He shrugged. “It’s convenient.”
“Maybe for your boss. No wonder you’re stuck working all the time. You have no place to hide.” But as the elevator continued going up, she realized he didn’t just have an apartment in the building; it was the penthouse. She shot him a look and the word slipped from her lips. “Lawson.” It wasn’t a question. Just a realization. One she wasn’t sure how to deal with.
He looked at her and asked, “You didn’t know?”
She shook her head. “No.” Rosslyn wasn’t sure why his last name never came up before now. Was that an intentional act on his part of just an oversight? She shouldn’t be pointing fingers at Charles. She never even asked.
Charles looked down at her. “Does it matter?”
Rosslyn honestly didn’t know. But now it made sense why Uncle Max told her never to speak to him. Charles was her uncle’s competition. There was an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. Had he sought her out because she worked for his competition? Was any of this real? Could he be using her to get to her uncle?
There were too many questions she didn’t have answers to. But asking them while in his apartment wasn’t going to work for her either. She needed to think. Sort things out.
“Charles, I think I should go home.”
He reached out for her. “Rosslyn, this doesn’t change anything. It’s just a name.”
She looked up at him and wanted to believe that. But Lawson wasn’t just any name. It was tied to wealth she couldn’t relate to. He had money like her uncle. And she was definitely out of his class. They were enjoying each other now. But this wouldn’t last. Eventually he’d grow tired of playing with a small town girl.
“No Charles. Clark is just a name. Lawson is an empire.”
“Rosslyn, this changes nothing.” Charles reached up and touched her cheek. “I’m still Charles.”
But you’re not Charlie.“I want to believe that.”
“Then stay. Have dinner with me. And let’s talk.”
She wanted to run all the way back home to Alexandria Bay. But even there she wouldn’t be able to hide from how she felt. That would remind her of how sweet it could’ve been between them. Why did hearing his last name seem to spoil it all?
All she could think of was how he must have laughed at her when she packed their pathetic picnic lunch. He probably travels all over the world doing all kinds of wild and exciting things and I take him to sit and watch kites. If she’d known then . . . I never would’ve said yes to lunch and never had one of the best weeks of my life.
She could walk away, but she’d still have her memories. That probably was the worst part. She now knew what she’d miss. Rosslyn knew what being a Lawson meant to the world, but she just wanted the guy who made her laugh, brightened her days.
Rosslyn knew this was an impossible situation, but she’d stay and talk. Then she was going back to the apartment. An apartment that isn’t even mine. God, we are from two different worlds. She looked into his eyes and hated for this dream to come to an end.
“Okay, I’ll stay. But I make no promises,” Rosslyn said.
Charles leaned over and said, “I do. I promise, Rosslyn, I’m not out to hurt you.” He kissed her gently and added, “And you know deep in your heart, I’m not lying.”
I know I want that to be true. More than I’ve ever wanted anything.Thankfully before she could answer, there was a knock on the door. Charles released her as he went to answer. When he returned he said, “We can continue this conversation as we eat.”
Somehow no matter what she ate, it wasn’t going to agree with her. Her stomach was doing more flips than a gymnast. Who knows? Maybe there’s a fortune cookie in there that will have some good advice for me. Because right now she had no idea what the hell to do. Follow her heart or follow her head? It was an internal battle that she didn’t think was going to end, no matter what Charles said to her tonight.
The look on her face when she realized who he was, was going to haunt him for days. Charles thought for sure she was going to get right back on that elevator and leave. He couldn’t blame her. It wasn’t as though he’d lied, but at no point had he prepared her for it either.
Now here they were, sitting in his kitchen, and he had no idea where to start. Charles couldn’t tell her what his initial thoughts about her had been. Even now, he was pissed at himself for even thinking she was a . . . Don’t fucking even think it again.
They sat eating in silence. This wasn’t going to play out well. It would drive a wedge between them if he didn’t somehow fix it. “I’m sorry.”
She looked up at him and said, “For being a Lawson?”
That was the one thing he couldn’t change. Actually he didn’t want to either. He was proud of all his ancestors had built. As he looked at the skyline of the city, it was like looking at their legacy. The Lawsons had been building in New York since the 1800s and they were only getting bigger, stronger. For all he knew, she didn’t know any of that either. And from the look on her face, the steel business was the last thing on her mind.
“I’m proud of my name as you are of yours. It’s part of who we are. Just not everything we are.”
“You’re right. But it explains why Mr. Grayson didn’t want me speaking to you. He . . . sorry to say this, but he hates your guts.”
Charles chuckled. “That is something I already knew. There is a history between the families. And that’s not all.” Hell, none of it was. She didn’t need to know the details. Unfortunately, once the Feds had the file, the world was going to get an up-close look at Maxwell. They were all in for a shock.