The Exception (6 page)

He was sitting at the desk in the back of the room, his head resting in the palm of one of his hands. I could see his fingers pressing against the sandy colored strands as if in thought. His watch caught the light and sent a prism of color onto the wall.

He looked so out of place—so large and powerful in the small, drab area. It was a play on opposites—excellence meeting mediocrity.

He hadn’t heard me arrive, completely absorbed in whatever he was reading, and I took a second to steady myself before I caught his attention. Just looking at him was enough to take my breath away.

I briefly considered sneaking out before he saw me, but remembered that I was there on business.

Breathe.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked gently on the door. He didn’t move anything but his eyes, raising them to mine. A slow smile crept across his face and my heart picked up its pace.

Cane leaned back in his chair and grinned smugly, like the cat that ate the canary. “Well, what do you know? We see each other again.”

My racing heart was now fueled by irritation instead of lust.
This is the first day of my new life, and I’m being toyed with by another jerk? Heaven help me.

I briefly closed my eyes and tried to stay calm. Ripping into him, giving him a huge reaction, would be letting him win and I was tired of handing victories to assholes.

“It seems that we do. I was told that Max asked to see me?” I forced a smile.

“Oh, Max would probably enjoy that,” Cane laughed. “But no, you are here to see me.”

“And why is that?”

He leaned forward, his elbows on the desk and his grin growing wider. “Isn’t it obvious why you are here to see me?”

“I’m hoping there is a valid reason.”

“Why do I sense a little hostility?” He smirked.

“I guess I’m just confused. I was told Max made an appointment to see me today and then I come in here and you have
that
look on your face. Sorry if I feel a little addled right now.”

Cane looked genuinely amused. He stood up and leaned against the desk, rolling his white shirt sleeves up, baring his forearms one golden inch at a time. It was a completely natural thing to do, but watching him do it was almost like foreplay; I felt my chest rise and fall harder.

“Max is a contractor and I am a real estate investor. I buy properties and Max gets them ready to resell. He manages the construction part of Alexander Industries.”

“I see.” I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, feeling a little awkward. “So how do I come in to play?”

“I want to put Solomon Place—this building—on the market. And I thought you could help me with that.”

“Can I ask you a question? Why did you call our office? You have never done business with us before.”

I pushed a breath into my constricted chest, feeling my lungs press against my ribs. This wasn’t what I had in mind for my first day back. I was supposed to be serious, focused, starting my life fresh. Instead, I was looking into the eyes of a gorgeous playboy, trying to decide if his intentions were professional or if he was trying to manipulate me.
Why do I always find these guys? Why couldn’t Max’s friend have been an accountant or something?

“This property needs to be put up for sale. Max mentioned that you were a realtor. It seemed like it could be a good partnership.”

He stood straight and the mood in the room shifted. “What can I say, Jada? You made an impression last night.”

I squared my shoulders and fought the urge to smile at his playful tone. “If you want to list this property, it would be my pleasure. But if there are ulterior motives, please spare me.”

A smirk slowly made its way across his lips. “I was trying to keep this professional and you start talking about pleasure.”

I rolled my eyes, smiling despite myself. “I don’t even know what to say to you right now.”

“Words can be twisted to mean a million different things.” His eyes locked onto mine, sparkling with mischief.

“That’s true, I guess.”

“It is absolutely true. Words can mean anything. It is actions that really speak.”

I nodded my head and bit my lip to keep from smiling, staying silent.

“If you would rather figure things out physically, I’m good with that. Very, very good from what I hear …”

I couldn’t help but laugh. While I was absolutely sure that, on some level, he was serious, his carefree way and lighthearted tone put me at ease.

“Yes. Let’s get physical immediately,” I said, watching his eyes darken. “Let’s take some measurements and I will let you get back to your day.” I sat my bag down and grabbed a notepad and my measuring tape.

“There are a dozens of innuendos that could be taken from that. But,” he said, growing serious as I flashed him a warning look, “I will refrain from making any comments.”

I led him to the main room and he chuckled as he followed.

“Okay, grab this end of the tape and walk down there.”

“How long have you done this type of work?” He moved gracefully to the other wall, holding the tape against it.

“I grew up helping my dad do this kind of thing. I worked for him before I moved to Boston and I worked in real estate there, too. Really, I’ve done this my whole life.”

“What sent you to Boston?”

My throat constricted. “I moved there with my husband. I’ve just been back here a few days, actually.”

“You aren’t married now, right? Or did I misunderstand something?”

“No, I’m not married anymore.” My voice gave a little more away than I intended, earning me a suspicious look from Cane. I noted the measurements and started to the other room, his footsteps close behind me.

“Are you all right? I didn’t mean to pry.”

The genuineness in his voice took me by surprise. “Yeah, I’m good. Things happen, you know?”

“This explains a lot.” He held the tape against the far wall and I scratched down the number.

I looked down at the notepad for a moment longer than necessary, trying to get ahold of my rioting thoughts. I didn’t want to discuss this with anyone, but especially not a client. Regardless of his flirty nature, amazing looks, or this new side I was beginning to see from him, that is what he was—a client. Nothing more, nothing less.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I huffed, giving in.

He held a hand up in defense. “I didn’t mean anything. Just that you are so, I don’t know, halfway pissed off all the time.”

“Well, maybe that’s what ended my marriage. Maybe I’m hard to deal with.”

