by Nana Prah
“Sweetheart...” His voice took on a husky timbre that sent her belly quivering. “I have a natural gift for knowing when a woman is faking.” The tension hung in the air before he said, “Besides, I always let you give your opinion first.”
She thought back on a few of their conversations.
“Stop thinking so hard,” he teased. “I was slick about it. That was until I got to know you better. And then it became an equal party. Anyway, I once offered my assistant anything he wanted for saving my hide from my parents when I’d missed an important meeting after a night of indulging a few years ago. Franklin can be ingeniously convincing when he chooses to be. Lucky for me, because my dad would’ve kicked me out of my position if he hadn’t been. Franklin chose to decorate what he considers his office.”
She pushed her empty salad bowl to the side. “When I first walked in, I thought it was you who’d had it decorated. It seemed to suit you.”
“Young me.”
“What?”
He got up, went to the oven and pulled out two dishes with the oven mitts he’d put on, making him even sexier in a domestic way. After placing them on the table, he flung the gloves back onto the counter. “The younger version of myself would’ve done it if my parents had thought of me having an office. Cubicles with the other workers as I climbed my way up the ladder of experience was more what they had in mind. I’ve matured since then.” He looked her in the eyes. “I’ve grown.”
Okay. No subliminal messages there. She glanced down at the plate of roast beef, twice-baked potato and grilled vegetables he’d set in front of her. “This looks amazing.” She took a bite of the tender meat and had to hold back a groan of pleasure at the flavor. “Now give me the incredible presentation you think will influence me enough to allow you to invest. Don’t forget the part about your birthday party being held at my club.”
He set the forkful of food back on the plate before it could reach his mouth. “You spoke to Josh.”
“He is my favorite brother,” she said, spearing a piece of cauliflower. “I asked his opinion.”
He arched one of his amazing brows. “And...?”
She gave him her most mischievous grin. “Sell it, Astacio.” She’d always enjoyed teasing him, and it seemed it was another thing that hadn’t changed between them. Once they started working together on her club, she’d have to distance herself. If she got any closer to him, she’d end up falling in love again. Which mean she’d also end up hurt and alone.
Chapter 10
The words “Pay you back in full with interest” caught Miguel’s complete attention as Tanya went through the rules of their new business arrangement. As they’d eaten dinner, she’d transitioned slowly from the cold, wary woman who’d met him in his office a few days ago to the bubbly, confident one she’d been back in college. He’d become enthralled with her. Lost in her eyes and he wanted her.
Josh and their friendship be damned. If once again put in the position to choose between the two Carringtons, he’d pick Tanya. He cherished his friendship with Josh, but he knew Tanya was his future. He wasn’t the reckless, fun-seeking boy he’d been back then. As he’d told Tanya earlier, he’d matured, although it had taken years of getting into tons of trouble and embarrassing his family. Sometimes the media still painted him as the same type of player he’d been back in the day, but overall, he’d grown into someone worthy of her.
If only she’d get a case of amnesia about both that wretched evening and how much she’d loved Broderick. His hand fisted at her caring enough about her ex to bawl on his shoulder during a business meeting. He’d make her see that he’d never again do anything to intentionally hurt her.
“Back up a minute.” He held up both his hands to stop her diatribe. “I won’t take interest for this venture. I’m helping out a friend.”
“And Josh appreciates it, but I can’t take your money knowing you could be making more somewhere else.”
So she no longer saw them as friends? He couldn’t really blame her, but it didn’t stop his stomach from twisting. “I was talking about you.”
Her large eyes glanced down so he couldn’t read them. “Oh.”
Time to apologize again for ruining the best thing he’d ever had in his life. He shifted closer to her on the couch where they’d shared dessert. He lifted her chin with his finger so she wouldn’t miss the sincerity in his eyes. Beyond anything, he needed her to believe him.
She’d once told him that his eyes were the most expressive part of him. “I still consider us friends, Tanya. I was young and stupid, and I hope you can forgive me for hurting you so grievously. I didn’t mean to reject you by choosing Josh. I got scared for more reasons than I could ever say.” He tapped his chest at the area over his heart. “You were and always will be spectacular to me. No one else has ever made me laugh to the point of tears, frustrated me to the precipice of confusion or allowed me to be my true self around them.”
Unable to relinquish his finger from the electrifying softness of her skin, he rubbed his thumb over her chin. The sensuality of the moment churned between them and his body longed to shift closer. To caress her cheeks, draw her into his arms and press his lips against hers in a way that would leave no doubt in her mind about how much he respected and wanted her. Rather than ruin things between them before they could start, he released her, keeping his gaze glued to hers. “Will you forgive me so we can be the friends we once were? No. Even better friends, because we both have more to offer now than we ever did.”
Her throat convulsed with her swallow as she stared at him; for once, her face remained neutral and he couldn’t read her. Would she reject his long-overdue olive branch? It really didn’t matter if she did. He had more apologies stacked and ready to offer. He wouldn’t give up on her. Not again.
