Invasion. An oddly perfect way to describe it. “Yet again, I ask, who are you, Emma Strickland?”
She laughed. “I’m just saying that this invasion can’t end in one person conquering and the other person feeling like they were bashed over the head with the love stick. That’s okay for a while, but eventually both parties have to reach a point of balance.”
She stroked her knuckles along his chin, her touch soothing and inciting at once. This notion of balance meant a great deal to her. Was this why she refused to accept his help, because doing so shifted the balance between them to a point she couldn’t reconcile?
For a few moments, they held each other’s gazes, no shyness or awkwardness. Just looking at each other because the indulgence of it felt right.
“Olivia said your ex moved on to another billionaire,” she prompted. “That it crushed you.”
Destroyed him. “She cheated on me.” He drew a deep breath. “With my father.”
Silence reigned, except for the distant sounds of the city below them and the beat of his heart.
“Wow, what a skank.” Her eyes widened in horrified recognition. “They’re not…they’re not still together, are they?”
He nodded.
“Married?”
Another nod.
“Your former fiancée is now your stepmother?” There was no disguising her disgust.
“Yeah, she swapped me out for the older, richer model. Desperate to have Kane as a last name, but with the wife-of-a-senator tag as well. We hadn’t gone public yet with our engagement, so my father’s PR machine was able to keep it out of the press.”
Taut moments passed as she mulled that over. After about twenty seconds, she said, “Brody, I’m sorry. It sounds like this complete bee-yatch was all wrong for you, but that doesn’t make it hurt less.”
A dull ache warred with awareness of the ridiculous soap-opera dramatics of it all. He’d never been close to his father, yet the betrayal still stung like a fingernail scraped over an open wound. And what he’d told Emma wasn’t even the worst of it. He couldn’t share the rest. It was still too raw.
“Emma, I know all about gold diggers. They tell you how crazy they are about you, inflate your ridiculous ego, and promise you that their world would be an abyss without you. You’ve done none of those things, except maybe make me feel like a god when I rip multiple orgasms from you.” He blew out a breath. “I’m not worried about you wanting me for my money. I know you don’t. You’ve had several opportunities to get my help and you chose not to. Either I’m right or you’re working an incredible long game.”
She wanted to let him in—he could see the struggle manifest in her tight expression—but she’d clearly lived an independent life. Relying on herself for everything. Sheer awe at all she must have overcome bloomed in his chest.
“You shouldn’t be so trusting,” she whispered.
“Have I reason to distrust you?”
She chewed on her lip. “I’d never hurt you, Brody. You’ve been nothing but kindness itself.”
“But…” Awareness stole up on him. “Sex has complicated what should have been a favor.”
“Sex always complicates things. Anyone who says different is a liar.” She stepped into him, the cat between them like a fluffy, mean-spirited chaperone. “But complicated with you happens to be what I need right now. I need this. Whatever this is.”
And when she didn’t need it anymore? When she didn’t need him, what then?
She read his mind. “In a couple of days, if this studio works out, we go back to Ms. Strickland and Mr. Kane, and hope that we can still stand to be around each other at the office.”
“What if we can’t stand not to be around each other? What if we can’t keep our hands off each other?” He could barely think around her. Returning to before was not going to suddenly clear his mind.
“Doesn’t sound so productive.”
“Oh, I dunno. We produced something great during our time in the home office these last couple of days.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Her frown caught at his heart. She was already distancing herself, bringing the armor back up. Ms. Strickland was ready to make a comeback.
He didn’t want his assistant anymore. He wanted Emma, the real Emma. But for now, he’d play her game and work his way through the puzzle she presented.
…
The heavy-duty walls around Emma’s heart were taking a pounding. What the hell was she doing hinting about her wild past and inviting this man to probe further? Worse, she wanted him to pick at the scabs of her pain and rip them off.
The video Ray had sent popped into her brain for a toxic visit. Given Brody’s history with his ex, he would assume she’d been in on some plan to scam him. Trap him in her greedy crosshairs. Coupled with Olivia’s visit, it added up to bye-bye, Emma. She had to escape sooner than later. The only question was how far.