Page 17 of Bargain With The Boss (Crescent Cove: The Moguls #2)

Sydney

Two weeks flew as I dodged calls from my mother, got into a groove with the business, and spent time with Claire. I spent most of my days working with Xavier. He had a keen mind and I found him playing with the array of toys on his shelves while he wheeled and dealed during phone calls.

He had an effortless charm and seemed to know everyone in town. Problem with a contract? Had a lawyer at the ready. Problem with a contractor? He or Gavin had a workaround.

He usually split time between the two offices and never seemed to be tired.

In between working I looked at a few properties for my time in Crescent Cove, but nothing felt right. I ended up spending most of my evenings with Claire at her little cottage when I wasn’t at the office.

I wasn’t going to sever my new friendship with Claire just because I was crossing the proverbial lines that Xavier and Gavin had. As Friday morning faded I found myself at the Crescent Cove Town Hall. I was determined to make sure the permits were approved for Lakeside Terrace today.

Period.

Even if I had to stand over Melissa Maitland’s desk to make sure they were entered in correctly.

My heels clicked on the floor as I passed the small courtroom and headed toward the business offices.

The front of the building was all windows and massive archways, letting sunlight pour in.

I could feel a bead of sweat slip down my spine.

I’d opted for one of my business suits today to face the firing squad.

I’d gone through all the paperwork that FHK had in progress. It had been a grueling week, but an eye-opening one.

I didn’t know how I could pull Jude away from their company. Even if I managed to sabotage the Lakeview Terrace project, it wouldn’t be enough to sink the company. And seeing the beautiful projects they were designing, I found that I truly didn’t want to.

I rubbed at my temple as the heat and humidity sunk into the old building adding to my own stress headache.

Dammit, I didn’t know what to do and I hated that more than anything.

I stopped at a vending machine to get a bottle of water, but swore as it was out of order.

I stopped in at the bathrooms and ran cool water over my wrists. I winced at my reflection. My eyes were bruised regardless of the valiant effort of my makeup. I dried my hands then dug into my purse for powder and cursed as my phone lit up.

My mother.

Again.

Knowing she couldn’t be put off any longer, I answered. “Hello.”

“Don’t hello me. You’ve been ignoring my calls for days.”

“I’ve answered in emails, Mother. I’ve only been here for a few weeks. I’m not sure what you expect in that time.”

“I expect updates and you to get your brother back here.”

“For what exactly? The business is running fine without him in the office, Mother.”

“Because he needs to be here. The board is asking questions.”

“He’s started a family here. If the word means so much to them, they must see that plenty of board members don’t live right in Seattle. Isn’t it more important that he’s settled with his wife and children.”

“We must make a united front for this merger. Need I remind you that your entire department is at risk if you don’t do this, Sydney.”

“Oh, I haven’t forgotten. You do realize it’s my department that keeps the business afloat when it comes to the Christmas season.”

“You think I don’t have backups in place?”

Her cool tone had the sweat turning to clammy nerves. I opened my mouth to reply and she went on.

“I have over a dozen people shadowing your employees. In fact, maybe Pete should be the first to go. He took three days sick leave for a surgery or some such nonsense. I’m not sure that was preapproved.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“I want results.” Her voice was ice.

“Jude can come in for the merger. That’s all that the people at Sophisticated Spaces need to know.” The lump in my throat shook me. I couldn’t show her weakness.

“I have a vision. Jude is part of the vision.”

But not me?

Not any of the things I wanted to accomplish mattered.

“If you want to be a part of that vision with your little garden venture, you might want to remember that.”

“My little—” I cut myself off. “I have to go.” I hung up before I did something stupid.

The strongest urge to throw my phone through the mirror made me shake. I swung out of the bathroom and directly into someone.

Strong hands clutched my upper arms. “Hey, where’s the fire, Duchess?”

No, not him right now.

Not when I was so off-balanced.

“Hey.” Xavier drew me over to the side as a few people came down the hallway toward the bathrooms.

I blew out a breath and tried to rein in my careening emotions.

Little venture.

As if it didn’t matter.

As if nothing I brought to the company mattered unless it was her vision.

“Sydney?”

My gaze locked with his. He was wearing one of his ridiculous comic book shirts with summer wool suit pants that probably cost twenty times more.

His curls were a little wild and damn well shone with the sun coming in, but it was always his eyes that hit me the hardest. Crescent Lake blue and direct.

