“I know exactly what I want,” he said with a devilishly fierce stare. “I want something sweet, but complex. Something that comes to the table looking unassuming then knocks my socks off. I want to wake up thinking about how good it was, and wondering when I can have it again. And again. And again. That’s what I’m looking for.”
“In a dessert,” she challenged, licking her lips as her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment.
“Of course,” he nodded. “What else would we be talking about?”
Chapter 4
“I’ll have the car service take you back to your hotel,” Hugo offered, aching with desire for her. Watching her walk away was going to be painful. He considered asking her to come up to his place, but Junie had been clear that was not happening tonight. He’d known plenty of women willing to do just about anything to get what they wanted. Working with the Barringtons had been filled with occasions where a woman would do anything to get invited to one of their events or get a meeting to pitch something to the family. It was a card Junie could have played tonight, yet she did the opposite. She was making sure not to give the impression that she’d trade her dignity for what she wanted. Impressive.
“A cab is fine,” she said, dismissing the idea of a car service. “It’s nowhere near here. I don’t want to put one of your drivers out.”
“It’s on the West Oil charge card,” he reminded her. “I’m trying to run that bill up, remember? Where are you heading?”
“Norman Heights,” she admitted reluctantly. Unfamiliar with the area, that didn’t mean much to Hugo, but her expression showed she was self-conscious for some reason.
Junie was obviously from modest means, and she’d been forthright about where she’d grown up and what her father had done for a living, but that didn’t matter to Hugo. He’d had mentors and with them came rules he’d learned to live by. Rule Number One: It isn’t what people come from, it’s what they make of themselves.
Junie was obviously determined to make something of herself. “I insist you use the car service,” Hugo said, putting his phone to his ear and giving out the quick instructions.
“Thanks,” she said, tucking her long red hair behind her ears and looking around the posh street. “It’s beautiful here. Thank you again for dinner. It was amazing.”
“I had a really nice night,” Hugo agreed. “Much better than celebrating alone.”
“Something tells me you wouldn’t have trouble finding a celebration partner if you really wanted to.” She clutched her purse tightly under her arm and watched as a couple of men passed by. This wasn’t the type of establishment where you had to worry about someone snatching a purse, but it was interesting to watch her be prepared for anything.
“I prefer quality over quantity.” Hugo smiled as the sleek black car pulled up and the driver hopped out to let Junie in. “You’ve got my number. Use it.” It was vague and open-ended, but he was hoping the current he felt flowing between them would be enough to ignite something sooner rather than later. He had a few more tricks up his sleeve, but judging by the spark in her eyes, he may not need to use them.
“I’m not going to stop bothering you until I get that meeting with James West. So you can be sure I’ll be in touch.”
Before she could slide into the car Hugo took her hand, held it for a long beat, and stared into her eyes. “Good night, Junie. Sleep well.”
As the car drove off, her perfume lingered around him, making her absence feel like even more of a loss. Hugo was good at playing the long game. In business he had no problem being patient. He could wait for the right moment to make a deal or swap some pertinent information. And with women it was no different. There were men who would swoop in, demand what they wanted, and ignore what she was so clearly desiring. She’d been standing on the edge of desire, right next to him, and they’d have jumped off together had he moved all the right pieces on the chessboard. But that was short-sighted. That was rushed. He would have Junie. He would have every inch of her but the moment would be well-timed, perfectly executed, and he’d fulfill her every desire.
Hugo strolled back to his hotel with a spring in his step. This day had been one long, life-changing blur. He had a new job that on the surface looked like a pain in the ass, but when he took time to consider it, he could see the upside. He was reporting directly to the CEO. The assignment was to alleviate a serious pain point for a powerful man. That always swung in his favor. Not only would he eliminate the issues, Hugo would find some way to separate himself from the pack. Stand out and show James West just how valuable his skills really were. Sometimes it wasn’t about what part you got in the play, it was about getting some time on the stage. The spotlight was all Hugo needed to take another huge step forward in his career.
Dinner, the evening with Junie, was something altogether different. Everything in his life was casual. Fluid. Look how fast his address had changed from New Hampshire to Texas. His life was moving at warp speed, and West Oil had holdings all over the globe. This could easily be a stepping-stone to another big opportunity.
The men who squandered those chances were usually the same ones tied down somewhere. Stuck in a location that limited their choices. They bought a home with a woman and couldn’t uproot everything. They were in love and couldn’t imagine the life of a traveling businessman if it meant they couldn’t be home for dinner every night.
Rule Number Two: There is no such thing as having it all, so you better know what the hell you want most.
That was easy for him. No woman, even one as compellingly beautiful and clever as Junie, would ever be enough to pull him off the path he was blazing.
Hugo was sliding out of his absurdly expensive shoes and flipping through emails on his phone when it rang. She was calling already. He took that as a good sign. Maybe it would just be another thank you for a nice evening. Some breathy laughs and playful flirting. He was game for that. Maybe she was going to ask for another meeting they could pretend wasn’t a date. He picked up the phone, loaded with anticipation and immediately deflated.
