Page 25 of That Conflicted Feeling

“Iate everything.”

Thelight turns yellow just as it’s fifty-fifty whether we’ll get through it.Polly’sthigh shifts as she lifts her foot off the gas.Islap my hands on the dash to brace myself against the inevitable as she slams on the brake.

“Everything?Thebug and the anus and everything?” she says as we come to a crashing halt, just over the line, and the light turns red.

Thesudden stop forces me forward against the seatbelt, then throws me back against my seat.Shelooks at me likeI’mbeing overly dramatic.

Ihold her gaze silently for a moment before replying. “Yes.Everything.Iate everything.”

Shepuffs out her cheeks. “Thisis making me gag.”

Theold-fashioned handle squeals as she cranks the window down.

“Ikept it all down by sheer force of will tillIwas outside, around the corner, and well out of his sight.ThenIthrew up, likeI’venever thrown up before.Orsince.”

Sheinhales a big gulp of fresh air. “Jesus.You’rea determined devil, aren’t you?”

Ishrug.Atleast she’s got the message about who she’s taking on here.Shemight think community spirit can fight my money and corporate power.Butit would take something to beat me on sheer will.

“Itwas worth it.That’showIgot my first business.Ibuilt it into a successful franchise, sold it, and bought the next thing.Andon and on.AndnowIhave a billion-dollar portfolio.”

Shepurses her lips and blows out a giant breath with a “shhhh” sound.

“Gladyou asked?”

“It’snot the answerIwas expecting.”Thelight turns green.Shethrusts the van into gear and we rattle on our way. “Anyway, we’re almost there.”

Buildingsstart to come into view, and we head into a residential area that pops up almost out of nowhere.

“It’sweird.Ithought you were taking me into the countryside, but it’s more built up again now.”

“Itused to be all wide open.”Shegestures toward row after row of homes. “Buta developer came in, bought up a bunch of farms, somehow persuaded the council to rezone the land, and this is what we have now.”

Shecatches me unawares, yanks the steering wheel to the right, and sends me flying into her side.

OnceIsee we’re pulling into a driveway andI’mnot going to die, allIcan think of is thatIwish my arm were bare like hers soIwould have felt her skin against mine.

Iright myself. “Youdid that deliberately, didn’t you?”

Ican tell from the smile on her face she thinksI’mgoing to hate whatever is about to happen.Andthat she’s planning to love it.

Thingis,I’mMaxDashwood.AndIdon’t lose.

8

POLLY

“Sorry,”Isay asMaxpushes himself upright after slamming into me whenIyanked the van into our driveway.

Itoss a mental bucket of cold water over the fire ignited within me by the contact with his arm and shoulder, ignore the delicious herby aroma of the hair that almost headbutted me, and shove away all thoughts of our bodies crashing together in less dressed circumstances.

“LikeIsaid,”Itell him. “Notused to driving with passengers.”

Herakes his fingers through those luscious brown locks.Whatwould they feel like raked throughmyhair?

Hishand comes to rest on the back of his neck, fingers turning white as he digs into the muscles. “Thereshould be an alert system for the locals when you’re out on the roads.”

It’sfun to see him a little off balance.Ibet that doesn’t happen often.