Kate called out, “Ms. Barrington said she’s on her way up. She hoped to catch Ms. Chambers while she was still here so you could all go to lunch together.”
With a meaningful look at his friend, Dax said, “We’ll talk later, Clay.”
Shaking his head in resignation, Clay said, “You’re no fun.” He had started to walk away when Willa found her voice.
“Wait.”
Clay turned back.
“You said I could decide.” She waved her folder around. It wasn’t at all the job interview she’d expected, and part of her wanted to turn tail and run, but staying suddenly felt important. Like Lexi, Dax didn’t think she could handle Clay. Like life, the interview wasn’t living up to what she’d hoped. In the past she would have crawled home and wondered where it all went wrong, but not this time. This time she wanted to prove something to herself. “I need this job. I deserve a chance to prove I can do it. Dax, I know you think you’re protecting me, but I’ll be fine. I’m taking this job.”
Clay smiled and raised his hands as if proclaiming his innocence. “What can I do? She hired herself.”
To his secretary, Dax barked, “Make a lunch reservation for four, Kate.” His eyes narrowed when he looked back at him. “Be careful, Clay. Very fucking careful.”
Willa stood there, hugging the unread résumé to her. There was definitely more going on than either man wanted to explain. Clay seemed to have an agenda for offering her the job, and it was one Dax didn’t approve of.
I don’t care. Like Lexi said, this doesn’t have to be forever. I’ll get in, make some money, get out.
Willa wasn’t worried that working with Clay would hurt her. In her experience, only people she loved had the power to do that.
The long run Lance had taken that morning hadn’t put him in a better mood. He’d been sitting at his office desk for a good fifteen minutes and had yet to turn on his computer. He was tired. Frustrated. Distracted. He’d spent a restless night telling himself to forget about Willa.
She didn’t want anything to do with him. Was it anger or indifference? Did it matter? He’d had his chance with her, and he’d fucked it up.
I was young and stupid.
I never meant to hurt her.
I said I was sorry. Tried to make it up to her.
Ten years. Who keeps a grudge that long?
Staring blankly at his dark computer screen, he let his thoughts drift back in time. He could remember exactly how his body had clenched with excitement when she’d taken her spot on the jet ski and wrapped her arms around his waist. Ten years. He shouldn’t be able to remember everywhere their bodies had touched. The feeling of her fitting herself against his back and holding on shouldn’t be vivid after all the time that had passed.
Hell, he’d forgotten the names of some of the women he’d slept with over the years. He wasn’t a horndog like some of his friends, but he’d been with his fair share of women. His relationships didn’t last long, but he didn’t expect them to, and he didn’t look back after things ended.
Except with Willa. He remembered every moment with her, every brush of her hands across his body. Everything was different with her. Better.
And worse.
Lance lived his life carefully. He didn’t make mistakes. He had nothing to regret.
Almost nothing.
Why can’t I forget her? Because she was a virgin?
No, it’s more than that.
He closed his eyes and let the memories come back to him.
It was a hot day, but the Atlantic waters were cold and rough. Every wave they crashed through drenched them both. Willa bounced behind him, her breasts moving up and down against his back. She lost her grip and cried out. He slowed and her arms wrapped around him even tighter. The back of one of her hands brushed over his hard cock. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered with a nervous laugh.
“Do you want me to take you back to shore?”
She scooted closer against him. “No way. I’m loving this.”
Me, too.
“Mr. Barrington, I’m covering for Ms. Cleary today.” A woman’s voice brought Lance back to the present. She was a mousy brunette with large, thick glasses. An unwelcomed unknown. His regular secretary was on maternity leave, and the temp agency had assured him the woman who had worked for him for the past two weeks would continue there until she returned. Apparently not.
“What’s your name?” Lance asked impatiently. He was already distracted enough without adding the annoyance of training someone new.
“Ms. Niarchos.”
Lance rubbed the back of his tense neck. It wasn’t her fault he was having a shitty week. “Just answer the phone for now. There should be a notebook on the desk with guest log-in information. If I need anything I’ll send you an email.”