Could it be—
“If you’re through here, dinner’s arrived.”
My stomach plummets like salsa from a chip at the sound of Nick’s smooth voice.
Shit.
I am so busted. How long have I been staring at these pictures? Because either he holds the world record for the fastest shower ever, or I’ve been tangled up in my thoughts far too long.
Does it even matter at this point?
No, no it does not.
I swallow hard. If I’ve learned anything about Nick Hart, it’s that he expects his personal life to remain private. And right now, he’s probably devising a thousand ways to make me pay for the intrusion.
Worst of all? I’m completely at his mercy because the only way out isthroughhim.
I paste a bright smile on my face and turn to face Nick.
Ho-ly. Crap.
My mouth is suddenly drier than Texas clay, and I probably couldn’t form words if my life depended on it. Nick Hart is shirtless, dripping wet, and I’ll be damned if he doesn’t look like a snack, leaning up against the doorjamb with his ankles crossed and his sculpted abs on full display.
It’s a swoon-worthy scene,ifyou ignore the fact that he’s glaring daggers at me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nick
The sight of Scarlett poking around my office sends unease skittering up my spine. It shouldn’t be a big deal. I know that. But it is. My shoulders bunch and tighten as if bracing for an attack. Which is ridiculous.
This isScarlett.
She’s inquisitive. Sweet. Snarky.
Not Ashley.
Are you willing to bet your future on it?
No. Not when I’d been completely blindsided by Ashley’s duplicity.
“I’m sorry.” Scarlett flinches and tugs awkwardly at the hem of her UT sweatshirt, trapping her full bottom lip between her teeth. “I didn’t mean to snoop. I just saw the pictures and thought—”
“I wouldn’t mind you invading my privacy?” I’m being a dick. I know that, but with the old feelings rushing to the surface—anger, hurt, betrayal—it’s hard to smother the impulse.
Rein it in, asshole.
Scarlett’s one of the few people in the company who doesn’t regularly refer to me as Hartless behind my back. If she’s got something to say, she says it to my face. Consequences be damned.
It’s one of the things I like best about her.
The least I can do is give her the benefit of the doubt.
I rake a hand through my damp hair, pushing it back from my forehead. When the concierge called to announce our food had arrived, I didn’t have time to finish dressing. From the looks of it, Scarlett won’t be complaining. Her gaze rakes over me, tracking a droplet of water as it slides down my chest and abdomen. When it disappears into the waistband of my joggers, her cheeks catch fire.
Yeah, I think it’s safe to say she’s enjoying the view.
And damn if that doesn’t cause my anger to fizzle entirely.
