rather pleased, as I have always been fond of you.”
Fond of me.
I blink stupidly, trying to wrap my head around the man of my every fantasy telling me he’s fond of me. Fond. The same way a person feels about a nice person they’ve just met or an acquaintance they’ve known for years.
I shake my head and put my hand up. “I’m outta here.” I move to dash around him, but his long arm darts out and captures me at the waist, tugging me toward him and plastering me to his solid wall of a chest.
Being in his arms makes me dizzy and I place both my palms against his chest. He holds me close around the waist and back as I tip my head to look up and up. I’m tall at five foot nine, but he’s at least six foot four and I’m not wearing heels.
“Let me rephrase. I’m deeply attracted to you, Evie Ross.” His words filter straight through my brain, slither down my spine and settle hotly between my thighs.
My heart pounds and my cheeks flush. “You are?” I let the honesty fall from my lips as my body relaxes in his arms.
“Yes. Although my romantic interest in you is not why I’ve cornered you. That is for another time. I have a business proposition for you to consider.”
I frown and find my feet beneath me, taking on more of my own weight. “Again with the business proposition.”
Him bringing up my business acumen while I stand half-naked in his arms has me stepping away from his warmth. Suddenly I’m cold, and the heat I felt before dissipates instantly.
“Of course. That’s right, you want to do business with me.” I huff.
He nods. “You’re a shrewd businesswoman. The best financial adviser I’ve seen in the area, and we have common interests.”
“Common interests?” I shake my head as if this is a dream and I’m about to wake up at any moment. Please wake up.
“Yes. Our people. Your business is far larger, and you serve the general public with their financial needs, but I carry the trust of all the tribes in the area—trust that could easily span to the surrounding states. I’d like to meet with you to discuss a merging of our businesses. Together I believe we could be even more successful, as well as help Native Americans across the country.”
I close my eyes, cross my arms and rub up and down, feeling chilled to the bone. “I’m not sure I’m interested in expanding at this time.” Another lie. I’d already determined that I could comfortably open another couple offices farther outside of the state, maybe even in Kansas or Utah.
“Allow me to plead my case over dinner.” His dark gaze heats and he reaches across the space to finger a long blond wave of my hair.
The single touch sends a shiver down my spine. Is he using my attraction to him to get me in bed with him? Or to get me in bed with him in the business sense? My stomach plummets as I realize this is simply a ruse. He’s a man that sees an opportunity to make more money and is trying to use his good looks and the longtime attraction of what used to be a young and impressionable girl to meet his current business desires.
I shake my head. “No, no thank you, Milo. I’m not interested. I’ve got to go. Take care of yourself, Milo.”
My emotions are a whirlwind of confusion. With traitorous tears in my eyes and embarrassment in my heart, I run, literally run down the hall to the series of rooms that the dance group changed in. I don’t even bother changing, just grab my bag and head for the door.
“Evie!” Suda Kaye races after me, Camden hot on her heels, but I don’t stop until I’m in the safety of my Cayenne and racing home.
2
“Ms. Ross, Ms. Williamson will see you now.” Shelley, the receptionist, smiles sweetly, gesturing her arm toward the door to my therapist’s office.
I offer her a flat half smile, not at all in the mood to give anything more than the bare minimum. I’m still steaming from last night’s epic embarrassment between Milo and me.
Since then he’s left a voice mail message and texted. I was surprised at the text. Mostly because he doesn’t seem the type to text when he can make a call and get straight to the heart of an issue. Though based on his two-word message of Call me,