Fortunately Mrs Randall was doing her Thursday morning market shopping when Cruz drove up in a mean black sports car, because Aspen was sure her confused state would have been on display for the wily older woman to see and that would have only added to her anxiety. Especially when she had decided that the best way to approach the situation was to be optimistic and positive. Treat it as the business transaction it was.
Shielded by the velvet drapes in the living room, she watched as Cruz climbed out of the car and literally prowled towards the front steps of the house, breathtakingly handsome in worn jeans that clung to his muscular thighs and a fitted latte-coloured T-shirt that set off his olive skin tone and black hair to perfection.
Not wanting him to think she was nervous at the prospect of seeing him, Aspen waited a few minutes after he’d pressed the bell before opening the door; glad that just last week she had given the front door a fresh lick of white paint and cleaned down the stone façade of the portico with an industrial hose.
‘Good morning.’ She hoped he hadn’t heard her voice quaver and told herself that if she was really going to go through with this she needed to do better than she was now. ‘Did you want coffee or tea?’
His gaze swept over her face and lingered on her chin, and when he unconsciously rubbed his jaw she knew he had noticed the mark—his mark—that she had made a futile effort to cover with concealer. Involuntarily her own eyes dropped to his mouth and heat coursed through her; she was mortified and embarrassed when his lips tightened with dismissal and he turned abruptly to scan the rest of the hallway.
‘No. My plane’s on standby. Let’s go.’
Great. She wasn’t even going to have the benefit of other commuters to ease the journey.
Turning to pick up her keys from the hallway table, she spotted the document she had spent half the night drafting. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten it. But then rational thinking and Cruz Rodriguez didn’t seem to go together for her very well.
‘I’d like you to sign this first.’
He looked at it dubiously. ‘What is it?’
It was a document stipulating a condition she hoped he’d agree to and also preventing him from reneging on their deal if he found himself dissatisfied with the outcome of their temporary liaison. Which he undoubtedly would. But since this was a business arrangement Aspen wanted to make sure that when their physical relationship failed he was still bound to invest in Ocean Haven.
‘Read it. I think it’s clear enough.’
He took it from her and the paper snapped in the quiet room. The antique grandfather clock gauged time like a marksman.
It wasn’t long before he glanced back at her, and Aspen swallowed as he laughed out loud.
Her mouth tightened as she waited for him to collect himself. She’d had an idea that he might have some objections to her demands but she hadn’t expected that he find them comical.
‘Once?’ His eyes were full of amusement. ‘Are you’re kidding me?’
She wasn’t. Once, she was sure, was going to be more than enough for both of them.
‘No.’
When he looked as if he might start laughing again Aspen felt her nerves give way to temper.
‘I don’t see what’s so funny?’
‘That’s because you’re not paying the money.’
He circled behind her as if she was some slave girl on an auction block and he was checking her over.
She swung around to face him. ‘If you read the whole document it says that I’m planning to pay you back the money anyway, so technically it’s free.’
‘With what?’
He unnerved her by circling her again, but this time she stood stock-still. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘What are you intending to pay me back with?’ he murmured from behind her.
‘The profits from The Farm.’
He scoffed, facing her. ‘This place will be lucky to break even in a booming market.’
His eyes held hers and the chemistry that was as strong as carbon links every time they got within two feet of each other flared hotly. Aspen took a careful breath in. He was pure Alpha male right now, and his self-satisfied smile let her know that he knew the effect he was having on her.
Not that it would help either one of them in the long run. But she had to concentrate. If she didn’t there was a chance she’d end up with nothing. Less than nothing. Because she’d lose the only tie she had left to her mother.
‘That’s your opinion. It’s not mine.’