The Business of Love

by Anna James

  “He stayed with you for two nights?” Trey barked out.

  “Jeez Louise, Trey, yes. What are you so upset about?”

  He clasped her hand and squeezed. “I should have been there. I know how difficult it must have been for you to have him around. Next time call me.”

  She laughed. “It would have been a long trip for you the night of the break-in. You were in Africa—remember?”

  “I’ll stay tonight.”

  She rolled her eyes. “What is it with you? And Dante and Uncle Sam for that matter? I’m a grown woman and I can take care of myself.”

  “Still, I’d feel better if I were there with you tonight.”

  “Don’t worry about it. The security company is installing the new system today. I’ll be fine on my own.”

  They headed out of her office and over to the elevator in the main lobby.

  “I’m available if you change your mind.” The doors swooshed open.

  They stepped in. “Seriously, Trey, I’ll be fine.” The doors closed and the car descended down. “Why don’t we grab a sandwich at the deli around the corner and eat at the park?” she suggested.

  He arched an eyebrow. “It’s pouring out.”

  She grinned. “Right. I forgot. Are you up for sushi?”

  Trey nodded, pushed open the doors at the main entrance of the building, then gestured for Sophia to precede him through. She smiled. The rain had subsided and the sun now shone high in the sky. “We can go to the deli after all.”

  “Sushi sounds better.”

  “Sure, there’s a great place over on Wilshire. I’ll call a cab.”

  The taxi pulled to the side of the road a short time later and they got in. Sophia’s cell phone buzzed as she rattled off the restaurant address to the driver. As the driver sped off, she punched in her password and checked the message. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “What?” Trey asked.

  “I just got a nasty-gram from the accountant who’s overseeing the probate of Dad’s estate chastising me for not listing my car as part of the estate.”

  “It’s your car; why does he think it should be part of your father’s assets?”

  She sighed. “Dad had the car registered in his name for insurance purposes.”

  “Oh…so, the car wasn’t yours.”

  “Not technically.” She scrolled down to read the next section and laughed. “He wants me to put it up for sale. Allen and I will split the proceeds when the estate is settled.”

  He laughed. “That’s going to be a little difficult.”

  She glared at the tiny screen. “Ha! Joke’s on you buddy. There is no car.”

  “But, there’s the insurance check you got.”

  Sophia sobered. “How much do you want to bet Allen had something to do with this?”

  “Why would you think that?”

  “Who else would have known the car was in my father’s name?”

  He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

  She sighed. “Thanks. It’s just one more mess I have to deal with. I’ll call the accountant when we get back to the office to let him know.”

  The taxi pulled to the curbside. Trey handed the driver a twenty-dollar bill and then stepped out. Sophia followed him into the restaurant.

  After they’d been seated Trey asked, “Have you figured out what kind of new car you want to get?”

  “I’d planned to get something similar to what I had, but I’m going to have to rethink that now.”

  “Why?”

  “I need a car now. I can’t afford to wait until after the estate is settled.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not following you.”

  “I’d planned to put the insurance check toward the purchase of the car, but now I need to deposit that money in the estate account. I can’t touch anything in the account outside of paying my father’s outstanding bills until after the estate settles.”

  He raised an inquiring eyebrow. “Are you saying you don’t have enough of your own money to get what you want?”

  She laughed. “I can well afford to buy what I want, but almost everything I’ve got, including the money I received when I sold my condo, is tied up in long-term investments with harsh penalties for early withdrawal. I’ll have to withdraw the money eventually to buy a place to live in after the house sells, but I don’t want to touch it until I have to. In the meantime—”

  “Why don’t you just buy your father’s place and be done with it?”

  “I thought about it.” She’d crunched the numbers and could have managed it—just—if Allen had agreed to the proposed deal. He flat-out refused, of course, and why she’d expected anything different from him at this stage was beyond her. Still, she’d hoped…and had been sorely disappointed.

  “So, why don’t you?”

  “Allen won’t sell to me.”

  Trey let out a disgusted snort. “Fine. I’ll buy it for you.”

  Her eyes widened. “No. As thoughtful a gesture as that is, I can’t accept.”

  “Why?” he clipped out. “It’s not like I can’t afford it.”

  “Sanford will never agree.”

  “Leave Sanford to me.”

  “I said no, Trey, and I mean it. It’s not that big a deal.”

  Liar, her brain screamed.

  Okay, it was a huge deal but no way would she admit that to Trey. Having him buy the house for her wasn’t right.

  “Come on, Sophia.”

  She arched her eyebrow and cast a disapproving glare in his direction. “I said—” A movement at the table kitty-corner from where she sat got her attention. Dante stood and walked around to the woman seated across from him. He pulled out her seat. She stood and Sophia’s heart sank. The goddess smiled beguilingly at Dante and linked her arm through his.

  She sucked in a deep breath. Not a big deal, she told herself, and it wasn’t. She just didn’t want to see her…with him. Not that she was jealous, because she definitely wasn’t, but seriously, how could he be with her after she’d put the moves on another man and right under his nose?

