Loving War(13)
“Better question,” he says, flipping the channel once again. “Why are you in a regular room instead of a suite?”
That’s not a better question. It’s a stupid question.
“I took a regular room to make sure everyone else coming for this week had a nice suite. The hotel only had a limited number left when I checked for availability, so I booked this room since I’m less high maintenance.”
He snorts as though that’s a ludicrous claim. “You’re less high maintenance? You were driving a top-of-the-line Benz when you turned sixteen. Your wardrobe costs more than most people’s homes. And you have enough makeup in that bathroom to take care of Broadway’s needs. Seriously, who brings that much makeup? You have like thirty of everything, and there’s three bags of the stuff in there.”
I frown, realizing he’s been snooping. I suppose he didn’t just sit in the bathroom and stare at the back of the door while I was trying to get Rain out.
“That’s for something I’m doing while I’m here. I arranged a lunch meeting for tomorrow.”
That seems to get his attention because he leans up from the bed and flips off the TV.
“You’re selling makeup?” he asks with an eyebrow raised.
It’s not surprising that no one knows or cares what I’ve been doing with my life. It shouldn’t bother me that Kode has no clue, but it does. I know every business he owns or invests in.
Christ, I sound like a stalker.
“I’m launching my own line. The lady I’m meeting tomorrow has a chain of department stores. They’re small and admittedly low-end, but it’s a start. I don’t expect to be an overnight sensation. But if the meeting goes well, I’ll get a second meeting in the afternoon, and I’ll need to have that makeup with me.”
His grin slides up as his eyes do something funny. He’s amused. The bastard is amused. I should have kept my mouth shut.
“Get out of my room if you’re going to sit there and make fun of me. I’ve put a lot of work into this.”
I turn and head toward the bathroom, but the sound of the bed shifting and feet moving hurriedly have me turning around. I almost bump into him when he tries to match my abrupt stop.
“I wasn’t making fun,” he says with a cheeky grin that betrays him. “I swear. I was just surprised that you’re doing this the hard way. You’re the niece of Paul Colton—fashion master of the universe. Call him. He’d put your line in his stores, and it would take off with ease.”
Rolling my eyes, I head into the bathroom, groaning when he follows behind me and shuts the door. I’m not claustrophobic, but right now, with Kode sharing this small space with me, I’m finding it hard to breathe. I focus—or try to focus—on the conversation at hand, as opposed to the gloriously nearly naked man.
“I don’t want to do it the easy way. I want to earn my spot so that no one can take success away from me if I make it. I still have money from my trust, and every dime is going into this. It means a lot to me.”
His grin only grows as he leans back against the counter of the small bathroom, watching me with guileless amusement. His exposed body is very distracting despite my attempts to ignore it, and that only pisses me off more. He shouldn’t be so frigging sexy when I’m pissed. And he really shouldn’t be hard right now.
“Stop looking at me like that,” I say in a clipped tone. “I realize it seems laughable to you because you own a chunk of Sterling Shore businesses, and you have investments in large New York companies, but this is a really important part of my life. Don’t spoil it by mocking me. Please go away.”
Again, his smile only grows. “You seem to know a lot about me for someone who hates me.”
He crosses his arms over his chest, watching me with that stupid grin. He needs to put on clothes before I do something stupid like kiss the bastard again. And he needs to get out of the bathroom. This space is too intimate, and my mouth is running before my mind can censor the words. I have to stop accidentally revealing too much.
“Know your enemies,” I mumble.
“You’re going to go that route? I’m not stupid, Tria. Be honest.”
Honesty is not an option. I can’t tell him how mildly obsessed I’ve been with him. Not when he’s only ever looked at me like an annoyance.
I need a therapist.
“I’m not as self-absorbed as you are. So yes, I know what others do with their lives. Go. Away.” Insulting him instead of fueling his ego is a much better route than honesty.
He shrugs while pushing off the counter, and heads out of the bathroom. That was easier than I thought it was going to be. Trying not to think about him putting his clothes back on, I strip and climb into the shower.