As if what I said mattered.

“What are you doing here?”

He urged me over to one of the benches and gently pushed me down. “I had to bring in a corrected blueprint. Someday this place will go digital, but until then...” He sat beside me.

“Right. Why I’m here to make sure this Melissa person puts the permits through today.”

“That wouldn’t make you so pale.” He lifted a hand to brush his thumb over my cheek before dropping it again. “You’ve been working your ass off all week.”

“Please, I work eighty plus hours in Seattle.”

“We aren’t Seattle. Especially with this heat.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re really not. C’mon let’s get out of here.”

“I’m here for a purpose, Xavier.”

His lip quirked up at the corner. “I love when you call me Xavier with that teacher voice.”

“You’re a peculiar man.”

“At least I’m not a boring man.” He stood. “Look, it’s already just about noon on a Friday. I can guarantee no one in that office is going to finalize the permits today.”

“And why not?” I let him pull me to my feet.

“Because this is a small town and it’s a perfect eighty degrees out there.” Before I could push back at him, he went on. “And the guys finished demoing today so no one will be working until Monday anyway.”

I sighed. “What is it about you wanting me to play hooky?”

“Because I have a feeling you don’t know what that word means, Duchess.”

I rolled my eyes at his nickname for me. It felt stuffy and far too on point. I certainly had to actively work with a queen who didn’t see me as an equal.

He took my hand and pulled me toward the large doors. “Let’s get you into one of those sundresses and I’ll show you my favorite place in the Cove.”

“Don’t you have work today?”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and waggled it. “Have phone will work. Besides, it’s Friday.”

“I am aware.”

“Time to act like it.” He pulled me down the stairs and the quick burst of excitement unnerved me.

But the orders I was under rankled, and I just wanted a day where I didn’t have to think about FHK or A Home You Love. A few hours where I was just a woman with an attractive man.

His Porsche was in a close spot—the top already down, of course.

He stopped at the passenger side and flicked open the button of my suit jacket. “This has gotta go.”

My breath hitched at the feel of his fingers against the silk of my shirt. He stayed in front of me an extra few seconds before opening the door for me.

“In you go.”

I shrugged out of my jacket. I grabbed my sunglasses out of my purse and put them on. Before I could stow my bag, Xavier took it and my jacket and put it in the trunk.

“Don’t need your phone or anything in there.”

I sighed and got in. He came back around and closed my door before jogging around to the driver side. It wasn’t like he was the first man to hold a door for me, but more often than not the men I’d dated were aware I was an independent woman and acted accordingly.

I rarely let anyone take care of me.

Moreover, no one jumped to do so either.

Pushing away the annoying thoughts I lifted my face to the sun and the wind as Xavier pulled into traffic. There was more foot than car traffic since it was so beautiful. The town hall was on the far edge of Main Street near the library. As we passed the park, the sun glinted off the lake.

A perfect summer day.

“Memorial Day weekend, the park will be full of vendors.”

I glanced over at him. “You mentioned that briefly before. What kind?”

“Food mostly. A good bit of wares in there too. Between A Place For All and the park, I think it’ll be bringing in more people this summer.”

After my visit with Claire, I’d done some research about the vendor space that had been added to the large candy store on the other end of Main Street. It was closer to Lakeview Terrace than the park and would have some like-minded shoppers for FHK’s target demographic.

Another point in favor of their project.

Guilt pricked at me because I saw such promise in my brother’s company.

It made me want to dig in and put my own stamp on things.

But I had people who depended on me.

He slowed to a stop outside the Sherman Inn. He jumped out when the valet came forward and swapped places with Xavier.

“Hi, Jerry. Don’t bury her we’ll be back out to leave in less than an hour.”

The valet nodded. “No problem, Mr. Hastings.”

He came around to my side and opened my door. I let him help me out of the low slung car. “Do you know everyone in this town? Or do you use the inn often?”

Xavier grinned. “Which answer would piss you off more?”

I huffed out an exasperated breath as we gathered my things. When he grabbed a duffel bag of his own, I gave him a bland stare.

“I want out of these dress pants. I wasn’t being presumptuous.”

“You aren’t getting into my bed.”

The valet’s cheeks reddened, and I inwardly groaned.

“Who said I want in your bed?” Xavier moved closer to me and lowered his voice. “But it’s interesting that you were thinking about it.”He touched the small of my back and I hurried ahead of him. He didn’t need to feel the sweat that was lingering there in my ill conceived outfit for the day.

