“Now this,” he glanced at her lap before his gaze met hers again, “is how I’d like us to sit from now on. It’s more comfortable and personal. Don’t you think?”
Heat climbed up her face as her temper made its debut. “Listen to me, Mr. Remington, I will not let you treat me like this. If you can’t deal with me as a businesswoman, then we don’t have anything more to say.”
He gave her a sympathetic look and cupped her face. “Actually, I do have one more thing to say.” His thumb stroked her bottom lip. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you, Nicole. I know I have no right to feel this way about you – especially because I know you hate me – but I can’t help myself.” He paused and sighed. His shoulders dropped in defeat. “Please, Nicole. Stop fighting me and just listen to what I have to say. I don’t want to see Adkins’ Dev-Tech torn apart. And no matter what you have heard, I’m the only person who can help you.”
Her heart beat in a different rhythm. Why did this man have to make her feelings jump around like they were in a blender? And why, did part of her heart want to give him a chance to explain himself?
He was going to win this fight between them. She just knew it.
SEVEN
Mick hesitantly releasedNicole. He really didn’t mind her sitting on his lap, but it really wasn’t a professional way to carry on a business meeting. However, he was relieved to know that his nearness still rattled her.
For the first time that he could remember, he felt guilty for lying to a woman. His reputation with women tended to be a little rocky, which was one of the reasons he didn’t have a lasting relationship with the women he dated. At least he was good at one thing – getting his way when it came to business decisions. So, when he could see Nicole wasn’t going to back down, he tried to make her believe that he had feelings for her.
He hadn’t lied when he’d told her she was beautiful the other night. And although he couldn’t get that elevator kiss out of his head, that didn’t mean he hadfeelingsfor her. So, okay... he thought about her every time he smelled the lilac scent or saw someone with silky chestnut hair, but that didn’t mean anything. In fact, the reason she’d been on his mind so much was that he needed her help, just like she needed his.
“Would you like some coffee?” she asked walking to the back of her office toward the coffee pot.
“No, I’m fine. But thanks for the offer.”
She turned before reaching it and moved back to her desk. When she sat, she linked her fingers together and rested her hands on the desk, looking directly at him.
“Okay, tell me what you came here to talk about.”
He steepled his fingers and held them against his chin as he watched her carefully. No matter what, he needed to gain her confidence. He wouldn’t be able to do this alone.
Lowering his hands to his lap, he breathed deeply. “Nicole, I’m aware that you’ve heard terrible things about the Remington empire, but I want to set the rumors straight. My father’s callous business dealings started those rumors. The man is greedy, deceitful, and he doesn’t care who he steps on during his climb to the top.”
“I understand, but you’re his son, Mick. You’ve had many years of his tutelage for his ruthlessness to rub off on you.”
He held up his hand, stopping her. “Actually, I didn’t start working with my father until I was out of high school. You see, my parents had divorced when I was a young boy, and he’d been so busy with his second wife, he’d forgotten he even had a son. After high school, I wanted my father to get to know his son, which is why I started working with him.”
“Aren’t you working with your father now?”
“No. It didn’t take me long to realize that his kind of life wasn’t what I’d wanted. I was ashamed the way my father treated people. I want to earn people’s respect. I want people to like me. My father will never have those qualities.”