  Thankfully, he hadn’t noticed them yet. He was too engrossed in his goddess to notice anything around him, and yes, that sounded just a bit resentful even to her own ears.

  Maybe she and Trey could get up and leave? Dante waved to her. She sighed. So much for that idea.

  “So-ph-ia!”

  She blinked. “What?”

  Trey shook his head. “What is it with you? One minute you’re saying something and then you check out on me.”

  “I’m sorry.” She couldn’t drag her eyes away from the other couple.

  “What are you staring—” He turned and cursed under his breath. “Seeing him has obviously upset you. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  She shook her head and refocused on Trey. She didn’t want Dante to catch her watching him yet again. “We can’t leave now. They’re coming over.”

  “Sophia, you remember India, don’t you?” Dante gestured to his goddess.

  How could she forget? She pasted on a bright smile and stuck out her hand. “We’ve never been introduced, but I remember you from the nightclub a few weeks ago. I’m Sophia Hamilton.”

  “Sophia is my business partner.” Dante turned to Trey and Sophia would have sworn a muscle on the side of his face jerked.

  “And this is Trey Jackson, one of our clients,” he said.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” India returned her attention to Dante. “Dante, I hate to eat and run, but I’ve got to get going.” She stood up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek.

  He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “Okay, I’ll see you later tonight.”

  “I see you two have kissed and made up.” Oh Lord, why had she gone and
said that? He didn’t need her reminding him of the incident from the seminar the other night.

  He laughed. “We may fight, a lot, but we always make up.”

  We always make up. The statement caused a lump to form at the back of her throat.

  Dante flicked a glance at Trey and then back to her. “I’ll let you get back to your lunch. Will I see you back at the office this afternoon?”

  “I’ll be there in less than an hour if you need me.”

  He nodded, then turned to leave.

  “Wasn’t that fun?” Trey asked, his tone sarcastic.

  She laughed.

  “I’m just glad he’s gone. At least now we can enjoy our meal together.”

  “Yes,” she agreed but the thought of food made her sick.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sophia surfaced slowly and her muzzy brain tried hard to concentrate. The announcement rattled again.

  “Make sure your seatbacks are in an upright position, and tray tables are locked,” the flight attendant said. “We’ll be landing in twenty minutes.”

  “Sophia?”

  “Mm?”

  “Time to wake up.”

  The velvet voice tickled against her ear. “Five more minutes,” she protested and snuggled deeper.

  A soft chuckle floated in the air. Her stomach sank. She knew that laugh. Dante. Her eyes popped open, and to her complete mortification, her entire body pressed against the length of his. Oh Lord! How had she wound up here, in his arms?

  He eased her away and she beat a hasty retreat to the lavatory, thankful for the short respite to gather her wits until she caught a glimpse of herself in the small mirror. A soft moan escaped from her parted lips. Long chunks of matted hair lay plastered against the side of her head and cheek. Lovely, just lovely, she thought, and reached into her purse for a brush.

  What must he think of her cuddling against him like that? She yanked the bristles through the tangled knots. Good grief, she’d practically climbed on top of him. Talk about sending mixed signals.

  After smoothing the tangled mess she opened the door. Dante grinned at her. “It’s all yours.” She walked past him. He moved at the same time. Her breasts crushed against his solid chest and the tips tightened. She jerked away and sucked in a steadying breath, then walked the short distance back to her seat and slid in.

  She stared out at the bright sky, cursing her body for betraying her. It had been embarrassing enough to drift off to sleep on such a short flight, even if it was an early morning departure and she hadn’t slept much the night before, but to wake up and find out that in an unconscious state she’d practically crawled on top of him and glued herself to his side was the height of humiliation.

  Heat crept up her neck and invaded her cheeks as she remembered coming to with her hand resting against the hair-roughened skin of his chest, and oh my, the heady combination of warm skin and solid muscle made heat pool low in her belly, but at least he hadn’t noticed her body’s reaction.

  This time… She squeezed her eyes shut and cringed. Yes, this time when her breasts came into contact with the hard planes of his chest there’d been no mistaking her physical reaction. He hadn’t said anything, thank goodness, just like he hadn’t said anything about her ending up in his lap either, but the brief flare of his eyes told her he’d noticed just the same.

  “Penny for your thoughts.” Dante slipped in beside her.

  She turned to face him and her eyes widened a fraction. He’d lifted the armrest, all but eliminating the small space between them, or maybe it only seemed that way with the physical barrier removed. Either way, he loomed over her. “Just wondering if I’ll have time to do any sightseeing while we’re here. I’ve never been to San Francisco before.”

  “Never? But you grew up in California.”

  His breath whispered across her cheek, and she almost groaned out loud. Tiny frissons of pleasure trickled down her spine. She swallowed and clamped down hard on her traitorous hormones. “No. Actually, I grew up in New York. We used to live in the West Village when Dad worked on Wall Street. We didn’t move to LA until he retired.”

  “How long ago was that?”

  “About ten years ago. Dad wanted a complete change of scenery, but Mom still wanted the hustle and bustle of the city. LA was the compromise.”

