Dirty Money(12)

"Would you like to sit down in one of the conference rooms and talk?"  She's all business as she pulls her hand from my grip, her smile as  charming as ever.

"Nah. I just want to know why you won't return my phone calls."

"Work." She gestures at the office. "It's been insanely busy this week."

I look around at the office. Looks rather empty to me. In fact, Ivy and  me are the only ones in the lobby. I have a sneaking suspicion that  Seth's probably the only client here. "Sure looks busy."

She blushes and bites her lip, glancing around.

Time to stop beating around the bush. I give her my most disarming grin. "Is it me? Did I come on too strong?"

She arches a perfect eyebrow. "Do you know how to come on as anything other than strong?"

I laugh, because that's a fair point. I love this woman's brain. "Was  kinda hopin' you'd be dazzled by my determination and look past the fact  that you're too good for me."

Her teasing look falters, and for a moment her expression is soft and  wistful. Shit, she's pretty. "You shouldn't say things like that."

"The truth?"

"No, that you're not good enough." She leans in, a little smile on her  face. Her voice is low as if she's whispering to me. "I don't know if  anyone has pointed this out to you, Mr. Price, but you're a  billionaire."

"No shit?" I drawl. I lean in, too. "And I told you to call me Boone."

Her cheeks are still bright with that pretty flush of hers that happens  when I flirt, and she's not leaning away. I realize, seeing her, that  she likes me. She likes me and maybe she doesn't want to because of her  job. That's fair. That also means I have an opening, though, and I'm  ruthless enough to take it.

"You know I haven't changed my mind about that house," I tell her. "Or the golf course."

Ivy looks torn. She crosses her arms over her chest and glances around,  then moves in closer to me again. "Boone, I don't know that I'm the  right realtor for you. It's just . . . complicated."

"Well, I think you're the right one for me. I don't want anyone else. I  told you that." I want to put my arms around her waist and pull her slim  body against me. She's a little pale today, but so beautiful and  elegant it makes me ache. I haven't ever wanted anything as badly as I  want this woman, and I feel like she's dancing just out of reach. I need  to figure her out. Figure out the right words that will unlock her  reservations and make her fall into my arms. Maybe I'm just not  persuading her enough yet. So I lean in close again. "You want me to  double your commission? I'm more than willing to do so."

Her eyes go wide. "That's not necessary-" She pauses as another man  comes sauntering into the lobby. "Hello, Jack." Her voice grows cool and  her smile a little more stiff. Her eyes meet mine before she gestures  at the man in the suit approaching us. "Boone, this is Jack Jackson.  He's one of the head realtors of Three Jacks."

I nod at him, narrowing my eyes. This her boyfriend or something? She  said she didn't have anyone, but this guy's showing a lot of interest in  the fact that I'm standing in the lobby with her.

"Something I can help you with?" Jack Jackson says, offering me his  hand. I know this guy's type immediately. He's a slick motherfucker, the  smile on his face oily and sly.

"No," I growl. I want to step between him and Ivy, who has a distressed  look on her face. Her entire body language has changed, too. She was  leaning in to me before, and now she's pole-straight and nervous. This  guy bothers her, and it makes me feel protective.         

     



 

Jack looks surprised at my vehement reaction. "Are you a client of ours, Mr. . . . ?" He trails off, expecting me to answer.

To my surprise, Ivy steps in before I can. She moves in front of me and  puts an arm around my waist. Her smile is brilliant as she beams at  Jack. "Actually, this is my boyfriend, Boone."

Boyfriend? Hot damn. My hand slides around her waist and again, I get  that possessive, caveman feel roaring through my skull as I touch her.  This woman belongs in my arms. It's where she's meant to be.

She pats my chest with her other hand and snuggles against me. "He's taking me out to lunch."

Jack just gives us a slow nod. "Nice to meet you, Boone." He focuses on  Ivy again. "Let me know if any walk-ins show up and they're at my  particular . . . level."

