She wasn’t one of his bunnies that flocked to him whenever he appeared, like he was a magnet and they were rusty iron filings.
He couldn’t just click his fingers and she’d appear.
No way.
She had too much self-respect. Too much pride.
So what, they’d kissed.
A kiss did not mean anything, she reassured herself, as she’d done a thousand times.
And just because the man made her panties reject all laws of physics and spontaneously combust whenever he was in her line of sight, well, that didn’t mean a damn thing either. No, James might be a part of her life because of Aidan, but that was it.
There was nothing between them.
And maybe if she repeated that mantra a thousand times she’d finally start believing it.
“He’s in his office,” he told her, eying her like she was a sundae he wanted to dive into headfirst.
Hannah wanted to snap at him, demand he stop looking at her like that, but instead, she let out a sigh. There was no stopping him from doing a damn thing. He did what he wanted. Always had, always would.
“I know. I called before I came” she said.
James frowned at her words. His lust-filled gaze snapping away to be replaced with concern and curiosity. It wasn’t the first time she’d noticed she was one of the few who could make him look past business. Though he was a risk junkie, he was shrewd. Very, very shrewd. His business acumen was beyond belief, and his head was always in the game. But not with her. Never with her. It was like he was just a regular Joe, except regular Joes didn’t have access to million-dollar prototypes that they drive like joyriding yahoos.
“Why are you here?” he asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Washington’s a long way from Florida.”
Like she was unaware of that… “My jet lag confirms the fact it’s a long way between the two states, James. I don’t need you to tell my body clock that,” she declared dismissively. Her reasons for being here were none of Aidan’s business, never mind James’. She didn’t have to tell him a damn thing.
His frown deepened. “You haven’t slept yet?” Did his voice have to get huskier at that question?
“No. I came here straight from the airport.”
His eyes widened for a second then instantly narrowed. When his jaw tensed, his lips flatlining, she knew he was pissed. “You drove,” he stated flatly. “What the hell were you doing driving here? You should have brought a cab, or at least told Aidan. He’d have sent a car, Hannah. Fuck. You put yourself in danger, it’s a wonder you didn’t crash.”
“I’m okay, James,” she repeated tiredly, not at all in the mood for this kind of conversation. She didn’t need his protection. Didn’t need him at all. Well… She shook her head at the thought. Need and want were two different things, weren’t they?
“I just wanted to see my brother,” she continued.
“You drove while jet-lagged, Hannah. That’s beyond irresponsible.”
“What are you? My father? Damm, James, what I do or don’t do with my life is none of your business,” she spat.
The steel was back in his eyes. Not because he was back in business mode but because he was pissed. Majorly. “Giving a shit about whether you live or die is none of my business?” He pursed his lips. “I don’t remember you being so… challenging the last time we were together.”
Irritation flared through her at the pointed reminder. Like she needed him to bring that up. “We said we wouldn’t discuss that, and though I rarely hold you at your word, I’d like to think that this is one occasion where I can have faith in what you say.”
For a second, she knew she’d floored him. He reared back, his leg bumping into the low-slung monster of a machine behind him. She tried not to feel satisfied by his reaction, but there was no point in lying to herself—she was. Very satisfied.
He looked hurt, and though it wasn’t kind, she was glad.
James was so, so… fickle.
Volatile.
Dangerous.
She sucked in a sharp breath, damning herself for comparing him to Mark who was controlling but safe, determined but capable of relenting. Everything James wasn’t.