a wonder you and your ego can both fit in the same car.”
“We’ve come to an agreement, he and I.” His eyes glinted with focused intent, heating her despite her efforts to keep the conversation light. “I get him what he wants—you, namely—and he leaves me alone.”
“Let me guess. You learned these outrageous flirting techniques from all those supermodels, didn’t you?”
The glint in his eyes turned feral. “Cate Carrington, have you been keeping tabs on me?”
A blush blossomed in her chest and quickly burned a path to her hairline. “No. But I’d have to be both blind and stupid not to notice that you’re the featured real estate mogul in every other issue of the gossip magazines.”
Her denial seemed to amuse him, as if he somehow acknowledged her lie and was willing to tolerate it. For now. “Yet you accuse my sources of exaggerating,” he said, leaning forward to trace a finger along her upper arm.
She withdrew from his touch, her stomach trembling at his nearness. “Not all pictures lie.”
He watched her, his beautiful mouth crooked in an unnerving smile. “What can I say? I took a gamble on the American Dream and it paid off. In Europe.” His intent gaze held too much confident prowess to put her at ease. “Can I help it if my success attracts tall, leggy brunettes?”
Cate swallowed, shifting her thigh away from contact with his splayed hand. “I can see it’s a real trial for you, juggling so much female attention along with the demands of business.”
“Yes, well, I
do
have good employees who are able to pick up the slack on occasion.”
“Did any of them come to New York with you?”
“You mean besides my entourage of models?” he asked with a sarcastic tilt to his lips.
She shot him a speaking glance. “They’re not your employees.”
“A couple of them actually are,” he said. “But to answer your question, yes. I brought a team of twelve while we do some scouting for new properties. But we won’t be here for long.”
“Not enough interesting properties here in the States?”
“Not at all. There are plenty. But as talented as my board of directors and developers in Europe are, I still have to be on site for the big decisions.”
“Of course you do.” She cocked her head. “You don’t relinquish control to anyone, do you?”
“What successful businessman does?”
She acknowledged his point with a nod.
“Even with the right people on a team, bringing different strengths and resources to the table, there will always be a need for leadership.”
Cate studied his face, trying to understand the gradual transformation that had turned the boy she’d loved into the successful, driven man seated beside her. “You’re a good leader, aren’t you?”
His white, predator’s teeth flashed. “Depends. According to some, yes. But to others, I’m a manipulative, domineering bastard.”
“You?” She arched an amused brow. “Never.”
They exchanged a smile, a smile that didn’t seem underscored by defensiveness or anger, and Cate felt a small glow of happiness collect in her chest. “I always knew you’d do well, Ethan.”
His smile lost its moorings. “Really.”
She nodded while her stomach fluttered with nerves. “That’s why I did it, you know.”
“It?” he clarified, his mouth now a grim line.
Biting her bottom lip, she dared to meet his eye. “Sent you away.”
Anger slammed back into his expression as quickly as it had disappeared, burning like live coals within the brittle blue of his eyes. “I don’t want to discuss the past.”
“I know it’s uncomfortable. But I want you to know my reasons.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve missed your friendship. I’ve missed the honesty we used to share.” She felt herself flush, but continued. “I hated lying to you, and I’ve always felt guilty about the awful things I said.”
He stared at her for a long moment, then offered a faint, chilling smile. “Really.”
CHAPTER
“We’ve come to an agreement, he and I.” His eyes glinted with focused intent, heating her despite her efforts to keep the conversation light. “I get him what he wants—you, namely—and he leaves me alone.”
“Let me guess. You learned these outrageous flirting techniques from all those supermodels, didn’t you?”
The glint in his eyes turned feral. “Cate Carrington, have you been keeping tabs on me?”
A blush blossomed in her chest and quickly burned a path to her hairline. “No. But I’d have to be both blind and stupid not to notice that you’re the featured real estate mogul in every other issue of the gossip magazines.”
Her denial seemed to amuse him, as if he somehow acknowledged her lie and was willing to tolerate it. For now. “Yet you accuse my sources of exaggerating,” he said, leaning forward to trace a finger along her upper arm.
She withdrew from his touch, her stomach trembling at his nearness. “Not all pictures lie.”
He watched her, his beautiful mouth crooked in an unnerving smile. “What can I say? I took a gamble on the American Dream and it paid off. In Europe.” His intent gaze held too much confident prowess to put her at ease. “Can I help it if my success attracts tall, leggy brunettes?”
Cate swallowed, shifting her thigh away from contact with his splayed hand. “I can see it’s a real trial for you, juggling so much female attention along with the demands of business.”
“Yes, well, I
do
have good employees who are able to pick up the slack on occasion.”
“Did any of them come to New York with you?”
“You mean besides my entourage of models?” he asked with a sarcastic tilt to his lips.
She shot him a speaking glance. “They’re not your employees.”
“A couple of them actually are,” he said. “But to answer your question, yes. I brought a team of twelve while we do some scouting for new properties. But we won’t be here for long.”
“Not enough interesting properties here in the States?”
“Not at all. There are plenty. But as talented as my board of directors and developers in Europe are, I still have to be on site for the big decisions.”
“Of course you do.” She cocked her head. “You don’t relinquish control to anyone, do you?”
“What successful businessman does?”
She acknowledged his point with a nod.
“Even with the right people on a team, bringing different strengths and resources to the table, there will always be a need for leadership.”
Cate studied his face, trying to understand the gradual transformation that had turned the boy she’d loved into the successful, driven man seated beside her. “You’re a good leader, aren’t you?”
His white, predator’s teeth flashed. “Depends. According to some, yes. But to others, I’m a manipulative, domineering bastard.”
“You?” She arched an amused brow. “Never.”
They exchanged a smile, a smile that didn’t seem underscored by defensiveness or anger, and Cate felt a small glow of happiness collect in her chest. “I always knew you’d do well, Ethan.”
His smile lost its moorings. “Really.”
She nodded while her stomach fluttered with nerves. “That’s why I did it, you know.”
“It?” he clarified, his mouth now a grim line.
Biting her bottom lip, she dared to meet his eye. “Sent you away.”
Anger slammed back into his expression as quickly as it had disappeared, burning like live coals within the brittle blue of his eyes. “I don’t want to discuss the past.”
“I know it’s uncomfortable. But I want you to know my reasons.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve missed your friendship. I’ve missed the honesty we used to share.” She felt herself flush, but continued. “I hated lying to you, and I’ve always felt guilty about the awful things I said.”
He stared at her for a long moment, then offered a faint, chilling smile. “Really.”
CHAPTER
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