"Of course." Her smile doesn't waver, but I can feel her tense against me.

He turns away and then pauses. "Oh, and, Ivy, if I were you, I'd  probably see more sales if I spent less time going to lunch with  friends." He gives her a thin smile, nods at me, and then walks away  again.

Ivy remains in my arms for a long moment, as if expecting that dickbag to turn around.

Since she's there, I lean in, practically nuzzling that tempting little  ear of hers. "Would you be offended if I punched him in the throat?"

I can feel her shiver, and it sends a ripple of arousal right through  me. "I wish someone would," she murmurs, and slowly steps out of my  arms.

"You wanna tell me what that's about?"

"I imagine he's just trying to hit his quota for the month. It's been a slow summer for him and he's not happy."

"Fill his quota . . . or take yours?" I guess. Maybe that's why she  plastered herself to me. She hasn't given up on my commission.

She nods again, a pained expression on her face.

I'm filled with protective outrage. Are these assholes bullying my  woman? And she's too classy to set them in their proper place, I  imagine. She's a fucking lady and they're taking advantage of that.  "Remember how I told you I wanted to buy a golf course?"

"Yes?"

"I'm adding to that list. I think I want a real estate office, too."

She gives me a puzzled look. "You do?"

"Want me to tell you about it over the lunch you said we were about to go have?"

She bites her lip and looks back at Jack, who's walking away a lot  slower than most people. "I shouldn't," she whispers. "I'll get in  trouble with the boss. But I'll text you later tonight and we'll talk,  all right?"

"Really? 'Cause you haven't been a big fan of answering my texts lately."

"I know," she says quickly, and grabs my hands, squeezing them. That  impulsive little move warms my heart-and sends a bolt of lust right  through my groin. "But please, I will this time, okay? You can come up  here and harass me in the morning if I don't."

"Fair enough."

"And don't talk to any other realtors, all right?" She looks at me with those big, pleading eyes.

I move forward, since Jack's still watching us from afar, and I put a  finger under Ivy's chin. "Darlin', you didn't believe me when I said you  were the only thing I wanted? You should."



Ivy

In a way, it's a good thing that Jack Jack starts throwing his weight  around and scaring Boone off. It gives me time to go back to my desk and  recuperate. I'm still feeling a little faint from this morning's plasma  donation-my second in a week-and I eat cookies and sip orange juice  until I feel more like myself. Farah's been flirting with the client  sitting across from her for well over an hour, and never mind that he's  half her age. She's laying it on thick. She must smell a commission in  sight.

I smell a commission in sight, too, but I'm texting mine after work tonight.

I nibble on a peanut butter sandwich cookie and pull up my email on my  laptop, though I'm not really paying attention to my inbox. I'm still  thinking about Boone.

When I saw Jack stroll into the lobby, that hungry look on his face, I  knew what he wanted-Boone. More specifically, Boone's commission. The  moment he'd have smelled that Boone was a billionaire, he'd have been on  him and I'd have been shuttled into the background. Jack would have  come up with some reason as to why I couldn't possibly help Boone out  and then I'd be pushed out of the picture. Maybe I'd have to do  inventory on coffee filters in the break room. Maybe I'd have to  cold-call old clients and ask them for leads. There's a million types of  busywork and Jack Jack knows plenty of them to send in my direction.         

     



 

The moment I saw him approach, though, I had to change tactics.

Boone's mine.

Well, my commission, anyhow.

I feel all hot and flustered just thinking about him. He wasn't dirty  today, but his hair was still wild under his cap, sticking out on the  sides, and that bushy beard was as intimidating as ever. His eyes were  bright and sexy, though, and his flirtiness makes me feel weak in the  knees. I feel an intense pull every time he speaks, and I'm attracted to  him despite all the hair and his blunt way of speaking.

I might have panicked when Jack Jack swooped in, and so I said the only  thing that I could think of that would scare him off-that Boone was my  boyfriend and not my client.

My sister would die of secondhand embarrassment.