“Altitude sickness. You do know you can get cerebral oedema if you go to high altitudes? That’s brain swelling that can cause permanent damage. No thanks.”
“Surf in South Africa.”
“Sharks.”
“See Mayan ruins in Mexico.”
“My God, are you mad?! If the heatstroke doesn’t get you, then the human trafficking or the drug cartels would.”
“Winter Palace in St Petersburg?”
“Frostbite, and the country’s run by a sadist. People go missing there all the time.”
“Harry, has anyone ever told you that you might not be the most positive person?”
That’s when I’d started laughing, and it was one of the first times I’d managed to coax a smile out of Harry. From then on it was one of our things. I’d suggest something and he’d come up with the worst-case scenario.
This current exchange reminded me so clearly of the past that my chest felt tight. I had to remind myself that the Harry here and now was not sweet, worst-case-scenario Harry. He was full-grown, muscle-bound, obnoxious, arrogant,meanHarry, who had such a low opinion of me that he thought me capable of sleeping with him to secure a contract. Who kissed me and then told me to “grow up” before I’d even managed to claw my way back to rational thought.
“What are you doing here?” I snapped.
“Er… Verity, love,” Dave put in. “He is financing the build.”
I turned to Dave and narrowed my eyes at him, all attempts at flirting away Max’s rudeness now forgotten. “That doesn’t mean he should be swanning in and interrupting us when we’re trying to work.” Dave’s eyes went wide. Clearly this was not the way you spoke to the guv’nor if you wanted to remain in business.
“Verity,” Harry said, his intense gaze still fixed on me. “Can we have a word for a minute?”
I glanced at him and swept out my arm in a magnanimous gesture. “By all means,sir. You are the boss after all, as Dave here has kindly pointed out.” Harry sighed and gripped the back of his neck in his trademark sign of discomfort. Good, feel uncomfortable, you insufferable prick.
“I was hoping for a quick,privateword,” he said in a low voice and took a step towards me. Max had clearly had enough of Harry being anywhere near me by this point though, so before he could step into my personal space he was shoved back with Max’s large hand to his chest. Harry only went back onto one foot which was pretty impressive – Max was an absolute mountain of a man who didn’t always have a handle on his own strength. However, Harry was only an inch or so shorter than Max and the memory of his muscular chest was now burned into my brain, so I wasn’t totally surprised that he could stand his ground.
“Bloody hell, mate,” Dave put in, clearly convinced both Max and I had lost the plot. “What’re you playing at? There’s being a grumpy shite to me, and there’s pushing the bloody guv’nor around. You want us all out of the job?”
“I assure you, Mr Sedon,” Harry said smoothly, unruffled by the hard shove he’d just received, “nobody’s job is in any danger whatsoever. I merely need a private word with Ms Markham.”
“It’s fine, Max,” I said quietly, putting my hand on his arm to stop him doing anything else to Harry. The majority of the contractors on site were staring over at us now. We didn’t want to put them off on the first day – there were plenty of other stress-free jobs they could move to. It was important that they saw us as harmonious and competent. To that end I gave Harry a fake smile which only served to deepen his scowl. “By all means, Mr York. Lead the way.”
Chapter8
Can we start over?
Verity
Harry hesitated for a moment, before giving Max a quick nod of what looked bizarrely like respect then taking me gently by the elbow and leading me away. I allowed this until we made it round the corner of the site wall, then jerked my arm away when nobody could see.
“I said, don’t touch me,” I snapped, taking a step back from him and crossing my arms over my chest.
“I was only…” he started, flicking me a look and then shoving his hands into his pockets. “I didn’t want you to fall again. Those boots really are not fit for purpose.”
“Is that what you dragged me round here to tell me? That my boots are inappropriate? Because I do actually have a fair bit of shit to achieve here today. I do not need to be dragged off for private chats with bored billionaires.”
“Who says I’m bored?” he asked, kicking a stone in front of him on the pavement.
“If you’re not bored then why are you here making my life miserable?”
“Nice to see you again, Harry,”he muttered under his breath.“I realise that you’re financing the build, Harry, and I can at least spare you five minutes.”
Ugh – how had I ever thought this little habit was cute? “Harry, you’re interrupting my day. If all you’re going to do is mumble ineligible crap then just leave.”
