Chapter Sixty

Carrie

I walk to the navy-blue lounge chair by my window and sit down. Inhaling, I hit redial. “Hello,” I say when my father answers.

“He’s with you, isn’t he?”

“If you’re talking about Reid, I’d like to know what you and Maxwell Senior have against each other.”

“That doesn’t even come close to answering my question.”

“You’re right. It doesn’t because a) I wouldn’t tell you who was in my bed ever, b) I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of knowing he wasn’t here, because you and his father split us up, and c) It’s none of your business. Which while a and c might be one and the same, I still needed to say them both. I’m that irritated right now.”

“In other words, you’ve been fucking him or there wouldn’t be anything to break up.”

“Contrary to popular belief, a woman does not believe fucking is a relationship. You have to have a relationship to have a break-up.”

“So are you fucking him or dating him?”

“Refer to a, b, and c.”

“He came here.”

“Okay.”

“That’s it? Okay?”

“Yes. Okay.”

“He told you.”

“You tell me.”

“He wanted me to tell you that he didn’t force the takeover and ruin me or us. He offered me money. Millions of dollars and you know why. That convention center deal you’re working on. He can’t have that go south. He needs to sweeten you up and keep you in his bed until he gets that payday.”

I wait for that to hit home and feel real, but it doesn’t happen. “Because there’s no way I could possibly matter to him? Why? Because I’m not pretty enough? Because I’m not smart enough? Because I’m not what? Not good enough?”

Reid reappears in the doorway with two cups in his hand, his eyes meeting mine, and what passes between us in that moment is full of promise, full of trust, a part of a growing bond that this call with my father has not broken.

“Carrie,” my father says. “You’re a beautiful woman, but he is an evil bastard.”

The evil bastard sits down next to me and hands me a cup of coffee that smells like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I take a sip and glance at Reid. “He’s an asshole, not an evil bastard.”

Reid smiles—God, I love his smile—and he follows it with a wink. “What’s happening in Montana?” I ask.

“He told you, didn’t he?”

“Should I ask him?” I retort, avoiding a lie.

He’s silent a moment that becomes two. “I want you to come here. I want you to see the horse ranch I’m staying at. There’s real money in stallions. With your charm, we can lure in some professional riders, stable their horses, give them a place to train.”

He didn’t tell me about the oil. He’s hoping Reid didn’t. “I don’t even know what to say to that, father. I really don’t. How long does it take for that to get my money back?”

“It’s a long-term investment, but a stable one. We need a stable business this go around and there’s a bonus. There’s oil under the property, so if the horses stop delivering profit, we have a fallback that protects them and us.”

“And how much will all of this cost us?”

“Nothing, Carrie. I’m going to marry Stella, the woman who owns it. Well if she accepts. I haven’t proposed yet.”

“Marry?” My eyes meet Reid’s and he nods, his expectancy at this announcement. “Who is she?”

“A retired school teacher. Forty-four. Widowed. She inherited the ranch. She loves the horses.”

“And you get the oil.”

“It’s not like that. It started out that way, yes. But Carrie, honey, she’s special.”

Reid’s hand settles on my leg, grounding me as I listen to my father ramble for several minutes about this woman, but he never goes at Reid again, which tells me he’s so nervous over the woman, the oil, and my money, that he’s hyper-focused on his defense, not Reid’s execution.

We disconnect, without him asking one question about the convention deal he’s thrown out as ammunition against Reid. That bothers me, but of course, he’s in that hyper-focus mode. I set my phone down and sip my coffee. “Thanks for this.”

He sets his cup on the floor and then takes mine and does the same. “You’re too beautiful, too smart, and too perfect for me, but I am never letting you go.”

I drag my fingers over the one-day stubble along his jawline. “And you are such an evil bastard, but apparently I like you that way.”

He leans in and nuzzles my neck, his lips by my ear as he says, “I’ll show you just how evil if you ever let me use those cuffs.”

I smile, but don’t reply. I think tonight would be a good night to show him I do indeed trust him by letting him have his wish. “I’ll think about it.”

He pulls back. “That’s more than I’ve gotten before.”

“Yeah well, I’m trusting you, remember?”

“I do,” he says, pulling me to my feet. “Just make sure you do.”

I don’t question why he makes this statement. I just heard my father call him an evil bastard.

***

A few minutes later, Reid and I are in his apartment, in his bathroom, and he walks to his closet, flips on the light and sets my bag inside. “Claim your space.”

“What?”

“I plan to keep you here as much as possible. Claim your space.”

He walks forward and catches my hand, guiding me into the closet where his suits are neatly lining one wall and his casual clothes another. He points me toward the empty center rack. “It has your name all over it. And there’s never been a woman’s clothes inside these walls.”

My stomach flutters and I rotate to face him. “What are we doing, Reid?”

“Everything I can convince you to do. I’m just that kind of evil bastard.” I laugh at the reference to my father’s remark, and he drags me to the shower with him and it’s not long before I’m against the wall, and he’s fucking me into a very good morning. By the time we’re dressed, me in my lucky navy-blue dress, and him in a gray pin-striped suit with a gray tie, it’s nearly nine, and we’re walking to work, the hell of the weekend behind us.

“Does it look bad if we walk in together?” I ask.

“It would look bad if we fucked on the receptionist’s desk, though I’m all in, if you are.” He jokes but then turns serious. “We’re working together on a deal that secures everyone’s future. The staff and stockholders better hope we fucking walk in together.”

“There’s the Reid I know. So warm and fuzzy and diplomatic.”

“I tell it how I see it.”

I laugh and we enter the building. Once we’re in the elevator alone, Reid glances over at me. “I don’t believe I saw what color panties you wore today.”

“Perhaps I didn’t wear any panties,” I say, as I did when we did this before.

“I’ll find out for myself,” he warns. “At the most unexpected time today.”

The elevator opens and an older lady steps on, standing beside me. I scoot closer to Reid. “I’ll spare you the work. I’m not.”

He glances down at me, his eyes hot. “You’re not?”

“No. I’m not.”

“Why?”

The elevator dings. “It’s just something I do every now and then.” The doors open and I dart forward. I can feel him at my back, watching me, wanting to pull me to his office and yank my skirt up and see for himself. Connie is at Sallie’s desk when I approach and they both look at me with keen eyes that see too much. “You look happy,” Connie says, and when Reid stops beside me, she eyes him, “Wait. You look happy, too. Who are you?”

“A man about to close a deal so big they’ll be talking about it for fifty years.” He looks at me. “We need to be at the meeting, dressed for the party, by five.” He walks away.

I turn to the ladies. “He brought so much money to the table there’s no way Grayson can’t be impressed. And he’s barely gotten started.”

“Then you two are working well together?” Connie asks, her eyes searching mine.

Sallie snorts. “He orders her around like she’s his plaything.”

My cheeks heat and Connie smiles. “And that only goes well for him when she lets it go well for him.” She winks and walks away.

I quickly bypass Sallie’s curious look and enter my office. I claim my seat, ready for tonight. I want it to be here. That’s when I hear Sallie say, “Sir. Sir, you can’t be here.”

I stand up and hurry to the door to find Reid’s father walking toward his office, because apparently the hell of the weekend is not behind us, and neither is the hate.