“Your driver has kidnapped me,” Junie hissed angrily into the phone. “I’m going to put him on the line, and you are going to order him to pull over and let me out.”
“What?” Hugo asked, pacing the hotel room as though that might somehow help. “Who kidnapped you?”
“The driver from your car service. Todd. He’s refusing to let me out of the car. He won’t stop or unlock the door. Talk to him.” There was a brief pause on the phone before a male voice came on the line. Hugo’s first impression was that the driver sounded more annoyed than a traditional kidnapper might sound. Though in reality his experience in that department was thankfully lacking. And if Junie did get kidnapped she was the kind of woman that might get dropped on the closest corner once they realized what they were dealing with.
“Sir, I’m sorry to bother you at this hour,” Todd bit out curtly. “I was following your instructions and upon driving Miss O’Malley to her location I’ve decided it’s not a secure spot to let her out.”
“Secure?” Hugo asked, but his question was cut short by Junie’s voice yelling from the back seat of the car.
“I’m sorry, are you my keeper? I don’t need to be told where I can get out of a car. I am a grown woman.”
“All right,” Hugo said the picture becoming clear now. “Please put her back on the phone.”
“I am a grown woman,” she repeated in case he hadn’t heard, which would have been impossible.
“Calm down please,” Hugo said, not realizing how patronizing it sounded until it was too late to take it back.
“Calm down? Have you ever talked to a woman before in your life? You lead with calm down?”
“I know. I’m off my game today. Let’s just try to sort this out.” Hugo ran his hand through his hair and tried to get a handle on the situation.
“I am locked in the back of a car being driven by a man I don’t know who won’t let me out. You walk around as a woman for
one day and then you tell me how to feel right now.”
Todd’s voice boomed in the background now. “I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable; I am trying to keep you safe. I will take you anywhere SAFE that you’d like, and I will let you out.”
“I’m certain that the people who drive James West and his wife and other family and friends around are very well vetted. I would imagine Todd is a good guy.” Hugo grasped at any logic he could, but he knew it wasn’t fair. Todd was likely doing the right thing in his mind, but it didn’t mean he could just lock Junie in the car either.
“Let’s all hope,” Junie said through gritted teeth. “I want out.”
“Come back this way, and I’ll get you a room in the hotel here. It’ll be on me since I insisted you take the car service, and it’s not going well.”
“Not going well,” she huffed as though that were the understatement of the century. “My stuff is at the hotel I’m staying at. The one I booked and paid for with my own money. I’m not leaving it there.”
“I’ll go in and get it with her,” Todd offered loudly.
“I had no idea I’d be in need of a babysitter again in my life,” Junie said with breathy indignation. “How lucky I am.”
“I’m going down to the lobby,” Hugo said gently. “I’m booking you a room. Let Todd go with you to grab your stuff and then come back here. It’s late. We can work it all out in the morning.”
“Fine,” was all she could muster before disconnecting the line. Hugo had left New Hampshire last night with the intention of having a business meeting that might potentially turn into a future opportunity. How the hell had twenty-four hours brought this much chaos? Hugo didn’t even own houseplants because he didn’t like the responsibility. Now here he was about to feel the wrath of a pissed off fiery redhead when all he had done was try to help.
The normally bustling lobby was quiet this time of night, which only meant Junie’s voice would most certainly echo through it when she got here, likely still flipping out.
Holding his breath as she pushed her way through the door, he readied for the fight. Surprisingly she walked into the lobby with her lips tightly closed into a thin line. Todd the driver was following closely behind, looking equally pissed off.
“I hope you enjoyed your last day of work, Todd,” she finally said with a scowl.
“First of all,” Todd replied with a show of great restraint painting his face, “Mr. West has the utmost trust in my judgment and skill. He is confident enough to task me with protecting and driving his family and closest friends. I can’t imagine you’ll convince him to fire me. But if you do”—his face gentled some—“it wouldn’t change what I did tonight. I’d do it the same way tomorrow. It wasn’t safe. I wasn’t going to leave you there. You’re not going to convince me otherwise. If that costs me my job, then so be it.”
Junie opened her mouth to reply, but the words didn’t seem to come. Instead, she tipped her head in what could be construed as a sign of reluctant gratitude. Or at a minimum, she was laying down her weapon.
“Good night,” Todd said flatly as he turned on his heel in military fashion and headed back to his car.
“You good?” Hugo kept a safe distance from the stewing wrath Junie was still holding on to. Todd might have made his point but her plans were still uprooted.
“I am a grown woman,” she said, her voice hushed but angry. “That area he decided was too dangerous is not at all different from where I grew up. I can handle myself.”
“That’s fair.” Hugo knew he couldn’t continue getting caught up in this commotion. It was time to go into the mode that always served him best. Emotions were landmines. His words, his ability to twist language artfully, kept things from exploding. “I hear what you’re saying. I can see how that would be hard.”
“Don’t patronize me,” Junie accused. “You can’t imagine what it’s like for one second to walk in my shoes. You’re a rich and successful man. I have an idea and the only way I can get anyone to listen to me is to get someone like you to stand next me to and tell another man he should. My idea told by a deeper voice. The science is good. The math, the business strategy, it works. We’re talking about an easily sustained crop that is four times more effective than what is being used today. There is literally no downside, besides that fact that it’s a poor, moderately educated woman who came up with the idea.”
