Page 42 of The Charmer

Cooper handed her a steaming cup of tea and she inhaled the irresistible fruity aroma, sighing with pleasure after her first sip.

“Thanks. This is heaven,” she said, tucking her feet under her and taking blissful sips while studying Cooper over the rim of her cup.

“You’re easily pleased if that’s your idea of heaven,” he said, taking a seat next to her on the sofa, his proximity setting off warning bells in her head.

She could’ve scuttled away like a frightened mouse but lethargy infused her body. She simply didn’t have the energy to move, or the inclination, if she were completely honest. What did she expect to happen anyway? For the guy to kiss her senseless?

You wish.

The stupid thing was, she did, and she took several gulps of hot tea to ease the sudden tightness in her throat.

“You’re not having anything?”

He shook his head. “I’m fine. Are you?”

Before she could decipher what he meant, he reached across the short space separating them and skimmed his fingertips across her cheek. “You look worn out. And as gorgeous as you are without makeup, I’ve never seen you with dark smudges under your eyes.”

“I haven’t been sleeping well,” she muttered, glaring at the main cause of her insomnia and wishing he’d revert to uncaring business mode.

She could handle that guy. This softer, astute version of Cooper had the power to undo her in a second.

“I’m guessing that’s partly my fault, huh?”

“There’s no partly about it. It’s all your fault.”

His eyes widened and for a confusing second, guilt flickered in his gaze, like he didn’t want to kick her out from the only home she’d ever known. But that couldn’t be right. He’d outlined in clear terms why she needed to sell to him, but the longer he stared at her with concern, the harder it was to stay resentful.

“Having you breathing down my neck, trying to oust me from this place hasn’t been pleasant,” she said, focussing on the business side of things in the hope he wouldn’t delve deeper and realise there was more to her sleepless nights than worrying about the gallery’s future. “It’s stressful, and you’re talking to a person who doesn’t do stress. Yoga, yeah. Meditation, yeah. Stress, no.”

He pulled away from her, a tiny frown indenting his brow. “It doesn’t have to be stressful if you’d listen to reason.”

Anger shot through her and she placed her near empty cup on the floor. “Reason being?”

“I’m not going to rehash old ground,” he said, leaning back in his corner of the sofa and spreading his arms across the top, looking way too confident. “You know my offer is fair, considering the council can kick you out of here once the lease is up and you’ll be left with nothing.”

“How about I kick you out of here right now?” She leaned closer, refraining from jabbing him in the chest at the last second. “Or better yet, you finally get the message that I’m not interested in anything you have to offer, ever, and walk on out of here of your own accord?”

“You’re lying.” His eyes darkened to midnight as he sat forward and lowered his arms. “I think you’re very interested in what I have to offer.”

Her heart thudded at his loaded response, at his nearness. He smelt so good, an intoxicating blend of sandalwood and something lighter that evoked a powerful response in her. She loved scents: fresh flowers, aromatherapy oils, rain on freshly cut grass, but none of her favourite smells came close to Cooper’s heady scent.

Damn him, he knew how he affected her and he was rubbing her nose in it.

She’d show him.

“You’re delusional.” She waved her hand as if shooing a fly. “And if you’re trying to imply there’s something behind our occasional flirting, forget it. We both know you’re slumming it for a while, getting to know how the other half live.”

His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed, and tension radiated off him in palpable waves. She moved in for the kill. If what she said next didn’t get him out of her life once and for all, nothing would.

“Don’t worry, I’m a big girl, I can take it. You spend time with the eccentric artist, flirt a little, soften her up, get her to buy into your crazy scheme. I get it. It’s the way you do business. Take no prisoners, tell no lies, and all that crap.” She shrugged, pretending like she didn’t care, while her chest tightened with regret. “Hey, no hard feelings.”

Though he’d been right to accuse her of lying. At least about the feelings part. She had feelings and plenty of them. Sadly, she couldn’t do anything about them. Her life was complicated enough without letting her erratic emotions join the party.

“Are you finished?” He said, his tone low, menacing.

“Actually, I haven’t. I also think you’re snobby, condescending, cocky, and—”

His lips crushed hers into silence and she gasped in shock, realising a second too late that opening her mouth might be construed as an invitation.

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