* * *
The old pain didn’t roar to life as Tanya listened to the apology. Would it make her a sap to forgive him? The man she’d been in love with, had exposed her heart to, had stomped her down to the point where her strength and confidence had to be reconstructed from the ground up. It had been difficult, but she’d done it. Could she forgive that?
She’d missed his friendship over the years. More than once she’d wondered what he’d think of an issue and then mentally slap herself for the errant thought. He’d had no right to anything in her life. Now he sat before her, offering yet another apology, this time with a proposal of friendship.
She’d loved him so hard back then. The first and last man she’d felt so deeply about. Not that she hadn’t tried with Broderick, but circumstances had made it impossible. The other men she’d dated had been experimental at best. Her heart always returned to the one who’d shunned her, and for a time, she’d hated herself for it. But not anymore.
Rising as a new woman from the ashes she’d been, she saw the opportunity his friendship presented and she wouldn’t turn it down. “I accept your apology.”
His gorgeous light eyes blinked repeatedly. “But don’t you want me to cut off all my hair first?”
She giggled as her fingers flexed to avoid running her fingers through his lustrous curls. “No.”
“To streak through downtown Cleveland?”
The image of him running naked appealed to her, but she shook her head. “If memory serves me right, you did that in Cancun during spring break. The tabloids had a field day with it. Your behind was everywhere.”
“Stupid dare I was too drunk to turn down. My father tore me a new one for that little stunt.” His gaze held her still. “So you forgive me? Just like that?”
Feeling freer than she had in years, Tanya nodded and pointed a finger into his overwhelmingly gorgeous face. “If you ever hurt me again, I will never forgive you. Ever, Astacio. Do you hear me?”
“Loud and clear.”
“Good.” His alluring scent had her fighting the temptation to ask if they should kiss on it
. She plowed forward with the business she’d been brought there to discus. “Now, about the interest. It stands.”
“We’ll see,” he said. She bristled at that, her own favorite term for replacing no way in hell will it happen.
Ignoring his smirk, she went on with her list. “You mentioned changing the name. I have the final decision.”
“It’s your club and the name will also affect the restaurant, but I reserve the right to veto if it stinks,” he said with a wrinkled nose.
She laughed. “You’re horrible. About your birthday party—”
“Nonnegotiable.” He shot out of his seat and glared down at her. “My thirtieth birthday party will be held there. After the changes we make, once people hit the spot, they’ll never want to go anywhere else. I’m inviting everyone I know. It’s going to be epic. I’ve already gotten in contact with Kiwi.” He smirked at her gasp. “Not only did she say she’ll come, but she’ll sing.”
She stood and placed her hands on her hips. “And Josh says I’m stubborn. You have it all over me, buddy. If you’d let me finish speaking, you would’ve heard me say that I need a party planner to get it done.”
“Oh.”
The sheepish expression tugged at her heart and she took a step away from him instead of forward. “You’re a star in your own right, and neither I nor Clint know how to prepare for an event that big. And while we’re at it, Mr. Big Shot, since you’re going to be drawing in such a huge crowd, I think we should hire an in-house event planner.”
He stared at her for a moment and then, without warning, he swooped down and wrapped his arms around her, swinging her in a circle while laughing.
Placing her on her feet after his moment of mania passed, dizziness made her stumble and she braced her hands on his chest to avoid a fall.
“I’ve missed you so much.” He tucked her hair behind her ears while all she could do was stare up at him with what she hoped wasn’t adoration blazing from her eyes. “I will never, ever hurt you again. You have my word.” The soft brush of his lips against her forehead drew her closer to the point of wanting to stay in his embrace forever.
Self-preservation reared its logical head and she pushed away from him. She’d accepted his friendship, but anything more would end up in disaster, considering their social backgrounds.
She smoothed a hand over her skirt. “Do you have any ideas for event planners?”
“I’ll have Toshia plan my birthday party. She’d kill me if I didn’t. And she’s the best in the business. I’ll ask Lanelle if she can recommend someone for the club. She’s always organizing fund-raisers. By the way, I need your accounts so she can go through them.”
Tanya shook her head, happy to be back on a course she was more familiar with. Antagonizing him had always been so much fun. “Okay, but it would’ve been considerate if you’d talked to me about it before her.” And with that, they were back in their groove. Friends once again. If only her treacherous emotions weren’t pushing for more.
Chapter 11
Standing with her hands braced on her full hips, Tanya was a sight Miguel couldn’t believe he’d gotten a second chance to be near again. Together on the third floor of the empty club, they perused the place in an attempt to have her see his vision. If they weren’t on such a tight schedule, he’d savor their little fights more. He was ecstatic to be with her even if it was the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning so they could attempt to strategize.
The fact that she’d forgiven him so readily said a lot about her character, and he was grateful. They’d spent the past week coming up with a structural plan for the club. Or at least they’d tried to.
Their ideas tended to verge off into opposite directions instead of flowing into one. How many arguments had they had as they met either at her office or his? Nothing had gotten their joint stamp of approval. Had he been wrong to think they’d be able to work together to make this club a success?
