Page 38 of Bargain With the Boss

Suddenly she got to her feet and the endless length of her legs came into view under cutoffs I’d picked out myself. “Duchess?”

She turned and there was no denying the honey colored shades perched on her slim nose. Fuck, her tits were on full display. The filmy bit of pink couldn’t hide the way the simpleblack suit hugged her in every single way. “Xavier? I thought you were at work.”

I glanced past her to the other woman with her. I frowned. She was vaguely familiar. Knowing most people in town was a blessing and curse. Then I noted the name of the boat.

First Maitland.

My fingers clenched at my sides.

“What are you doing with her?”

She glanced from me to Claire Maitland. “We met at Vintage December. This is Claire?—”

“I’m well aware who she is.”

Claire peeked around Sydney. She was wearing a similar baseball cap and sunglasses ensemble with a bikini top. She was bronzed from the sun unlike my redhead. “What’s your problem?”

The irrational anger had me whirling around as I stalked toward the boardwalk.

“Xavier, wait.”

The telltale snap of flips got closer just before she grabbed my arm.“Hey, I’m talking to you.”

“I can’t believe you’re associating with her.”

“She’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.” She yanked me to a stop. “Why are you being such a jerk?”

“She’s a Maitland!”

She looked over her shoulder and Claire was standing on the boat with her hands on her hips, then back to me. “As in Arthur Maitland?”

“Yeah.”

She dropped her hand and mirrored Claire. “I didn’t know.”

“Yeah, well now you do. Let’s get out of here.”

“No.”

“What do you mean no?”

“Why should that matter? You haven’t said many kind things about your father. Does that make you any less because you’re his son?”

She was right, but I couldn’t push the anger and resentment away. “That’s different.”

“Is it? That’s pretty small-minded of you.” She took a few steps back and turned back around.

“Duchess, wait.”

“Nope. I don’t want to talk to you right now. I’m going back to my friend who’s been really generous and kind today.”

I caught up to her. “Syd.”

“Go back to whatever you were doing,” she threw over her shoulder.

“A few of my meetings got canceled. I came out to get some air.”

“If you say so.” She walked faster, her long legs eating up the path back to the pier.