“I can afford to buy you dinner, Joanna.”
Fire.
That was what I was playing with.
But, fuck, I couldn’t help it.
“I don’t doubt that for a second,” she said. “But you don’t need to—that’s all I’m saying.”
“Here you go,” the bartender said, stopping me from replying as she placed Jo’s drink in front of her. “So, have you guys been to Park City before? Need any suggestions on what to do in the area?”
“This is her second time,” I replied, nodding toward Jo. “I’ve been coming here for a long time.”
“And it’s one of his favorite places to visit,” Jo told the bartender. “I can see why he loves it here so much.” She glanced out the massive windows behind the bar, showing a perfect view of the mountains. “It’s an awesome spot to own a second home.” Jo turned toward me, that gorgeous fucking grin spreading across her plump lips.
“Does that mean you’re buying here?” the bartender asked.
“I checked out a house when I was here last. I’m going back to look at it tomorrow.”
“You are?” Jo gasped. “You didn’t tell me.”
Why would I?
That was what I should say to her, but instead, I voiced, “I haven’t really been in a position to tell you … have I?”
She took a deep breath, nodding. “You’re right.”
“I hope things work out for you,” the bartender said, leaving us alone again.
“I’m sorry,” Jo whispered. “I realize I have no right to know what’s happening in your life, but the disappointment that I didn’t know just hit me really hard.” She clasped my arm. “I’m so incredibly happy for you, Jenner.”
Her touch caught me off guard.
It had been so long since her hands had been on me. I almost forgot how they made me feel.
How even the graze of her fingers could be so intense.
“There’s no reason to be happy yet,” I finally responded. “It’s not mine.”
She squeezed. “But it will be.”
I wasn’t sure if we were still talking about the house.
She released me, and the skin on my arm immediately turned cold.
“By the way,” she added, “I’m taking full credit if you buy the house.”
Her comment and smile made me chuckle. “Is that so?”
“Mmhmm.”
Cute and sexy—a combination that was so fucking lethal.
“Is it beautiful?”
I drained half my glass and said, “Would you like to see it?”
“Like you even have to ask.”
I hit several buttons on my phone and tilted the screen in her direction.
“Oh my God, I’m dead over the view,” she groaned. “Jenner, is that what you’re going to wake up to every morning?”
The first shot was of the living room, and the second was of the master.
Even though I’d viewed the house the last time Jo and I had been here and I’d already learned who she was, when the realtor had taken me into that bedroom, I couldn’t help but picture Jo in the bed.
The way the morning light would cast across her body as she woke up.
The way it would hit her tits as she rode me.
“Yes,” I answered.
She swiped the screen, her finger gently hitting my hand each time. “That bathroom, wow. That’s a tub I could soak in for days.” She paused. “How many heads does that shower have?”
“Ten.”
I’d stopped looking at the phone, now only gazing at her, watching her chew her lips, the temptation to pull them from her teeth so fucking strong.
When she stopped flipping through the shots, she looked up.
Inhaling loudly when she realized my eyes were already on her.
“I’m obsessed,” she said, shifting in her seat, her legs crossing. “It’s an amazing house. You did good, sir.” Our hands brushed each other when she placed the phone in my palm. “Are you going to make an offer?”
“If I still feel the same way about it when I walk through the door.”
“Ah, you will.” She held on to the stem of her wine, twirling the glass. “When you love something, that feeling never dies.”
“You don’t think so?”
Her chin rested on her shoulder. “I know so.”
Her eyes were still locked with mine when the bartender placed the dishes in front of us.
“Can I get you another round?”
“Yes,” Jo and I answered at the same time.
Jo’s stare gradually shifted toward her dinner, and she dipped her fork into the fish. “I’m glad I listened to you. This is excellent.”
I took another sip of my scotch, the drink far more important than food in this moment.
But as I swallowed, she nodded toward my plate. “Aren’t you going to have some?”
I tilted my head back, taking down the rest of my drink. After I licked the wetness off my mouth, I answered, “I’m just savoring it, Joanna.”
The architect looked down at his notes and said, “I think I have everything I need.” A camera hung from his neck, and he turned on the digital display, viewing the shots he’d taken. “I’m going to get the exact specs from the county, and we’ll have another survey done. I know the rock and earth have been tested for weight and stability, but I’m going to have more in-depth tests done, so we don’t run into any problems down the road. Do you have any questions for me?”
“I know your team will be putting together a physical 3D rendering. Is it possible to do a digital one first?” Jo asked.
He lowered his camera onto his chest. “I don’t see why not.”
“There are so many details involved with the aesthetics and facade of this hotel. I think going from drawing to digital would give us a real taste of what we’re looking at,” Jo said. “I would hate to make changes to the physical rendering if we don’t have to.”
He glanced down at his notes. “To be honest, it’s an excellent suggestion. The structure of this hotel is unlike anything I’ve ever built for your father. I don’t know if this is your influence or if he’s feeling inspired by the mountains, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been this excited to start a new project.”
“This is all Joanna’s creation,” I told him.
I’d had a feeling she wasn’t going to comment, so I did, making sure she received every bit of the credit.
For the last two hours, I’d listened to her conduct this meeting, describing the features she wanted to see when pulling up to the hotel. She even got as particular as the texture of the building, the shape of the windows, the slant and slope of the entrance. And what I’d learned was that she wasn’t just a gorgeous face behind the brand; she was a powerhouse and as humble as she was beautiful.
I wasn’t impressed.
I was blown the fuck away.
“I had a feeling,” the architect said. He stuck out his hand in Jo’s direction. “I look forward to working on this project with you. I’m positive my team will have questions—”