“When do we leave and return?”
I frown, wondering what’s wrong. “Thursday. We’ll be back on Sunday.”
She nods and slightly turns toward the door. “If that’s all...”
“Hope, please wait,” I call before she opens the door. Crossing the short distance between us, I walk up to her and search her stony face.
“Hope, I’m sorry I was short with you earlier.”
She shrugs. “It doesn’t matter. You’re the boss.”
“No. It matters. I didn’t mean to speak to you curtly. You caught me at a bad moment.”
“Obviously,” she mutters.
Never in my life have I felt the need to explain myself to a woman before. But now, I desperately want Hope to know and believe nothing is going on between me and Katherine.
I place my hands on her shoulders, but she shrugs them off and moves away. Frustrated, I run my fingers through my hair.
“Hope, Katherine is an old friend. I’m helping her with something I can’t tell right now because it’s a matter of confidentiality.”
Hope folds her arms across her chest, which pushes up her breasts, but I don’t think she realizes it as there is still coldness in her eyes I don’t like.
“You don’t have to explain things to me. It’s none of my business.”
I shake my head. “Hope, it is my business when you get upset with me. I hurt you and I’m sorry.”
When she still stares at me, I get desperate. I want her to smile at me and tease me the way she used to. I understand now that Hope is beginning to mean much more to me than I thought. I have never been so worked up about a woman believing me before or desiring her to smile at me. More and more entranced by her by the minute, I throw away my work ethics and say, “Let me make it up to you. Let’s go out. We could go to Denver and have a pleasant time in the city.”
She drops her arms. “I have work to do.”
Grinning, I say, “Didn’t you just say I’m the boss?”
She still doesn’t smile, and I let out a frustrated sigh.
“Fine. I want you to take the day off.”
She nods and turns around. “I’ll get my things and go home.”
I gently place my hand on her arm and whirl her around. “I’m trying to make it up to you, Hope. I have never given a damn whether a woman believes my explanation in the past. Please accept my apology and don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”
As she stares at me with indecision in her eyes, I take a step back from her and allow her to make up her mind. I have apologized and explained and even offered to take her out. It’s the best I think I can do. For now, at least.
“And you promise to keep your hands to yourself?” she asks with narrowed eyes.
Laughter booms from my throat. I can’t promise that, not when I want to draw her into my arms right now.
“I promise not to do what you don’t want me to do.”
I can see she’s fighting whether she should forgive me and move beyond the uncomfortable situation.
“That’s not an answer,” Hope says.
I shrug. “It’s the only one I can give.”
She nods and turns away. I’m not having any of that. I drag her into my arms and fasten my lips on hers. She struggles, but I hold her firm.
Solemnly, I say. “You’re the only woman I want to be with. If you can’t believe that, then there’s no point in our trying to get to know each other anymore.”
