Since she’d walked out of his house after using him, he’d been destroyed. He didn’t care that she’d wanted to use his body. Their physical connection couldn’t be just ignored or brushed aside. There was no way someone as caring and loving as Stella could just walk away and not think or feel anymore.
And there was love looking back at him when she’d been in his home. He’d seen it, felt it.
And he knew he’d fallen just as hard.
Dane turned the corner headi
ng to his office at Mirage. He nearly ran into one of the receptionists, but quickly put his hands out to stop her from plowing into him.
“Oh, Mr. Michaels,” she gasped. “I’m so sorry.”
Dane might still be struggling with some names of his new employees, but not Lola. He remembered her quite well.
“I’ve told you to call me Dane,” he reminded her, as he’d done every single day he’d been there. “You worked for my mother.”
Lola smiled and smoothed her cropped, gray hair from her forehead. “That may be, and I may remember you as a thirteen-year-old boy, but that doesn’t mean anything now. You’re my boss and I respect that.”
“I appreciate the respect, but Dane will be just fine,” he confirmed. “You’ve been here since the beginning. I hope you’ll stay on.”
Lola nodded and patted his arm. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving. Your mother would be so proud of you.”
Guilt threatened to choke him, but so did a rush of warmth at the kind comment. Story of his life lately. He’d destroyed one woman he loved while honoring the other.
“Oh, Stella is in your office,” Lola added.
Dane jerked. “Excuse me?”
“Stella Garcia,” Lola repeated. “She said she had an appointment, so I let her in. I was getting ready to call you. I hope that was okay.”
The worry in her tone had Dane offering a smile. “That was more than okay. Thanks, Lola.”
He skirted around the faithful employee in an effort to get to his office. Dane didn’t care that he looked like a madman racing down the hall. There was only so much control a guy could have and he’d waited long enough for Stella to get back with him about his offer.
Granted, he’d thought she’d call, but an in-person meeting was sure as hell something he wasn’t about to turn down.
Dane opened the door to his office and stepped inside to find Stella in his new leather office chair behind his desk.
She glanced from his computer screen to him as she propped those long bare legs up on the corner of his desk.
Just the sight of her had his gut tightening, his heart pumping faster. He leaned against the door and closed it with his back. She didn’t have on boots today like she typically did with her dresses. No, today she had on heels meant for the bedroom and a little red suit that looked like it was made of wrapping paper it was so damn tight...in all the right places.
If he needed to hire someone to torture guests, she’d be the woman for the job. She was killing him.
“Your minion gave me the message,” she stated. “Was that some type of a joke?”
Dane hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and shook his head. “Not a joke at all. I just didn’t confront you myself because I knew you needed time.”
“Time?” Those legs slid off his desk with grace and Stella came to her feet. She smoothed her skirt down to mid-thigh and circled the desk. “You proposed marriage through a damn letter that my attorney delivered from your attorney.”
Dane swallowed. “I guess the proposal could use some work, but I figured if I asked in person you’d punch me—and then you’d say no. I can take a punch, but I didn’t want you to turn me down.”
Stella stared across the room. With her brows drawn in, her hands on her hips, her jacket pulling across pert breasts...she was damn breathtaking.
“Turn you down?” she repeated. “Of course I’m turning you down. You’re insane. I’m not marrying you.”
“Did you read the entire letter?”
“The part where I’d be part owner of Mirage? Yes.” She licked her lips, probably not knowing how arousing that was. Now was certainly not the time to bring it up. “I don’t know where this came from, but I’m not marrying you. If you feel guilty for taking all of this from me, that’s on you. You can’t just ask someone to marry you because your feelings are all out of whack.”