‘Oh, right, yes.’ She nodded, her brain catching up. ‘She’s happy, then?’
‘More than—you’ve done a great job.’ Open admiration fuelled his words and a delicious warmth encased her. He meant it.
‘Thank you. I’m glad she’s happy.’
He gave a small smile. ‘Me too.’
‘And does she know you’ve asked me to source these homes for you?’
His smile turned sheepish. ‘It may have come up.’
She shouldn’t ask how it went. Not after the warning Julia had delivered. And yet she asked anyway. ‘How did that go?’
He shrugged. ‘I’m looking to make a home for myself close to her and there’s no one she’d rather got the commission than you, so...’
The commission. The money. It was all that mattered ultimately. Her business.
Yeah, and what about that redhead he got into bed with last night? Are you going to be able to keep your jealousy in check, or lose it like Julia did over Johansson at the viewing?
He frowned and turned to face her head-on. ‘What’s wrong?’
Christ, did I have to be so transparent?
‘Nothing.’
He stepped forward, his frown deepening. ‘That’s not what your face is telling me.’
‘It doesn’t matter.’
‘It does to me.’ He said it so earnestly she could almost believe his feelings were capable of running deeper than sex.
‘I was there when Julia spoke to you today,’ she admitted. ‘I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but she was making it impossible.’
His jaw twitched, his voice tight. ‘You know about the article.’
‘Yes.’
‘Nothing happened.’
Get off the topic.
‘It’s none of my business.’
‘I’m making it your business,’ he said, his eyes boring into her own. ‘The truth is, I went out looking to forget this thing between us and failed.’
‘That’s how you forget?’ She
gave a harsh laugh. ‘Falling into bed with the next willing woman? I shouldn’t really be surprised.’
‘It’s all I know.’ He rammed his fingers through his hair. ‘Hell, if you’d lived through my upbringing you’d understand.’
‘I asked you to help me understand last night, and you refused.’
He looked to the door, his eyes wavering between it and her, his hesitation clear. ‘I’m not used to talking, least of all with the women I sleep with. In truth, they don’t ask, and I don’t tell.’
‘And I threaten that status quo?’
His lip quirked up at the corner. ‘Something like that.’