“Well, you
are
hard to deal with.” He leaned against the wall, crossing one ankle in front of the other. “But what I really think happened is that guy did a number on you. Just saying.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t really want to talk about it. Just saying.” I made a few notes in my notebook, avoiding his pointed stare.

“I didn’t mean anything by that. You’re just a hard one to figure out.”

I shook my head. “That’s not true.”

“I could form a better opinion about that if you weren’t so damn hard to deal with.”

My face jerked to his to see a teasing look. I shook my head, walking back in the office and putting my things inside my bag. “Thank you for your help today.”

“Thank you for coming by on such short notice. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I will.”

He stroked his chin with his thumb. “I think we made a good team, even though you came in here with a bit of an attitude this morning.”

I winced. The sound of him calling me out embarrassed me a little. “I’m sorry about that. I just wasn’t sure what was going on when you were sitting there all smug.”

“Words are hard for you, too. We should have started off with the physical. I knew it.” He snapped his fingers in the air.

I shook my head, making my way to the front door. I needed to get out of there quickly. He was being nice—that wasn’t playing fair.

“Jada.” Cane’s voice was a command and I automatically stopped dead in my tracks. I turned and he was glancing at his watch. “Would you want to grab dinner later? I feel like I owe you something for coming over here first thing and I don’t like owing anyone anything.”

He stood stoically, the light shining through the window casting shadows upon his features. He looked sharper, sexier, and more devastatingly handsome than ever before. And as much as my body wanted to go to dinner with Cane Alexander, and, quite frankly, be his dessert, I knew my heart would ultimately be what was carved up and devoured.

I could not buy into his charm, as much as I wanted to.

“You don’t owe me anything. Don’t worry about it.”

“I can’t help it that I feel that way,” he winked. “You are just going to have to go to dinner with me.”

“I’m sorry, Cane. I can’t. Thank you, though.” I started to leave again but stopped when I heard a soft chuckle come from behind me. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, really. It’s just that I usually don’t invite women to dinner and I never get turned down when I do. Am I losing my touch?”

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t know if you had it to begin with.”

He put his hand over his heart. “That hurt.” He took a step towards me and my breath caught in my throat. “What is it about me that you don’t like?”

“Nothing, per se.”

“You are very reserved around me. I think you don’t
want
to like me. But here’s the thing—I can read women better than anyone. It really is a gift. I know you are interested. So, what’s holding you back? I am just asking for dinner. I’m not out-and-out asking you to fuck—yet.”

His words were a match, sending my libido up in flames.

I tried desperately to control my response to him, but it was easier said than done. The crudeness should have had offended me, but my body was humming instead.

“Do you talk to all your business associates this way?” I asked, trying to distract him.

“No. They’re usually overweight, middle-aged men.” He made a sour face. “I actually keep business and
pleasure
separate. You’re just an exception.”

The air between us crackled, but each of us held back.

“Cane, look, I’m sorry.” I took a step back until I could feel the cool glass of the front door at my back. “I really do need to get back to the office.”

“You have to eat. What’s wrong with sharing a meal with me?”

“Dinner leads to dinners, which lead to lunches, and I just don’t want to go there.”

“You’re putting the cart before the horse, don’t you think?
I
may not like
you
. So, while I admire your ego, I think you are jumping to conclusions.”

“My ego? That’s hilarious coming from you,
Coach
!” I exclaimed.

He burst out laughing. “So, while I admire your
confidence
,” he modified, raising his eyebrows with a cheeky grin, “it’s just dinner. I’m not sure what’s so risqué about that.”

There was no way I would have even considered dinner with him the night before, but I found myself now wavering. As I looked at him, all alpha male in front of me, he chose that moment to reach up and run his fingers through his hair. My heart pounded at the sight of his biceps flexing and my body began to ache with want; I had to fight myself to tear my eyes away as my brain took back over.

“I just … I can’t.”

“You did say you didn’t have a boyfriend, right?”

“I don’t.” I rolled the ring my mother had given me as a little girl around my right ring finger nervously. “I just got my life situated again and I really need to focus on me right now.”

“Dinner—that’s it,” he reiterated, his eyes searching mine. “It is one meal. I don’t usually do one meal with a female, unless they are making me breakfast.”

This is the Cane from last night. This is exactly why I can’t have dinner with him.

Before I could change my mind, I pressed on the door with my back, letting the heat rush through. “No, I’m sorry, Cane. Maybe some other time.”

I grabbed my bag and walked out into the sun, my emotions a verifiable war zone.

JADA

“This one is really pretty.” Kari held a green sundress against her body in the middle of a little boutique off of Indian School Road.

“I think you should get it,” I nodded, trying to encourage her to make the purchase so we could leave. We had been shopping all day and I was exhausted. My feet hurt, my head hurt, and my interest had waned. Shopping had never really been my thing anyway, but that afternoon had tested my limits.

Max had made reservations at one of the fancy restaurants on Camelback Mountain and Kari was adamant that she needed a new dress. She had been talking about him more and, while she still tried to play everything off, I could see through her façade. She was really starting to like him and it was nice to see my sister happy. I just hoped that she could see that, too.

“Yes, I think I like this one. It’s the same one I tried on in red, but the green really makes it seem totally different.” She threw the dress over her arm, satisfied with her choice. “My legs do look great in this and Max loves my legs.”

“Fabulous. Now can we be done?”

“You sort of let me down on the sister front when it comes to shopping. Just so you know. Hold this for me.” She handed me the dress while she dug through her Tori Burch handbag and retrieved her ringing phone.