Page 28 of Rebellious Hearts

If I bought a tie for a funeral or a tie for a wedding, I’d still bought a tie. The transaction had been made, and that was the end of it.

“You’re meeting him for lunch tomorrow,” Alex added. “And for God’s sake, Ben, try not to be so grumpy all the time.”

“What are you talking about? I’m a regular ray of sunshine.”

Alex snorted. “Just make this work, okay? Remember, you’re representing the company.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “I’m on it.”

We ended the call, and I tucked my phone back into my pocket, looking out over the ocean. I was here to do a job, and I was going to do it. It was not really that complicated. Everyone thought it was such a big deal, but business, at its essence, was very simple.

What made things complicated was when Sofia had to come along. But that was fine—I could handle it.

I was Ben fucking Blackwood.

There wasn’t much I couldn’t handle, least of all a woman.

8

SOFIA

The hotel was incredible. The contrast between the town falling apart when we drove through it and the luxury and opulence of this place was insane.

My room wasn’t just a room. It was an entire suite, and it wasamazing.Modern and sleek and everything was so comfortable it looked like I’d stepped right into one of those home magazines where they showed the biggest mansions.

The full-length windows let in loads of natural light, and when I slid open the doors, stepped out onto the balcony, the sea breeze tasted like the ocean, and it was cool and welcoming on my skin.

Ben was a pain in my ass, and being here on the project with him might be harder than I’d thought at first. Not because we’d slept together but because he was a total grump.

Despite that, I was going to make sure I brought my best to the table.

And staying in a place like this made the deal a little sweeter.

The bedroom was larger than my whole apartment, with an enormous bed in the middle, a walk-in closet as if I was going tostay here for weeks, and the kind of bathroom that I’d only read about in books.

The deep soaking tub was going to be my first stop tonight. The glass-enclosed shower had a waterfall shower head and everything had marble finishes. The vanity was stocked with all kinds of skincare products, even though I’d packed the few things I usually used.

This trip was going to be fun.

I dialed Elena’s number.

“You’re not going to believe what this place is like,” I said when she answered. “Seriously, it’s like I died and went to five-star heaven or something.”

“You have to show me,” she said.

I put my phone on video call and gave her a quick tour of the suite.

“You’re so lucky,” Elena said after she’d gushed about every individual thing I’d shown her. “I can’t believe the perks you’re getting with this job!”

“The perks come at a cost,” I grumbled. “Ben is a pain in the ass, and I’m putting it politely.”

“Really? He seemed so nice the night we met him, and you were worried about working with him because he’sniceand might be a problem in that way?”

“Well, that won’t be a problem anymore. I’ve heard rumors about Ben, but when I spent that first night with him, he was so different from what I’d heard. Now I realize the rumors were true.”

“They usually start because of something real, even if they tend to grow into something a little more embellished,” Elena said.

“I guess that’s true. I’m going to unpack. Keep me company?”