“We’re going to freeze our asses off in here. I have a kerosene heater out in the garage.”
And Angeline found herself once again staring at his broad, retreating back. He couldn’t avoid her forever, though. A few minutes later, after he set up the heater in the living room, Angeline was waiting. She handed him the coffee he’d left on the counter before he left for the garage.
“Ready to have that talk?”
He glanced at her warily.
“Why don’t we sit down?” she asked, nodding at the comfortable-looking couch situated several feet in front of the roaring fire. He stalked over to the couch and sat. Although his movements were brisk and businesslike, Angeline noticed the coffee hardly stirred in his cup while he lowered himself. He must be a natural athlete…power and grace personified.
She found herself wondering once again why he’d bothered to trim down his goatee until it was a mere dark shadow that highlighted his mouth. She’d thought him handsome before, in a rough-hewn way, but he looked downright gorgeous at the moment.
“You’ve got something you want to say?”
His blunt question brought her out of her reverie. Was it possible for such a rude man to actually be considered attractive?
She sat down on the couch, careful to keep a good foot of space between them. She found it easier to stare into the fire instead of his fierce, gleaming eyes. His volatility made her nervous, although she wasn’t afraid of him.
Not really.
“Listen…I know you’re not thrilled about having me here. I’m not exactly happy about it either. Do you know anyone I could call in town? Anyone with a four-wheel drive I could possibly hire to come up the hill? I could try to find someplace to stay in town—”
“I’m not calling anyone and asking him to risk his life just so you’re nice and comfy tonight.”
She whipped her head around. “Why do you keep trying to insult me? I was asking in order to make you more comfortable, not me.”
He sprawled back on the couch and took a lazy swig of his coffee. His eyes glittered dangerously in the dim light. She suspected he was gratified by her show of pique.
“Besides being a little chilly, I’m pretty damn comfortable right now, thanks,” he said.
Angeline realized she was panting shallowly in anger. The degree of tension that had built in her muscles—all in a matter of a few seconds and a dozen rudely uttered words—shocked her. Did Alex Carradine get everyone so worked up? It was a miracle he was able to keep a single employee up at the ski resort. He seemed to insult people as easily as blinking his eyes.
She forced herself to take a deep, even breath. Angeline was known at work for her diplomacy and her ability to keep her cool, even in the heated battle of deal-making.
“I know you and your father don’t get along.”
“Oh, he told you all about that, did he?”
“Yes. I mean no,” Angeline said, flustered by his quiet sarcasm. Mitchell and she were hardly serious enough to discuss private family matters in depth, even though Angeline had hoped that was going to change after this weekend. “Look, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out you guys have a rocky relationship. I just don’t think…” She swallowed heavily.
“You don’t think what?” he prompted, his voice low and rough.
For a few charged seconds, she felt like a prisoner of his intense stare. She couldn’t think…couldn’t recall what she’d wanted to say.
She blinked and forced herse
lf to look at the flames. “I don’t think you should take it out on me. I don’t know you. I’ve certainly never done anything to deserve your anger.”
“Who said I was mad at you?”
“I don’t think you’re mad at me. Not really. Your issue is with your father. I’ll thank you to leave me out of it. You don’t have to welcome me here with open arms. I know this is an awkward situation, but your intentional rudeness isn’t making it any better. There’s no reason we can’t be friends.”
The logs popped and crackled in the uncomfortable silence that followed. She sensed his eyes on her, making the side of her neck prickle.
“You’re wrong,” he said gruffly.
She turned, surprised.
“About you and your father’s relationship?”