"All cash and no contingencies? My offer was shit compared to that."
"I know," I blurt out without thinking.
"You know?" He lifts his brows and tilts his head.
"I went all in against the advice of my broker. I assume your broker wouldn't let you do that." I try to correct with a small smile.
"Either Sigrid is an idiot or something doesn't add up." He swipes his finger over his phone's screen. "If you want me to find out why she took my offer, let me know and I can make the call."
"We both know why she took your offer." I shrug. "It doesn't matter at this point, Smith. Your family is happy there. I have a great apartment and the past is in the past."
"Slow down." He stands and stalks back toward me. "I don't know why she took my offer so explain that to me."
"You know why." My eyes drop to the concrete. "You two were in a relationship."
I feel his finger brush against my chin. "Look at me."
I do. I don't want to but I do.
"Sigrid's family bought the house from my great grandparents so she called my Gramps and told him the brownstone was his if he had the money. He didn't so I flew here, hammered out a deal with her and the rest is history."
"You hammered out a deal with her?" I cross my arms. "Is that a polite way of saying you slept with her to get the deal done?"
He throws his head back in laughter. "You're jealous. You think my cock is worth more than a full ask, all cash deal? I mean I think it is, but I'm fucking over the moon to know that you do too and you haven't even seen me naked yet."
Yet.
I bite my bottom lip. It sounds ridiculous when put like that. "You took her to the Met Gala."
"I had pants on." He pats his thigh. "I always had my pants on with her. My broker fought hard for the deal I got and it was nowhere close to what you were offering. Maybe Sigrid had a soft spot for Gramps or maybe she wanted the building to go back to my family. I have no fucking clue but I can find out if it means you'll stop hating me."
I just want this to be over. I'm tired of beating myself up over a house this is now home to a wonderful group of people. Whatever magic lived there when my grandma met his grandfather isn't there anymore. At least, it's not for me. Mymagic is the feeling in my chest. It's my heart opening up to this man in front of me.
"I don't hate you." I look into his intensely dark eyes. "I haven't handled my grandma's death very well. I needed someone to direct all my anger at."
"I'm your guy." He crosses his arms over his chest. "I get how much that hurts, Petal. I lost my grandma too. It split me in two."
"I want to be put back together," I whisper. "Can we go to Brooklyn?"
"Only if you let me kiss you when we get there." He brushes the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip.
"I'll let you do more."
"What the fuck are we doing up here?" His hand reaches for mine. "Let's go."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Smith
You never knowwhat's around the corner. I thought I'd be cooking Brynn my world famous spaghetti Bolognese tonight. I can claim that title because I cooked it on the show two weeks ago and the recipe was downloaded more than a million times.
Boom. Take that Tyler Monroe, big shot Manhattan chef.
We're in my apartment now, but the only thing on fire is my cock. I'm seriously rocking the world's most sensitive hard-on right now. I haven't even undressed and I'm about to blow my load.
"I feel sweaty." She runs her slender fingers over her forearm. "It's so muggy outside tonight."
Damn right it is. My shirt is a testament to that. The thing is glued to my chest and back. I could go for another shower right about now.
