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“We’re not.”
“I know,” she muttered. “I feel old, though.”
Releasing her wrist, I cupped the side of her neck. “Now see, that’s your problem, and it has nothing to do with the year you were born. Last few years have been heavy on you?”
Sharp eyes met mine. “Have you been reading about me?”
“No. If you want to tell me about Nellie’s dad and what split you up, you’ll tell me. I can’t say I haven’t picked up on rumors and murmurings, but that’s just from living in this city. People don’t keep their mouths shut.”
I grazed her throat with my thumb as she swallowed.
“No kidding.”
I moved to stroking the unbearably soft skin under her chin. “You feel old because you went through a birth and divorce in the last few years. But sitting here, looking at you, I see life. I have seen you since the very first time I spotted you on your bike. Life and freedom. It’s why I walked into The Tavern after you and took a seat beside you. Why I can’t get you out of my head even when I need to.”
Her lids lowered, thick lashes brushing her high cheekbones. “That’s right. We do need to stop thinking about each other as anything other than a professional acquaintance.”
I shook my head, and she slapped my knee. Her haughty look did it for me. I knew just how hot she was beneath that ice.
“It would be careless for me to get mixed up with you when Rossi is in discussions with Motor Zone.”
I shrugged. “I guess you’re careless since we’re already mixed.”
“Jake…you know what I mean. This is why I came here tonight, to talk about how to handle ourselves going forward.”
She raised her chin, her professional face smoothing into place. The one that didn’t pinken when I teased her. She looked gorgeous. And serious. I decided to go along with her so she felt satisfied in saying what she’d intended to with coming here.
“How do you picture this going, Clara?” I asked.
“Like I said, professional acquaintances. What happened between us in Skyridge will stay there. In Denver, we’re potential colleagues, nothing more.”
“What do you think will happen if it’s more?”
Her exhale was heavy with frustration. “It won’t be. Hypothetically, though, it would make negotiations awkward, and if the deal doesn’t go through, we—”
“Is that a possibility?”
Jeremy would shit himself. MZ needed this. In a world where electric cars were slowly taking over, shifting our primary focus was vital to staying alive. Whether Rossi was the answer had yet to be seen, but Jeremy believed it was.
“This is what I mean. I can’t talk about work with you or give you the inside track to our decision. You understand that, right?” She blinked a few times before her eyes met mine, imploring me to say yes, I understood.
“Sure. We’ve spent the last couple hours together without mentioning work and talked more than we ever have. I’m on board with leaving work at the door, but I don’t agree with the need to stop seeing each other on occasion.” I leaned forward into her space. “If that’s what you want, though, after tonight, we’ll go back to being strangers.”
Saying that didn’t feel right, but I wasn’t going to argue for a place in her life when I had no intention of finding a place for her in mine. What we’d had in Skyridge was good. I’d been looking forward to more of it with her in town, but I wasn’t a man to beg. If she wanted that too, she’d have to come get it.
Her shoulders rolled forward like she was disappointed I hadn’t fought her. Only for a moment, though. Then she squared them, sitting up straighter.
“I’m glad we’re in agreement.”
For the time being, at least.
After we finished eating, Clara tried to help me with dishes, but I refused. “I’ll get them later.”
She twitched, and I laughed.
“That bugs you?”
“So much,” she whispered.