“I’m not sure that’s really the issue,” Hugo argued, but she cut him off.
“Right,” she nodded, clearly not at all agreeing with him. “You let me know what the issue is then. That’s how this works right? You tell me what’s real, how I should feel and what I should do next. He tells me where I can get dropped off. I get loud and I’m difficult. I demand too much and I’m a bitch. So which am I, too weak to be taken seriously and trusted to make my own decisions, or too strong-willed to work with?”
“This is going sideways,” Hugo said, rubbing his brow and checking his watch. “Here’s your room key. Maybe all this will look better in the morning.”
She snapped the key out of his hand and looked like she had loads more to say. “I’m not saying thank you for this. It’s not because I’m rude. It’s because all you’ve done tonight is solve a problem you caused. I could have taken a cab.”
Hugo bit at the inside of his cheek and forced himself to shut up. Sometimes restraint was the most powerful weapon you could wield. “Call me if you have any trouble.”
“Yes sir,” Junie said sarcastically as she bowed in mock obedience.
He watched her saunter away, red hair swaying back and forth. It had been years since someone had been able to get a rise out of him. His well-honed skills of staying cool and limiting his reaction were being tested. She was determined. She was ferocious. And for him . . . she was trouble.
Chapter 5
“Damn these fluffy towels,” Junie murmured to herself as she stepped out of the hot shower and into the steam-filled bathroom. “Stupid amazing conditioner,” she groaned as the smell of lavender wafted all around her. It was nearly impossible to stay angry in a hotel room like this. Everything was designed to create serenity and peace. This was how the other half lived. Have a whim? A desire? Just reach your hand out and like magic it was yours. Soft hair, moisturized skin, and a luxurious place to lay your head. Food brought to you at any time, day or night. It was pretentious and wasteful. It was selfish . . . and right now it was heaven. The large cotton robe hung ready for her to slip into along with a pair of slippers that must have been woven from clouds.
She wasn’t sure if Hugo had arranged it or if it was what every guest got, but there was a plate of fresh cut fruit along with some chamomile tea left for her. It was easy to climb high in this tower and forget there was a world outside. Hordes of forgotten people. It was hard to even blame anyone for shutting out the world when the bubble they could climb in was this comfortable.
When the seething anger started to settle, the edges of her mind were fuzzy with sleep and maybe even a little regret. Hugo had given her more time to discuss her proposal than anyone else had in the last year. He’d treated her to dinner and now, even though he helped cause the problem tonight with her motel, was putting her up in this luxurious room. He didn’t have to do that. He could have easily sent the call to voicemail or told her it wasn’t his problem. Because it wasn’t. Doubt was unsettling her as the night slipped away and sleep seemed impossible.
Thumbing through her phone she decided she wouldn’t be able to sleep until she at least attempted to settle this. Her mother had raised her to be grateful and mind her temper. It was a lesson she forgot often, but making it right was always an option.
Thank you for the hotel room. I appreciate your time today.
She hadn’t expected a response. Men never seemed to lose sleep no matter how much drama surrounded their day. He was probably already snoring. But he was there typing a moment or two later.
Hugo: This is an unexpected message. You’re welcome. Be in my
office at nine tomorrow. I have some questions.
About the milkweed crop?
Hugo: What else would I be asking about?
I thought maybe you just wanted to see me again. We’ve really hit it off.
Hugo: I do. We have.
Hugo: But I also need to know more about your project.
Why are you still up? You should get some sleep.
She wasn’t exactly sure where his room was. He hadn’t said. But she was certain if she asked, if she gave even the smallest indication that she wanted to see him now instead of waiting until the morning, he’d give his room number real quick. But was she ready for what that meant? Would being in his arms tonight be worth the risk to her project? They’d only spent a few hours together and somehow he managed to make her run the entire gamut of her emotions. Furious. Excited. Comfortable. Attracted . . . back to furious.
If she went to his room right now then who knows if they’d ever get together again to work. And that was far more important. Complicating what she’d worked so hard on wasn’t an option. She let the moment slip away without pressing any further.
Hugo: Good night Junie.
She dropped her phone down on the nightstand and flopped onto the bed. “Damn down comforters and designer sheets,” she grumbled. Why did this place have to be so perfect? It only made her real life feel worse.
Sliding between the sheets she clicked off the light by the bed and stared into the darkness. This place was making it hard to stay mad. And mad was the fuel that revved Junie’s engine toward her future and success. To survive in the world she’d grown up in meant being hard, being angry. If you were furious at the world, it couldn’t disappoint you. If you were suspicious of people, they couldn’t hurt you. “Damn the gorgeous guy who seems like he actually wants to help.”
Chapter 6
“Settling in all right?” James West asked, though his face was filled with disinterest. The finalized contract was sitting on his desk between them and the huge salary was in bold black right at the top. Hugo knew he could settle in to the Sahara Desert wearing a wool sweater for that much money.
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