Chasing Hannah was probably one of the worst things he could do, when it boiled down to it. He was playing with fire—if anyone knew how overprotective Aidan was of his sister, it was James. And while he was well aware of that, staying away from her was something he couldn’t do.
Even if it meant damaging his friendship with Aidan?
On that short journey from the front of the building to the dizzying heights of the CEO’s office, he came to a decision.
This prickly pear was about to be seduced.
There was no way he could let her go, no way he could let her return to Florida, not without sampling her charms once more. Not without making her realize that the fire they created together would never be quenched.
It was as complicated and as terrifying as that.
Chapter 3
The restaurant wasn’t exactly what she’d had in mind when she’d flown home to Washington last night. When she’d pictured this conversation with her brother, she certainly hadn’t expected to be in a three Michelin starred eatery, and she had certainly never imagined James, her arch nemesis, would be here to watch her in the process.
That old saying? Pride comes before a fall?
Well, it did. Just not if that fall happened in front of James Arias.
Her stomach churned because it meant she’d have to ask her brother a favor later, when she’d hoped to get it out of the way straight away. No way could she ask him in front of James.
She just couldn’t. Even though her favor involved him, going to James, cap in hand as it were—it would never settle well with her.
Refusing to be one of the women who needed something from him, she preferred, even though it was hypocritical, to approach her brother over the matter. Cheating? Maybe. But she was desperate.
She smiled once the server had placed their dishes before them, and even though this meal was unexpected and unwanted, she had to moan at the sight of the rack of lamb with baby potatoes and green beans. Simple fare that transcended a whole other level by a cranberry jus that had her moaning around the bite she’d taken.
Aidan laughed. “I think you’re enjoying that, sis.”
James’ voice was husky. “See, I told you you were hungry.”
She was enjoying the dish too much to do little else than glower at him. “I’m in control of my stomach. Not the other way around.” Not that he seemed to believe that.
James had practically frog-marched her and Aidan to the car a half-hour after she’d arrived at the offices, insisting she needed to eat and then sleep. In that particular order.
Aidan snorted at her militant rebuke. “BS. You might be able to sell ice to polar bears but that doesn’t mean we can’t read through your sales crap.”
She pouted, but then shot him a grin. “Sales crap? You do realize what I’ve done this last year alone, right?”
James ran a finger around the rim of his crystal glass. She tried not to gulp at the movement, nor at the banked heat in his gaze. Those fingers… She shuddered. What she wouldn’t give to feel him touch her damn nipples like that.
Bad Hannah!
Bad, bad, bad!
“I for one would like to know, Hannah,” James told her silkily, “I know Aidan always sells his sister short.”
Aidan snorted. “Thanks for that, bro. Leave me out in the cold, why don’t you?”
James grinned at him. “You daren’t do anything else.”
Hannah frowned at that, then wriggled her shoulders uneasily. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re a ball buster, sis.” Aidan grinned at her as he cut off a huge piece from his ribeye. “Embrace it, Ms. Feminist of the year.”
“I’m not a feminist,” she immediately denied, scowling harder when James and Aidan immediately roared with laughter.
Jeez, what was it with today?