“Where’s the fire?”

“I just walk fast.”

He caught up and instead of going for my lower back, he linked our fingers. When I frowned down at them he just shrugged. “Just making sure you don’t try to leave me in the dust.”

“And if I wanted to go to my room and take a cool shower and be alone?”

He pulled me to a stop. “I’d respect your wishes. Do you want to be alone today?”

I should say yes.

I shook my head and earned a sexy smile that made my stomach flip.

We climbed the stairs to the second floor where I was living, the entire time he didn’t let go of my hand.

I wasn’t sure why I allowed it.

His hand wasn’t smooth. It was a working man’s hand mixed with the absurdity of his shirts and four hundred dollar pants, I couldn’t figure him out. I pulled out my keycard and let him inside. The room usually felt roomy, but he filled the space and his spicy scent made me far too aware of him.

“Take a shower.”

“How—”

“It was the first thing you mentioned. And as usual you were wearing Seattle clothes again. Why?”

I sighed. “I wanted to look imposing.”

He laughed. “It worked. Mostly.”

I twisted my fingers out of his.

“Don’t get upset. You definitely would have made Melissa nervous, but I can see through you.”

“You think so?”

“Man, that icy voice shouldn’t turn me on, but it does.”

“Do you say whatever comes into your head, Xavier?”

“Usually. Now go on. Wear something for day to evening.” He slid his arm around me and pulled me closer. “Try not to argue for once and go with the flow. I promise it’s fun.”

I put my hand on his chest, the reassuring warmth under the cotton made my pulse quicken.

“I know there’s some part of you that wants to just let loose.”

Unwilling to own up to the fact that he was right, I simply moved back. “Fine. Aren’t you going to be bored?”

He shook his head as he let me go. “I’ll do some work and change.”

“Okay.” I slipped through the door to the bedroom.

I’d gotten a suite since I wasn’t sure how long I’d be in town.

I gratefully stripped out of the heavy skirt.

My skin was clammy with sweat from the heat and the previous nerves from my mother.

I pinned my hair up, unwilling to deal with drying it in this heat.

I lingered a little more than I should on the extras like shaving and exfoliating, but felt far more alert and refreshed after I turned the spray to cool for my last rinse.

I retouched my makeup, adding a smoky eye to combat the fatigue written all over my face. The dark brown shadow made my eyes glow, and a few tricks covered the bruised blue under my eyes. Happy with the results I chose the ivory dress with the large graphic poppies and my espadrilles.

Feeling feminine and pretty, I finished with a slim braid to keep my hair out of my face, leaving the rest to fall down my back in waves. It was a halter dress which meant I couldn’t wear a bra. I even did a little twirl in the mirror to check out the back to make sure there were no weird marks.

I grabbed a black shawl on my way to the door and opened it to find Xavier sitting on the club chair near the sliding door to my mini balcony. He’d changed into a linen shirt in soft green and pants in a darker shade that clung to his thighs.

He looked up and stood quickly, his phone falling to the floor.

“Does this fit the parameters?”

He swallowed. “More than.”

“Hope I didn’t keep you long.”

“Worth every minute.” He bent to pick up his phone and slid it into his pocket. “I knew that dress was going to look amazing on you, but damn.”

I couldn’t help the smile. “It’s like you know how to pick out women’s clothes or something.”

“Just yours.”

Unsure what to say to that, I moved over to my big purse and transferred a few things into one of the wristlets I’d found at Ember’s place. “Ready to go?”

When I turned, I wasn’t expecting him to be so close. “Maybe we should put some sunscreen on this skin.” His thumb coasted over my shoulder.

“Are we going on the water?”

“Sort of.”

Awareness pulled at me and I stepped away from him, my heart pounding in places I didn’t want to think about. I grabbed the can of sunscreen and feeling a little impulsive, handed it to him. I pulled my hair over my shoulder and turned around. “Would you?”

He nodded and the cool spray made my nipples tighten. I closed my eyes as he rubbed it in, the tips of his fingers slipping under the sides of the halter to make sure I was covered.

“I think you’re good.” His voice was low and rough.

“Thanks.” I took the can as I turned around. “Any hints as to where we’re going?”

“Nope.”

“Guess I’m at your mercy.”

I wasn’t sure I was ready for that, but for once I was eager to find out.

A day just for me.