence you two would fall on. But I’m starting to have hope for you. You seem like a better man with Keeley.”

I want to be a better man. I even feel like a better man. I don’t want to let that—or her—go. But I don’t want to give up the Stowe estate, either. It’s not just a property or a payday. It cements my future.

“What are you saying?”

“That you need to figure it out. I could tell you how to play