Page 15 of So Wrong It Must Be Right

He didn’t think about yanking her hands free, or nuzzling his mouth at the scoop of her shirt’s neckline. Not at all.

“I’m not taking it back.”

Carter shrugged, crumpled the piece of paper into a little ball, and tossed it at her feet. Being an asshole was his only fight against this stupid lust-fog she’d covered him with. “There is no way, under any circumstances, I sell to anyone—but most especially Gallagher. End of story.”

She straightened her shoulders, fixing him with a determined gaze, the green of her hazel eyes seeming to blaze a little brighter.

“Everyone has a breaking point,” she said, but it was no simple statement. That was a threat.

“I don’t.” He’d seen too many people’s breaking points, and what brokeafterthe fact. It wouldn’t be him.

When a throat cleared, and it was neither his nor Dinah’s, Carter was finally jerked out of whatever odd spell she had him under.

Jordan, his friend and the charter school science teacher who had a small group of children in uniforms behind him, was grinning at him from the other side of the gate. “Sorry to interrupt. But we have a field trip scheduled.”

“Yes, Ms. Gallagher was just leaving.”

Dinah lifted her chin slightly and gave the group a charming smile. “A field trip? You know, if you’re looking for more opportunities in this area, Gallagher’s Tap Room would always love to offer you a tour.” She pulled a card from her sleek purse and handed it to Jordan.

Jordan, bless him, didn’t take it. “As much as that would be very educational for our students, I’m not sure a tap room is the appropriate place for a middle school class. But thanks for the offer.”

Dinah didn’t wilt or frown or do anything to show that she’d just been denied. Her smile was frozen on her face, and Carter figured that was the extent of her reaction to rejection. To freeze. To pretend as though nothing had reached her.

He really hated that she could do that.

“Well, I’ll leave you to your field trip then. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I’ll see you again soon, Mr. Trask.”

“No, you won’t.” But she was walking away with a little wave, as though she hadn’t heard him. Well, he supposed that shehadheard him, but she wasn’t going to listen.

“Don’t tell me Gallagher’s is trying to ruin more of the city.”

Carter grimaced at Jordan as the kids filed into the yard. He didn’tquiteagree with Jordan’s assumption that Gallagher’s wasruininganything. It couldn’t be bad for the neighborhood to have some history, some restaurants that did well and brought in money.

But then again, Gallagher’s was also the group trying to pave over his heart. What the hell was he doing trying to defend the devil?

“She’s hot though.”

Carter shook his head. “Don’t we have kids to teach?” He nodded at the group of chattering school kids.

Jordan laughed, but he dropped the subject, leading the kids back to the shed where Carter would go through his presentation about the tools used to plant and harvest his crops. But he couldn’t resist one last glimpse back to where Gallagher’s loomed like the intimidating beast that it was.

Everyone has a breaking point.

She was probably right, but he’d be damned if she’d ever find his.

Chapter 5

“Dinah, come on. You’ve got to let this go.”

Dinah looked up from her phone as Kayla slid into the booth across from her.

Five days of near constant obsessing about Carter Trask and she was no closer to new ideas for how to obtain his land, no new plans, and just a few too many fantasies about showing up at his doorstep again—very much as D. No Dinah Gallagher to be found.

“If you hadn’t been late, I wouldn’t have been sitting here with only my phone for company.” Dinah forced herself to smile. “Girls’ night begins now.” Of course, as she slid her phone off the table and into her purse, shemighthave left the screen faceup on the off chance Kayla was distracted by something and she could finish her ten millionth Internet search on Carter Trask.

“Look, I know this is really important to you . . .” Kayla looked pained and let out a gusty breath. “But maybe it’s time we accept the reality of the situation.”

“What reality?” Dinah returned, frowning at her cousin.

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