“So what made you decide to launch your own line?” he asked as he lifted a forkful of rice up to his mouth.
Which of course made her raise her head just as he closed his mouth over the fork, which made her focus on his lips. Drew had very full lips, and despite all the years that had passed since—since they’d been intimate, she could still remember what it felt like when his mouth had pressed against the side of her neck, and what he had tasted like, and how gentle he’d been with her, since it had been her first time.
She’d lost herself in that night, that only night with him. And it had taken a goddamned eternity to get over him.
“Carolina.”
She jerked her head up. “What?”
He smiled at her. “What made you decide to launch your own line now?”
“Oh.” That’s right. He’d asked her that question and she’d zoned out, slipping into the past so easily, like she always did whenever he was near. “I couldn’t handle working for David Faber any longer.”
“What didn’t you like about working for him?”
After swallowing, she took a sip of water and laid her fork down. “Where to start? He’s demanding, which I can handle. Designers often are. The difference with David is that he’s high-strung all the time, which creates such a nerve-racking work place. And he’s such a jealous bitch, treating his designers like slaves, refusing to let them provide any input. It was stifling working for him, which was why I accelerated my move to designing my own line. If he’d once taken any of my suggestions rather than treating me like nothing more than a seamstress, I might have stayed with him, because the man is truly brilliant. But he’s so neurotic and so afraid someone’s going to steal his designs, he’s impossible to work with.”
Drew studied her. “Hard to work in an environment where your contributions aren’t appreciated.”
And just like that, he’d nailed it, when she’d thought for sure he’d just nod and say “uh-huh” or something like that. “Yes, it was. Not that I expected to take over or anything, but I had good ideas, dammit. Ideas that would have helped his line. Not myself, but him.”
“I understand. And it’s his loss, isn’t it? Because you’re going to create your own line now and kick his ass.”
Admittedly, she was shocked by the compliment. “I don’t know about that. But taking that step was freeing in a way I never thought it would be. At least initially.”
“And now you’re nervous because you’re on your own now and you don’t know if you’ll succeed.”
He was also annoyingly keen at identifying her biggest worry. “Maybe.”
“Don’t be worried. You’ll be great.”
She pushed her half-empty plate to the side. “How can you be so confident, when you know nothing about me?”
“Easy,” he said, standing and moving into the living room, where she’d shoved her sketches onto one of the side tables. He picked them up. “This. And this. They’re good, Lina.”
She took a deep breath as his gaze caught and held hers. “You’re hardly knowledgeable about fashion, Drew.”
“Maybe not. But I know what looks good on a woman. You’ve always dressed well. I think you have a keen eye for what makes a woman feel great about herself. And I’d bet you could do the same for a man. You’ve never lacked for confidence.” He gave her a wicked grin. “Hell, you even threw yourself at me back in college.”
Ugh. She couldn’t believe he’d brought that up. “Don’t remind me.”
He came back into the kitchen. “Do you know how much courage that took? It was a huge turn on, and it showed me how ballsy you were. You were just a girl back then. You’re a woman now. I don’t think anything can stop you from having whatever you want.” He brushed his knuckles against her cheek, forcing her to meet his gaze again.
She lifted her eyes to his and, with him so close, the heat that always seemed to emanate from him surrounded her, enveloping her in a haze of not-so-forgotten lust and longing.
“That’s a nice thing to say.” He’d always said nice things to her—when he wanted something. Which made her wonder exactly what it was that he wanted now.
She studied him, the woman she was now not nearly as na?ve as the young girl she’d been back then.
“Exactly what are you after here, Drew? A repeat performance from college?” She pushed her chair back and stood, creating distance between the two of them. “Because if you are, I can assure you it’s not going to happen.”
She made sure to keep eye contact with him, so he understood clearly her meaning. “Never again. Ever.”
Keep reading for a preview of the first book in the Hope series from Jaci Burton
HOPE FLAMES
Available January 2014 from Berkley
Emma Burnett could have never imagined that going hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt would be so exhilarating.