AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Andrea’s nostrils flare. “Or maybehe just wants to show you he’s nice.”
“Same thing,” I say, shrugging as I step out of the bathroom into the living room. “He wouldn’t be so obsessed with showing me he’s nice if he didn’t want to affect my views of him in any way.”
Andrea follows me to the living room, collapsing on my sofa. “I don’t think so,” she says. “I saw you guys chatting at my wedding. Did he even knowyou were a journalist?”
“That doesn't matter,” I quickly interject, not wanting Andrea to figure out that my conversation with Bran was just a ploy to gather dirt on him. I also didn't want to give her another reason to remind me of my true motive for wanting to anger Bran with my articles.
I feel a knot in my stomach as I try not to dwell on that thought, especially since I have to spend the whole evening with the man I loathe. Instead, I focus on a more comforting thought: I can use this date to gather even more information about Bran.
The article I write tomorrow will be the crown jewel of all my previous articles, I think to myself, determined to use this date to uncover even more damning information about Bran.
“What are you smiling about?” Andrea asks.
I jerk back to the present. “Nothing,” I say. Andrea wants me to see the good in Bran, maybe enough to even consider him romantically. She’d be upset if she knew I had other plans about this date.
The doorbell rings, causing a sigh of relief to escape me as I welcome the necessary distraction. However, this quickly becomes trepidation as I remember who is at the door.
Andrea shoots to her feet, and I step aside, expecting her to go to the door. But she starts to walk the other way, towards my bedroom.
“What are you doing?” I ask her, eyebrows raised.
“Hush!” she whispers frantically, as if the world would collapse if he heard us. “I don't want to ruin the moment. Just leave with him, and I'll let myself out once you're gone.”
I roll my eyes again, but this time, I can’t deny that I feel the slightest bit of…anticipation? Nervousness?
Loathing,I tell myself firmly, brushing aside other emotions. All I feel, and all I’ll ever feel for Bran Stawarski, is aversion.
Even if…
My stomach tenses as I recall the events of a week ago at his office. I had never before felt such intense anger.
And yet, as he leaned in closer and whispered my name, everything else vanished. Suddenly, I didn't care about anything else. All I wanted was him. More than my job, more than my revenge.
A shiver runs down my spine as I recall his apology. In truth, he hadn't even needed to apologize. From the moment he touched me, I was gone. I needed him to kiss me.
Thankfully, he’d given his bullshit apology. When he mentionedEnchanté,his spell lifted. I could rememberwhy I’d come there. Not to make out with him but to save my magazine.
I walk towards the door. I’d barely spent twenty minutes in his presence and felt that overpowering attraction for him, even while he was an absolute jackass. Today, I will spend hourswith him while he’s on his best behavior.
Do I even stand a chance?
Stop it,I tell myself fiercely. All I need to do is to remember what an asshole he is. I can’t let myself see him in a different light. While he’s attractive, he’s nothing more than an arrogant billionaire.
I take a deep breath as I pull the door open and come face-to-face with him.
My resolve dies the moment I see him.
He’s gorgeous.There’s no point in denying it. He looks even better than I remember. He’s wearing a two-piece, the navy color of the suit contrasting with his light blue eyes. His blond hair is slicked back behind his ear, accentuating the sharp lines of his jaw and cheekbones. And he’s holding a single red rose.
Sweat breaks out all over my body.
I was wrong. I’m NOT going to survive this.
He’s staring at me. My heart is pumping wildly as I think of what to say. I needto start the conversation on a hostile note, so he knows I’m being forced to do this.
Or I could end up back at his penthouse suite in an hour, my hand digging into his back as he makes love to me.
My imagination causes butterflies to flutter in my stomach, and I close my eyes briefly, attempting to think of anything except that. I try to recall who this person is that I view as an antagonist.
