When I’m With You (Indigo) by Laconnie Taylor Jones Page A

features, and he stepped back. The button of his suit coat slipped free, and with both hands at his waist, he assumed a wide-legged stance. “Let me see if I’m understanding this. You were okay with our relationship before you knew I was a philanthropist, right?”
    “That’s not—”
    “No, let me finish here. Before you found out, everything seemed to be going along fine between us, right?”
    She threw her hands in the air out of frustration. “But you lied to me.”
    “I never lied to you, Caitlyn.”
    “That’s right, you didn’t lie. You just conveniently decided to omit the truth about some things.” She sucked in a deep breath and released it. “Marcel, it’s just that—”
    “Talk to me, Caitlyn!”
    “Don’t you shout at me,” she warned.
    Marcel raked his hand over his hair and his tone softened. “All right, I’m sorry. Come on, cat eyes, just what?” When she didn’t answer immediately, he coaxed her again in a gentle but forced tone. “Caitlyn?”
    “It won’t work out.”
    “Why?”
    “We’re from two different worlds.”
    He closed the space between them and placed both hands on her arms. “I can’t help the fact that I’ve got money. And just for the record, I’m not ashamed of it.” He paused, searching for the right words. “Money doesn’t make a person, okay? I didn’t steal, kill, or sell drugs to get it. I worked hard…damn hard…for it, and I’m not going to apologize for that.” His voice softened to a whisper. “Nor will I apologize for what I decide to do with it.” He ran his strong hands up and down her slender arms. “There’s something between us, and you know it.”
    At the moment, she wasn’t buying his argument and mentally counted to ten, hoping it would keep her from going ballistic at the nerve of him thinking he could barge into her office, say a few sweet words and things would be like they were before. He had some balls.
    “There can be no us because there’s no trust.” She stepped back and went to her desk to retrieve the letter she’d drafted and held it out to him.
    His brows knitted together. “What’s this?”
    “I can’t accept the salary or the car.”
    “They come with the grant.”
    “ They may come with the grant.” She pointed to herself. “I don’t.” She glared at him through narrow eyes when he stared back speechless. “And don’t you dare take that grant away from my kids.”
    “Trust me, I’d never do that.”
    She nodded.
    He took the letter, crumpled it and threw it somewhere near her desk. “We’ll get back to that in a minute.” With his focus dead on her, he closed the gap between them. “First, we need to discuss us, this thing between you and me.”
    Before she could mouth a protest, he walked around her to the door, and in one swift motion closed it and turned the lock.
    Caitlyn stood in the middle of her office fuming. “You can’t just come into my office and take over.”
    “I’m not taking over,” he advised calmly. “I’m taking care of some serious business. There’s a difference.”
    Her hands landed on her hip. “You’re the most arrogant man I’ve ever met.”
    He inched closer and assumed the same position as she did. “And you’re the most stubborn woman I’ve ever wanted.”
    Caitlyn broke the silence first and spoke with what little of her patience remained. “I’m going to say this once, and I’ll say it slow so that you get it the first time around.” She walked over to the door and placed her hand on the knob. “I’m not one of your pastime passions. There is no we, no us, no nothing.” Unlocking the door, she snatched it open. “Now get that through that thick skull of yours and leave.”
    In two powerful strides, Marcel was in front of her. “That’s where you’re wrong, kitten. Despite what you think about me or your perception of who I am, you can’t deny there’s something between us.”
    She inched up her eyebrow. “You wanna bet?”
    A confident