“No, Penny, I don’t play with them.” His gaze bounced to mine briefly before returning to his collection. “Actually, I don’t even open the packaging.”
“You don’t open the packages? What a waste.”
“Yeah they’re worth more if they’re never opened,” he said, running his finger across his bottom lip.
“Oh, so you plan on selling them one day?”
He shook his head, cracking a smile. The boyish grin I loved so much made my heart race. “No, I’ll never sell them.”
I shook my head, grinning, as he asked me to take a seat on the deep-brown leather sofa.
“Thank you for seeing me so late, Theo.”
“What’s going on? Is everything ok?”
“Yes…no…I don’t know.” My mind overloaded with everything I wanted to say but couldn’t articulate.
“Take a deep breath.” He knelt in front of me as I closed my eyes. “In through the nose, out through the mouth.” He placed both hands over mine on my lap. When my eyes sprang open they locked onto his chestnut-colored irises—so beautiful and intense.
“Better?” he asked as his thumb circled patterns against my fingertips. “Now start from the beginning.”
“My father is Pardo Inc…” before I could finish, he muttered “Fuck” and stood.
Agitation radiated from him as he crossed to the large glass window and stared out. “Did you know?”
“That my father is trying to buy out the place I work at?” I rose from the couch as he turned away from the window and paced the hardwood floors in the large space.
He stopped, turning to face me. “Yes, Penny,” he shouted. “Did you know?” His hand flew through his dark, disheveled hair.
“No.”
“Fuck, I don’t believe you.”
“Excuse me?” I was pissed. What did he mean he didn’t believe me?
“You heard me.”
He stalked closer. I moved back. My knees hit the arm of the couch as he loomed over me.
“Back up.” I tried to push him away but his body was solid, not budging as his chest pressed against mine.
“So, you came over here tonight to tease me? To throw it in my face that ‘daddy’ is trying to buy me out and you still have your precious boyfriend?”
My face grew hot. My body felt out of control. Anger pumped through me. And it was all more than I could handle.
His breath against my skin sent trickles of desire rolling through me. I wanted his touch, yet I fumed he could think so little of me.
“Think whatever you want,” I said.
“Dammit, Penny.” His eyes were as hard as his body as I tried to push him again.
My hands connected to his chest and my anger swelled. “You won’t believe anything I say anyways, because you’re the biggest asshole I’ve ever met.”
His stubbornness was overwhelming. Losing all sensibility, I tried again to push him away. I was trapped between him and the couch, and he knew he had this control over me. I could see it in his wild eyes.
“I’m the asshole? Are you fucking kidding me? You taunt me while having a boyfriend.” He was close, his lips mere inches from mine. I could almost taste his want.
“We broke up,” I whispered before his hand fisted in my hair.