Page 58 of Kiss Me

“You saw as well as I did how she kept sneaking looks at him whenever you two went to the dining room.”

“Yes, of course I noticed. What I have a problem with is that you went behind my back to orchestrate they’re getting together.I spend most of the year working with coaches, trainers, my dad, and a slew of people who want to make decisions for me. Often without asking me directly.

“The last thing I want is to be in a relationship with someone who does it. Exactly like you blackmailed me into even being with you in the first place.”

“I told you from the beginning I’m a man who does whatever it takes to get what I want.”

“And that’s supposed to make it okay?” She throws her arms out to her side, exasperated.

“No,” I admit. “It doesn’t make it right, but it’s how I am.” I’m on the verge of telling her that I won’t apologize for it, but I stop myself.

I don’t like this gulf that’s growing between us, and it feels as if I say those words to her, I’ll only widen the distance.

She turns away from me and I can’t stand that. I move in front of her, taking her hands into mine. I’m not about to let her get away.

“I know your assistant’s upset. And yes, I am sorry about that. It was never my intention for her to get hurt. All I wanted was for alone time with you, so yeah, I aided in pushing two people who wanted to be together anyway.

“Did you see the way Keith ran out of here, after her?”

“Yes.”

“He obviously likes her. A lot. Whatever is happening between them is serious.”

“How do you know that?” she questions.

“Because I know what it means when someone looks at her the way he does.”

Her eyes meet mine, finally. The anger burning in them eases. She’s starting to see my reasoning.

“I don’t know all about this Christmas miracle stuff you seem to believe in, but I’m starting to believe there might be sometruth to it. And if I, of all people, can start to believe, then I have to also believe there’s hope for your assistant. Whatever her deal is with Keith.

“Let them work it out. Meanwhile, you can bring your ass back to my cabin so we can watch those not-Christmas movies.”

She punches my shoulder. “They are Christmas movies.”

“If you say so.” I snort.

Tania’s gaze moves to the bedroom door before she pushes out a sigh. “I believe you didn’t mean to hurt Liza.”

Her eyes meet mine, and I see the sincerity in them.

It shouldn't mean as much to me that she believes me. But it does. It means a hell of a lot that she takes me at my word.

“One more question, though. And you have to be completely honest.”

I narrow my gaze. “What is it?”

“Aside from literally blackmailing me and paying off a waiter, who’s not really a waiter, to hang out with my assistant, is there anything else you did to keep me all to yourself?”

Yeah, only obsessed over you for weeks after the first time you turned me down.

I don’t tell her that though, because … well, it’s not like I acted on that obsession at the time. I made myself forget about Tania Casey and her rejection, like it never happened.

But when I laid eyes again on her here at the resort, I knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to get what I want from her.

“Yes,” I confess.

She raises an eyebrow. “Well?”

---