do you know about the move?” She studied him with narrowed eyes.
“I always do thorough research before I make any business offers. It’s the smart thing to do,” he said, carefully leaving Lily out of it. He wouldn’t have known about the expansion if it hadn’t been for her, but he didn’t want Aubrey to get upset with her well-meaning employee for oversharing.
Aubrey mumbled something unintelligible, and then her gaze snapped to his face. “Wait. You said I could do the renovation while I’m filming in the Central Coast? Exactly where and how long are we talking about?”
“Bosque Verde, California. At least three weeks.”
“Bosque Verde is fine, I guess. It’s only three hours from here. But three weeks? That’s too long to be away from my shop.”
“Yes, being closed for three weeks is scary for a small business, but not if you think about the big picture here. You could save Comfort Zone with just three weeks of your time. You’d be investing a few weeks away to establish a secure future.” Landon had never worked so hard to convince someone to work with him. People generally came to him with offers, from which he picked and chose. “Aubrey, will you guest star on Aria’s show?”
“Yes.” Her answer was barely above a whisper. She didn’t like asking for help, and she hadn’t asked for his help, but here she was accepting it with grace. “Only because it’ll give me a fighting chance to save Comfort Zone. Your proposal might take care of my problems for now, but there’s no guarantee that starring in Aria’s show will magically fix everything.”
“It’ll give you more than a fighting chance, Aubrey.” Relief coursed through him, surprising him with its force. He had a chance to put things right for Aubrey, and he would succeed. “Aria’s star power and your sunny personality will convince my readers that my review is flawed. And once the viewers try your recipes, they’ll be your fans for life. Besides, fixing your current problems is the biggest hurdle. Ultimately, your talent and hard work will ‘fix everything.’”
“My sunny personality? You gotta be kidding me. It’s more like a thunderstorm when you’re involved.” Her short dark hair drew his eyes to her delicate features. She was still breathtaking, but the bruised shadows beneath her wide brown eyes and the pallor of her skin bore testament to the havoc he’d wrought on her life. “I hope you know what you’re talking about. My future depends on it.”
“I don’t walk away from my mistakes. I’ll set things right.”
“You own up to your mistakes. Just not publicly.” Aubrey’s brows furrowed in thought, and then a ghost of a smile touched her lips. “But I do appreciate you coming here today. You didn’t turn your back on my predicament. At least, not for too long. You might not be a complete bastard after all.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” He grinned, her almost-friendly tone putting him at ease.
“Maybe you’re right.” She surveyed her nails as though considering where he belonged on the bastard scale. “Are you planning to apologize for accusing me of selling my body to get ahead in the world?”
Landon cringed as her acerbic words bit into him. That had not been his intent. He knew in his gut they had met by chance and neither of them had a clue about the other’s profession. But he needed to be certain she hadn’t slept with him to bolster her business, knowing who he was. He couldn’t entwine their lives further until she denied it with her own lips.
“Well?” Aubrey sat, tapping her foot with increasing speed.
“I was an idiot to believe for even a second that you’d faked your … enthusiasm.”
“Yes, you were.” She blushed a fiery red, but her expression remained placid. “I never doubted yours. Although you sounded so pained when you said I was killing you. I actually worried for a second.”
Landon choked on air and coughed until his eyes bulged.
“You all right there?”
“Yes. Completely fine,” he wheezed when he could drag in a breath without coughing.
Her words taunted him, but boldly affirmed her passion had been real. Ridiculous pride surged through his veins. He wasn’t sure what aroused him more, her sexy retort or the memory it awakened in him.
God, you’re killing me. Her small, curious hands had explored his body until raging desire threatened to consume him. When their bodies joined, he’d felt pleasure so intense it had bordered on pain.
The silence stretched on, and tension, thick and hot,