Chapter 2
“Thank you,” she said as she easedfrom his grasp.
The crooked smile that always made her stomach twist appeared on his face.
“For the kiss, no problem. Any time.Day or night.”
His voice deepened with the wordnight.No, she couldn’t go there. Independent. Her goal was to be totally independent. No construction site Romeo could sway her from her mission.
“I mean for the bid and agreeing towork with me.”
“Yeah, about that…it would have been nice if we’d had time to discuss it first.”
“Did you want me to tell the auctioneer to sit back and wait while we formed a committee, outlined a plan, then got things notarized?”
His chest went in and out with a deep breath. The snug cotton of his shirt clung to it, mesmerizing her.
“You’re a Silva. He might have done it for you.”
Like a splash of cold water, reality returned. Scott had a stick up his ass about rich people, and hated that she came from a wealthy family. He never missed an opportunityto remind her.
A few more people exited the auction room and they stepped aside tolet them pass.
“They might do it for my dad but not for me.”
His expression showed his doubt. He reached into his suit coat pocket and pulled out an envelope with a local bank name on it.
“How did you want to go about paying for this? I’ve got a letter from the bank with the amount I’m pre-approved for. But it’s less than what we bid.”
“I planned to pay cash.”
His eyes rolled up. “Of course you did.”
God, he drove her crazy.Suck it up, sweetheart, you just made a deal with the devil.Too bad she remembered the heaven it was tobe in his arms.
“It’s trust fund money I got when I turned twenty-five from my mom’s mother. It’s been sitting in a bank for two years earning interest. She had faith that I could use it to help my career. That’s what I plan to do. With this building renovation.”
“What were your thoughts regarding money when you had this collaboration idea?”
She wanted the building and hadn’t thought beyond that. Okay, perhaps she’d thought about his lips, how they’d felt skimming along her stomach and lower. Damn, she needed to stop with the memory lane trip. Business. They were here for business.
“It was a split second decision. I didn’t have time to calculate percentages and margins.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Then may I makea suggestion?”
“By all means.” It better not be a sexual one. She might throw away her pride and goals and jumphim right here.
“I suggest we use my loan plus your extra to pay for the building. Then we can use the rest of yours for supplies. They won’t be cheap. It’ll be easier and quicker to pay cash for them than to go through the bank for the funding.”
It sounded reasonable. Or was this something that might benefit him more? Nothing jumped out at her, so she noddedher agreement.
They moved to the payment desk and sifted through the pages of documents they needed to finalize the purchase. After the last ‘I’ was dotted and ‘T’ was crossed, and both their signatures graced the papers, she let out a sigh. The building was hers. Well, hers and Scott’s. Not exactly what she’d planned, but he was an easygoing guy, when he wasn’t ragging on her for being rich. They could do this. She hoped.
Throwing his arm around her shoulder, he whispered, “I think this calls for a celebration drink. My treat.”
* * * *
What the hell was he thinking suggesting a drink with Xena, Warrior Princess? It was bad enough she’d talked him into a partnership of sorts. She’d want to take over and run the whole show. They probably should bang out a few details regarding their deal. He’d have to call his Army buddy, Drew, to draw up a legal document. Andrew Thayer worked for the Connecticut DA’s office, but he helped out his friends with legal stuff whenit was needed.
