Max hadn’t admired her drive or her portfolio. He’d suggested she reinvent herself not to show she could manage his clientele but to see if she could fit the image of his office. He didn’t envision her as an up-and-coming manager. He wanted a grinder, not an innovator. “I don’t know, Max...” Her mind still whirled at the realization that she had gotten it all wrong. What had she missed? What had been the signs?
“You would gain the respect you crave if you worked for me.”
She noticed that he said for him. Not with him. He didn’t see her as a protégé, let alone an equal. He never would, even if she came up with an idea that everyone wanted to copy. “That’s a vague promise. You have to convince me.”
“Fine, I will speak plainly. No one noticed you at the conference, Claire. They didn’t ask your opinion or share your success stories. You need a mentor who could help you gain respect and authority. You need someone like me.”
No, she didn’t need him. Max needed her. He was knocking down her confidence so she would be grateful for the job opportunity. She was mildly curious about the employment package. It would probably be insultingly low. He thought he could get her cheap because she wasn’t assertive.
“Max, I am more than happy to show you all that I did for an event tomorrow night. In fact, you should come to the party and see how well I promoted it.”
“The higher-ups at the tech company are taking me out to dinner, but I might be able to make an appearance,” he said loftily. “And you can show me around afterward. I’m looking forward to finding out how you cultivated your party-girl image.”
No, he wasn’t. Claire grimaced at his words. He wanted to find out how she would cater to his every whim while trying to get the job. She couldn’t believe that she’d wasted all this time and effort for his so-called job interview! That she had been willing to give up the business she had created out of nothing, along with everything she knew, for a chance to work with Max Blair.
“I wish I could, Max, but my guy won’t tolerate it if I left the party with another man. He’s the possessive type.”
There was a beat of silence—he hadn’t expected her to have a lover. “Is it serious?” he asked.
It was for her. She’d fallen in love with a man who was only supposed to be a temporary lover. “No, it’s just a fling. Why?”
“You wouldn’t have the time for a relationship if you work for me,” he said with a chuckle. “Even a long-distance one.”
Claire knew that if Max had his way, she wouldn’t have the time to achieve any of her goals and dreams. Her talents would be wasted on him.
* * *
JUST A FLING? Jason lay in bed, his arms outstretched as he stared at the ceiling. A mix of emotions slammed into him as he listened to Claire. He hadn’t intended to hear her phone call but the apartment was small and quiet.
He blocked out her voice as he took in a measured breath. The tightness in his chest didn’t go away. He didn’t know why her words bothered him. What they shared was a fling. They had labeled it that and given it an expiration date.
And yet he had thought it meant more to Claire. She valued commitment. She was always in it for the long haul. Why wasn’t she this time?
He had believed that she was getting invested in this relationship. He felt it in her caresses and her long, gentle kisses. He heard it when her voice softened as she confessed her dreams and wishes. He thought he had seen it in her eyes every time she greeted him.
Jason realized that he shouldn’t have encouraged those moments. It confused him, and worse, it had given him hope. He’d believed they were getting closer but it was just a fling to her.
“No, I won’t be able to see you until the party,” he heard Claire say with a cool, breezy tone. “I’ll send you the information later today.”
She was good at playing hard to get, Jason decided. It almost sounded as if she didn’t care whether Max attended the party or not. It was the perfect ploy for a guy like Max. The guy wouldn’t suspect just how much Claire wanted the job.
“No, I have to hang up,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jason stared at the open bedroom door. Last night Claire had clung to him and chanted his name. She had slept in his arms throughout the night. And now she was ready to walk away so she could pursue her dream. Was it wrong that he wanted to be her dream? That she would pursue him with the same laser focus and make the time they shared a priority?