  “How long did you live in New York City?”

  “I was born there.”

  “Why didn’t I know any of this?”

  Sophia sighed. “We never bothered to take the time to get to know one another.” Something she definitely regretted now and wanted to change.

  He nodded. “We’ll make a point of seeing everything there is to see here in San Francisco before we head back. I’ll show you around.”

  She drew in a quick breath. He wanted to show her around San Francisco? “Really?”

  He grinned. “Yes.”

  Her brain gave a happy squeal.

  Don’t get too excited. He’s only being friendly.

  Much to her chagrin, she couldn’t stop the tiny fluttering in her stomach. It bubbled up and burst like a flaming sun into her heart. Warmth radiated throughout her body.

  It’s not that big a deal, she told herself, and, oh, whom was she kidding? It was a huge deal. He wanted to spend time with her and it wasn’t business related. A slow smile spread across her face.

  And then she remembered her commitment to meet Trey. A heavy weight settled in her chest. “I have to be in New York the day after tomorrow to meet with Trey and the rest of the project team.”

  Although he didn’t move, the small space between them suddenly seemed enormous.

  “Oh…I see.”

  “I’ll try to postpone the meeting.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

  He nodded, but his lack of enthusiasm told her he was no longer interested in the conversation.

  “We’ll have some time this afternoon before we have to meet with Lucas. Maybe we can walk around Fisherman’s Wharf?”

  He didn’t respond.

  Way to put your foot in your mouth, Sophia. Now you’ve gone and put him on the spot. How pathetic could she be? “Um… Don’t worry about it. I can go by myself.”

  He frowned. “You don’t want me to show you around?”

  “I do, but if you’re busy…”

  “I’m not busy. We’ll check into the hotel first and then grab lunch at the Wharf.”

  She nodded. “Yes, I’d enjoy that.”

  Two hours later, Sophia walked to a small grouping of plush, brown leather chairs in the lobby of the Acquati hotel. She sat down, crossed her legs and straightened the summer orange tank-style dress, and gazed around the room at the lavish interior. It was hard to believe this perfect blend of new-age comfort and convenience had once been an abandoned warehouse. What a coup to obtain the property and transform it into the upscale resort she saw before her. She couldn’t wait for the rest of the tour Lucas had promised to give during their meeting.

  Now, while she waited for Dante to join her, she checked her phone to see if Trey had responded to the text she’d sent earlier. Hmm…no response yet.

  “Ready to go?”

  She glanced up. The breath whooshed out of her at the sight of Dante dressed in a pair of black jeans that fit his lean, narrow hips to perfection, and a slate blue dress shirt. Like her, he’d changed from the business suit he’d worn earlier into more casual clothing for sightseeing.

  “I… Ah…” She swallowed hard. The man could make a trash bag look sexy. Heat crept up her neck and invaded her cheeks.

  Pull yourself together, girl, her brain ordered, and pick your jaw up off the floor!

  Business partner, business partner, business partner. She chanted the phrase over and over hoping her hormones would finally get the message. “Yes.”

  “You m
ay want to grab a sweater. It can be cooler by the water.”

  She tapped the front of her tote bag. “I have one with me.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  Sophia followed him out of the main entrance and found a line of taxis in front of the hotel.

  “We can grab a cab,” Dante said, “Or walk. Fisherman’s Wharf is only a mile from here.”

  Close to the water and the sights San Francisco was famous for. Yes, indeed, if this property was anything like what Lucas had planned for his other Acquati hotels, he was all but assured an excellent return on the investment. The more she learned about Lucas Morgan, the less she believed the image the paparazzi presented of him.

  She grinned up at Dante. “It’s a beautiful day. Let’s walk.”

  They strolled along Bay Street in companionable silence and then turned left onto Polk. “If you’re not too hungry, I thought we’d make a quick stop at Ghirardelli Square before we go to lunch.”

  Her eyebrow arched up. “Ghirardelli, as in the chocolate?”

  Dante chuckled. “Yes.”

  “Absolutely. We can eat there. Chocolate is always an acceptable meal as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Or we can have a seafood dinner when we reach the wharf.”

  Sophia mocked-punched him in the arm. “Spoilsport.”

  They reached the square a few moments later and Sophia gasped when her eyes landed on one of the quaint little shops. “Oh my, I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. Come on.” She dragged Dante to the old-fashioned ice cream shop and pulled the door open. “Forget the seafood. We’re having ice cream sundaes for lunch.”

  Dante snorted, but got in line with her. They took the dishes to go and ate them as they ambled along.

  “Do you come to San Francisco often? You seem to know your way around.”

  He nodded. “Often enough. It’s not far from my parents’ place in Sonoma.”

  “Is that where you’re from?”

  He shook his head. “Born and raised in Los Angeles.”

  “LA?” She eyed him curiously. “So, how does a California boy wind up living in the Big Apple?”

  He stopped short and the muscles in his body stiffened. His smiling eyes and easygoing manner of a few minutes ago were now replaced with a hard piercing stare, and an angry stance.