“Yeah, hell will freeze over before I do some weird mating dance with Owen Slade. Gotta go Liv my Italian stallion is here.” I hang up the phone and try not to think about the bickering between Owen and I as some weird expression of attraction.
Chapter 4
Owen
Itake another sip of espresso and look toward the front door of the hotel just as Antonio walks in. He’s dressed in what I’m sure is casual wear, but it makes him look every inch the very rich Italian man that he is. I know that I should walk over there and greet him, schmooze a little to grease the wheels for the deal I’m trying to strike, but who am I kidding that is not my forte.
The sound of heels on marble makes my heart quicken and I frown at the feeling.
Harper comes into view dressed in a white and green striped dress and heels that look painful, but she swears are comfortable. Her fiery hair is pulled back in some kind of complicated braid and she looks beautiful.
She greets Antonio with a kiss on each cheek before taking his arm and letting him lead her out of the hotel.
“If you continue to make that face, I will have to ask you to leave. You will scare away the other patrons.”
I look up and see a lovely woman with long dark hair standing next to the table.
“What are you talking about I wasn’t making a face.”
She gives me a knowing smile, “Italian men are gorgeous and virile, it is hard to see one take off with your girl.”
I look up at the woman as if she has grown three heads, “That isn’t my girl, she is my employee. I’m just worried that whatever this is that they are doing is going to get in the way of my deal.”
She pats me on the back and makes a clucking noise with her tongue, “Americans, you are like a struggling fish on the line. You don’t see what is in front of you until it is too late.” She waltzes away before I can respond. I don’t want Harper that way, I just don’t want some Italian convincing the best assistant I’ve ever had to move to Italy and play house. Or a failed romance to screw up a potentially very lucrative deal.”
I finish my coffee and stand up from the table. If Harper is going to spend the day galivanting around town with the Italian stallion, then I might as well work. Just because they were in Italy working on a deal doesn’t mean there isn’t other work to catch up on.
???
“How was your day with the Italian stallion?” The words come out of my mouth bitter and accusing and her eyebrows raise as she sits down at the table. She is still wearing the green striped dress and she looks stunning.
“Well first we went back to his villa and had wild monkey sex before he proposed to me and asked me to bear his children,” she said, looking at me with no hint of expression on her face.
“You look surprisingly well put together for someone that spent the afternoon having wild monkey sex,” I tell her, and a ghost of a smile slips across her lips.
“If I didn’t know better, I would think you were jealous.” She gives me a wink and a cold sensation trickle through me at her words. Am I jealous? Is that what this feeling is all about?
“There is something I want to discuss with you,” I tell her, the words coming out in a rush that make her peek at me over her menu.
“First of all, I’m not jealous, if you want to jump in the sheets with Antonio that is your business, as long as it doesn’t mess up the deal. Second, I think it is time that you moved up in the company.”
Her eyes go wide, and something passes through them, a sadness that is gone before I’m sure it was even there.
“Is this your way of kicking me to the curb?” she asks, her fingers going white as she grips the menu.
“What? No. I just need more help, and I think you are ready to run this department alongside me.”
She lowers the menu and looks at me, her eyes wide, “Like partners?” she whispers.
I grin at her and nod, “Just like partners. The empty office next to me, they are decking it all out for you. I wanted it to be a surprise, but I find I can’t wait.”
“Owen this is amazing. I never expected you to make me your partner.” Tears well in her eyes and I reach across the table before I even think about what I’m doing.
“Harper this wasn’t supposed to make you sad. If you want things to stay the way they are, I can just raise your salary and you can keep the same title, or I can bring someone else in.”
She dabs at her eyes with her napkin and shakes her head, “No I want it. Don’t even think about giving it to someone else Owen.” The sassy reply has me sitting back in my chair. I don’t want to let go of her hand, but I do miss the warmth of her skin on mine.
“There is the Harper I know and love.” I grin at her and she shakes her head.