Lucas stepped out of his car and walked up to the building where Prichard and Lowe had their offices. He was running a bit late, but he had called ahead to let them know that he had lost his way trying to find their building. Because their company was so small, he had judged that it would be somewhere out of town. To his surprise, they had rented out two floors in a high rise building. It surprised him because he had no idea they were doing that good. He took the elevator up to their floor and was escorted to the conference room by a very eager receptionist.

When he walked into the room he stopped dead in his tracks. The woman who stood in front of him looked at him with wide eyes and an expression that showed her clear disapproval of his presence.

“Umm, Scarlet,” he stuttered, “I have a meeting here.”

“You’re the buyer?” she asked,

“You own this company?” he asked a bit surprised to find out she had done so well for herself.

“Yes, why else would I be here?” she asked,

She sounded annoyed. He recognized the dismissive tone in her voice that she had used on him so often years ago. How could he have missed the signs; he had seen her at the party and the company bore her last name, Scarlet Lowe.

“I apologize” he said stepping further into the room,

“Lucas, meet my partner Ethan.” She said stepping back, “Ethan this is an old acquaintance of mine Lucas Thames.”

He hadn’t even noticed the man in the room. He looked up and realized it was the same man from the night before who had so affectionately kissed her on the cheek.

“Nice to meet you.” He said extending his hand for the large man to shake it.

“Pleasure to meet you Lucas” the man replied, “please have a seat.”

He hesitated only for a second before walking over to the table and sitting down. He organized his things on the desk trying to avoid looking up at Scarlet. She was looking beautiful today. She wore a light green blouse that matched some of the color in her eyes and her long red hair cascaded over her shoulder and down her back. Seeing her in the daylight was much more spectacular than under the dim club lights.

“I came here to discuss buying your company as we offered a few months ago,” Lucas said

“Why are you interested in our company?” Ethan asked, “Thame marketing is large enough to develop a similar model as we have done.”

Lucas wondered as well. His father had insisted quite steadfastly that Lucas would only get control of their family’s empire only he could get this company. He had protested and even gone to lengths to get his father to consider another more profitable, but the old man had been insistent. It was too bad he wasn’t around anymore for Lucas to ask him.

“I think it’s a great little company.” He said, “I can take it and make it better.”

“Who says it needs to be better?” Scarlet asked pinning him with a challenging glare

He shrunk a bit but then he decided that he would get no-where if he let her guilt him into feeling bad. Their past should be behind them and he would insist that it stay there.

“You two are business people.” Lucas said, “it would be inadvisable to reject such a lucrative offer.”

He watched as they sat back in their chairs and looked at each other. He saw a familiarity between them that bothered him. Pulling himself back, he realized he had no reason to be bothered by anything she did.

“Theoretically, let’s say we agree, what would the company look like if you take over?” Ethan asked

“Well, I have plans for expansion.” He said handing them the folders her had prepared for the meeting.

He watched as they looked over the documents he had so carefully compiled. His father had passed away over a year now and he as doing everything in his power to fulfill his last wishes. He had only four more months to do it all and he would get it done whether on good terms or by force. He had been raised by a wolf and it was time he started acting like it.

“We’ll have to look this over and consider with our legal and financial team before we can make any decision or counter,” Scarlet said.

He looked at her and she wore a blank expression. There was a coldness in the way she looked at him that was foreign.

“What are you guys doing this weekend?” he asked, “I wanted to know if you would come to a weekend event I’m planning for some of my workers.”

He saw the way they suddenly looked at each other and he knew something was happening between them. It was strange and unrealistic to feel so jealous over a woman who he hadn’t even seen for so long, but he couldn’t help the way it made him feel to think about her with anyone else.

“I can’t make that decision right now,” Ethan said, “Scarlet and I will have to discuss it before we can make any promises.”

“I hope you’ll reconsider,” Lucas said standing.

They stood, and he shook hands with Ethan once again. When he offered to shake Scarlet’s hand he saw the hesitation on her face. She still extended her hand. When he took it, he was shocked by the way his body responded. It had been so long since he felt that tug, but it was just as powerful as ever.

“Thank you for meeting with me.” He said

The feeling of her hand in his lingered as he nodded and walked through the doors. He waited until he was in the elevator before looking down at where he had touched her. He so desperately wanted to say something to her. He didn’t know what, but he felt a yearning that was beginning to scare him. He hadn’t planned on inviting them to the retreat he had planned for his workers but the impulse was brought on by his desire to be near her for a little longer and the fact that he needed this company.