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Black suit. Black tie. Short, dirty-blond hair that reminded me of Nate or Lucas, sort of military-like but a little less perfect. Walked liked them too, as if he owned the place.
Drop. Dead. Freaking. Gorgeous.
I hadn’t realized I’d stopped walking until he saw me and opened the door, forcing me to confront him. For a second, I couldn’t find the words. His presence filled the entire room in a way I couldn’t compare to a single person I knew.
Thiswas the guy trying to take my land?
The universe had one hell of a sense of humor.
When he stepped inside the small lobby, if it could be called that since there wasn’t really a reception desk, I got my first whiff of him. Dear lord in heaven. I had to get out of here.
“Do you work here?” he asked as I attempted to step around him.
Crap.
I didn’t like the guy, but it wasn’t in my nature to be rude.
“Yeah. You’re looking for my boss,” I said, pointing to Dave’s door within sight of us. “You’re early,” I blurted.
“If you’re not early, you’re late.”
His tone wasn’t condescending, necessarily. But it wasn’tnotcondescending either.
“I guess.”
Looking at him would just not do. I tried again to walk around him, but this time he physically stopped me. Though his hand lay gently on my arm, it felt as if he were branding me. Likely because he was trying to steal my land.
I looked down at his hand, and my expression must have said it all.
He immediately removed it.
“You don’t like me. Why?”
Condescending and direct. What a surprise.
“I don’t know you,” I said honestly, trying like hell not to bury myself in a hole here.
“Even more confusing then,” he replied.
Don’t say it. Do not get into it with him, Natalie.
“Let me enlighten you then.” Oh shit. So much for using my head.
“I thought I heard voices.”
Spinning back around, I made eye contact with Dave, who silently asked how much damage control he needed to do. I pursed my lips together, refusing to say anything more.
“So you’ve met Jaxon?” he asked me.
Jaxon. Stupid name.
“We didn’t exactly meet yet,” Jaxon said.
“Ahh, well, you will eventually anyway.” Dave seemed resigned to the fact, confusing Jaxon even more.
“Jaxon Hayes, Natalie Hartwell.” Then with abehavelook, he continued. “Natalie works here and”—he shrugged—“can’t say she’s exactly pleased about the potential for this inlet sale.”
Jaxon’s sharp gaze met mine.
