Chapter Three
Harlan didn’t buy Savannah’s claim that she wasn’t pissed about their past. He’d seen something in her eyes, a flash of anger that was there and gone so fast he thought he’d imagined it. Maybe he had. He still felt like a shit for what had happened all those years ago.
Harlan had been married, divorced and involved in a number of relationships over the years. Not one of them, not even in the beginning of his marriage, had made him feel like he had when he’d been with Savannah.
They’d been eighteen years old. Hell, he’d undoubtedly romanticized the whole thing in his mind. Who knew what would have happened if he hadn’t been forced to break up with Savannah? Odds were fifty-to-one that they’d have broken up within the year anyway.
But it was the manner and the timing that got to him. And to Savannah too, he’d bet. At the time she’d been devastated. He’d known it—hell, all he’d had to do was look at her. But there hadn’t been a damn thing he could do about it. Not without making his family pay the price.
That was then and now, in the present, the two of them should be able to have a decent business relationship. She would be his employee. Nothing more.
Business. That’s why he’d been flirting with her, right?
Give me a break. She’s beautiful. Stunning, even.
So? A lot of women were beautiful. Women he’d dated. His ex-wife. Many of his girlfriends. Most of them had been pretty, if not show-stoppers.
“But they weren’t Savannah,”a feminine voice said.
A feminine voice that wasnotSavannah’s. Great. Now he was hearing voices. Female voices. And smelling...lavender. What the hell? That was at least the second or third time he’d smelled lavender since he’d arrived at the party.
“Do you smell lavender?” he asked Savannah.
She raised an eyebrow. “Yes. I’ve been smelling it practically all night.”
“Me too.”
“That’s odd. Avery and Rachel didn’t smell it. At least, not when I did.”
“I thought you might be wearing a lavender fragrance.” He leaned closer and sniffed. Not lavender but she smelled great. Sexy, alluring...Forget it, Sullivan. You are not going there.
“No.” She held out her wrist. “Not even close.”
Because it was there, he smelled it. His gut tightened at the heady smell of her and the sight of her smooth, bare skin. No bangles, bracelets or any jewelry other than an unusual aquamarine ring on her finger. What he really wanted was to kiss her wrist and keep going until he reached her mouth.
Why don’t you?
There went that damn female voice again. Harlan answered the annoying voice, regardless of the fact that he wondered if he’d lost it.Because she wouldn’t go for it. She’d probably coldcock me.
“Definitely not lavender,” he said, easing away from the gut punch of her fragrance.
Savannah shifted and grimaced. “This floor isn’t the softest thing I’ve ever sat on.”
“I can get another coat.”
“I don’t think anyone would appreciate me using their coat as a blanket or pillow.”
