“Paige,” he says as I go for the door handle.
I glance over my shoulder and Zach is standing only feet from me.His eyes skate up from my ass to mine wearing a wolfish expression.He doesn’t even try to hide that he was checking me out.
“There’s one more thing.I have a proposition for you.”His tone is commanding with something sharp edging each word.
“Pardon?”
“You see, my lawyers can either do the bare minimum—send out a templated letter and call it a day or use all the heavy artillery at their disposal.Your landlord won’t know what hit him.Which would you prefer?”
The question is straightforward but pointless.I mean what kind of question is that?There really isn’t a choice—I want what any sane woman would want when being threatened.Yet his pointed demeanor has me standing stock still, studying him as my breath stops, trapped in my lungs.
“The big guns.”Air rushes past my lips with my response.
I’m so wrong.
There’s nothing boring or simple about this man.
During this brief encounter, I’ve reevaluated the quality of the men I’ve dated, realized just how much his world and mine don’t even come close, and now he has my heart thundering as if I’ve been dropped into the middle of a horror movie.Who is this man?I can’t fight the feeling he’s about to shake things up further and I don’t know if I should be excited or scared.
“Well, that depends on the instructions I give my lawyer.And what exactly I say depends on you.”
“How so?”I cock my head to the side.
My gaze is drawn to the light dusting of dark stubble framing his jawline.It is a strong, pleasing-to-the-eye jaw.In fact, all his features are strong and prominent.
“We go after Mr.Hummel like the hounds of hell and in exchange, I get something from you.”
“Go on.”My body tenses and stomach swirls and something akin to electricity zips through my veins.
“Be my date Friday night.”
“Your date?”For a split second, I’m flattered he’s asking me out when it hits me.He hasn’t asked me anything.It’s more a statement and I don’t get it.This guy can’t possibly have trouble finding a woman.
“Okay, maybe date isn’t the right word.”He takes a step closer and his expensive cologne wraps warmly around me.“It’s a business proposition.We’re exchanging services.”
“And why would I agree to this?”
He owes Drew.As far as I see it, I get what I want no matter what.And whether I agree to his proposition, as he put it, or not, I’ve decided to break my rental agreement and get out of my current predicament.I have options, although having his lawyers take care of it would be far easier.
“The caliber of lawyers I have at my disposal are hard to come by without a seriously hefty price tag.You might be considering moving, but what if I could make it so you don’t have to move, and Mr.Hummel never bothers you again?”
Now he has my attention.
One date with this man isn’t a hardship.I’ll get a fancy meal out of it, if nothing else.But what intrigues me more is the idea of Joel not being able to do this to another woman.I want him to get what he deserves for scaring women in their homes.
Mr.Rothwell promises the full extent of the law, something I’m not able to cover on my own.He’s right, I can’t afford his legal team.
“Okay, so one date—that’s all you want in exchange?Nothing more?”
It’s too good to be true.What’s driving him?
“Well, it isn’tonedate.”
Of course it isn’t.
It’s beginning to feel a little too much like I’m being propositioned for something I’m not willing to give.I hope Drew doesn’t care to work with this guy ever again because this meeting won’t end well if this conversation is going where I think it is.
“The date would only be for show and nothing more,” he is quick to say.“But I’d need more than one date and it might go on past the resolution of your landlord problems.”