One thing he knew for certain was that being around her kept him in a state of constant arousal and he desired her. The more time they spent together, the more he realized her beauty, strength, courage, kindness and caring nature fit him perfectly. And yet she remained completely out of his reach.
Maintaining their renewed friendship was most important. Soon she’d learn that they’d make an excellent couple. That’s if his lifestyle didn’t scare her away first. She’d made more than one comment over the past week about how he’d lived these past years, especially about his love for the opulence he’d become accustomed to.
Who didn’t want suits that fit like a second skin, meals that caused him to have tiny orgasms with each bite and cars that showcased his personality? He enjoyed his lifestyle and couldn’t see himself giving it up.
She was the only woman who had never asked him for anything. Very unusual for someone who knew how much he liked to spend his money.
And he couldn’t forget the paparazzi. The more he hung out with her, the closer they came to being discovered, even with his disguises. The term only friends meant nothing to the hawks. They’d spin it into a tale worth selling, and he feared she’d cut things off when she learned just how vicious they could be when they were on the hunt for gossip.
Josh’s friendship factored in, too. His best friend was a treasure he didn’t know how to give up. He’d been seeking a way to ask for permission to attempt to date his sister. Everything he came up with just sounded wrong.
He’d figure something out, but right now he had to deal with Tanya’s indecisiveness about her club. “Do you know what you want?”
She scrubbed her hands down her face and pouted at him. “Another scone, but you finished off the last one.”
He chuckled. Damn, she knew how to entertain him. “You know what I mean. Can you envisage the club?”
Her shoulders slumped with her deep sigh. “To be honest, no.”
Her defeated stance hurt him enough to sling an arm over her shoulder and draw her into his side. For once, she didn’t move away, but lay her head against him. “Then why have you been fighting every decision instead of trusting my vision?”
He waited for her to answer. Silence. As much as he hated releasing her, he turned her toward him. Keeping his hands braced on her shoulders, he witnessed the misery lurking in her eyes. “What’s wrong, baby?”
Her eyes sparked up at him for a moment. Did she like it when he called her what he wanted instead of being proper? She’d never mentioned it before, so he kept doing it. It just felt right.
More concerned about her than the club, he squeezed her shoulders when she didn’t speak. “Talk to me.”
“Today would’ve been our three-year anniversary.”
Her delivering a haymaker to his jaw couldn’t have surprised him more. His heart sank to the floor. How could he have forgotten? He’d been trying to find ways to get them together when she’d been mourning the loss of a marriage.
He led her to a chair and pulled it out. “Do you need a drink? It’s—” he flipped his watch over “—eight o’clock in the morning, but a mimosa won’t hurt. I’ll look the other way if you want rum.”
A crooked smile brightened her face, tugging at his heart. He should always be the one to make her happy. “Want to talk about it?” He remembered how she’d crumpled in his arms when she’d mentioned her ex-husband during their first meeting. If she ever loved him half as much as she had Broderick, he’d thank his lucky stars and hold on to her forever.
She loved you once, and you threw it back in her face. Never again, he promised. He’d cherish her to his dying breath if she’d have him. First, he had to help her get over her ex. To do that, he needed to be a true friend and listen, even if it hurt like he’d been pistol-whipped to hear that she was still in love with her ex.
* * *
As low as she felt at the moment, Miguel had amazed her. Did she want to talk about it? Listening
to her rant about her loveless marriage wasn’t his purpose in her life. They were supposed to be figuring out how to make her club a success, which she wasn’t helping with by fighting him at every turn. Why? Was she trying to sabotage her life by prolonging the renovations so they wouldn’t meet the deadline?
More like she just couldn’t visualize the changes he wanted to make. Was the extra expense necessary? Wouldn’t his birthday celebration being held there be enough to increase the patronage of the club? It would help if he didn’t slam every idea she came up with for the club’s name. “Club Venus” got an eye roll. “The Dance Den” had him laughing for a full minute. Thinking about the cages he’d suggested, she’d come up with “The Cage,” which just got ignored. She had to admit she’d pitched some inappropriate names. She was looking for something that would show she’d risen above the pain and heartache thrown her way. Maybe personalizing the club wasn’t the best idea.
“C’mon,” he said encouragingly. “You know I’m a good listener. Get what’s bothering you off your chest.”
No second invitation needed. “Did you know we met the night...” She glanced away as the ache returned. She’d forgiven Miguel, so she had no right to feel anything about what he’d done to her that night. Good luck. She forced a smile. “We had that, um, difference of opinion.”
His expression remained neutral, but he didn’t correct her.
“I was so upset, I literally ran into Broderick.” She ignored the sudden twitch of Miguel’s jaw that she noted every time she mentioned her ex. Was he jealous? “You know how huge he is. When I was the one to stumble back instead of him, it took me by surprise. And when he was kind enough to ask what was wrong, it all spilled out. That’s how our friendship started.”
“Because of me.” His voice sounded gruff.
She’d cursed Miguel a thousand times since then, wondering just how different her life might have been if he’d made a different choice. “Yes. When he proposed years later, I jumped at the opportunity. The guys weren’t knocking down the door of an overweight workaholic.”