“Your maid is going to hate me.” I laughed more to myself than him, but he answered anyway.
“Not possible since I don’t have a maid,” he retorted as he poured some milk into the eggs.
“What? Who cleans this place?” I glanced at him. He was staring at me, his eyes traveling down the length of my body.
“These hands are good for more than one thing. There is no maid or chef here. It’s just me unless I’m having people over. Disappointed?”
“Not even a little bit,” I replied, taking a seat on the other side of the island. “After this weekend, I can safely say you aren’t anything like I thought, Mr. Darcy.”
“What did you think of me, Ms. Harper?”
“At first domineering, cold, distant, emotionless, and sexy.” I shrugged as I leaned over to snatch one of tomato slices.
“And now?”
“Just a little bit domineering and still very sexy. Everything else is a barrier you use to keep people away.”
He paused, his eyes staring into mine, and without saying anything, he flipped the omelet over in the pan. He took a plate and fork from the cupboard. Folding the omelet, he slid it smoothly onto the plate. Walking around to me, he set it in front of me and leaned against the kitchen island.
“Don’t fool yourself, Felicity.” He lifted my chin. “I’m still all of those things, but the funny thing is, so are you.”
“Me? Cold and dark?”
“Yes.” He ran a thumb over my lips. “The reason why you’re so attracted to all of those things in me is because you see them in yourself. So you feel comfortable saying and doing whatever you want, wherever the hell you want to do it. The only difference is you’re better at faking warmth than I am. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“You’re playing with fire, Theo.” I stuck the fork into the omelet.
“Then why are you the one hot and bothered?”
There was no way to deny it with the way my stupid nipples reacted just by him speaking to me like this, touching my lips. It was like he knew exactly what to say make me want to jump him.
“I’m going away for a week,” he said randomly, and I wanted to kick myself for how quickly I turned to look at him because I could tell he was amused. “I’m producing a film in North Carolina. Come with me.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“I have work to—”
“I have a feeling you’ve never taken a vacation.”
I didn’t reply because he was right, I hadn’t. I just didn’t want to get wrapped up in this fantasy with him. And before I could make up some lie, he called me out on it.
“Here you are being cold and distant. Are you scared you will enjoy yourself that much?”
Damn him.
“You think very highly of yourself. After a week I won’t feel anything.” Shit, that only underscored his assertion I was emotionless. He didn’t have to call me out on it this time, because he knew I noticed. So we both had walls up, it seemed.
“Fine.” I got off the chair. “But I’m not responsible for what happens to you once you fall in love with me.”
“You think very highly of yourself. After a week I’ll be surprised if we’re still together,” he shot back. “Go pack. I’ll pick you up—”
“Give me some time, and I’ll come to you.”
It felt like a battle of wills, though I had agreed to go. It seemed like even when we agreed, we couldn’t let it rest. One of us had to have the last word. I preferred it to be me.
“I have to finish something in the office, so meet me there at eleven.”
“Make it noon. I want finish my shift at the diner.”
“Noon it is, Ms. Harper, but if you’re late, you will not be able to sit comfortably on that plane.”
“Don’t tempt me.” I petted his chest.
He responded by clutching a handful of my ass. “I tempt what I can handle.”
8:13 a.m.
“Well, look who finally remembered she had friends,” Mark said on the other of the end the phone as I put my things in my locker.
“Don’t start with me! I tried calling Cleo last night, and her line was disconnected.”
“My phone wasn’t though. Did you come in this morning?”
“Yeah, you and Cleo were still sleeping on the couch. Really, guys? Watching Pretty Woman and drinking wine again?” I slipped into my work shoes.
“I’m sorry we can’t all have billion-dollar lovers on speed dial!” Cleo yelled in the background.
“Says the woman who took me to a sugar party and flirted her ass off in the middle of the dance floor.”