Page 23 of Restrained

She shrugs. “Not if you know my father.”

Daddy issues again. “I don’t.”

“You seem to know of me. My family.”

I’m going to give too much away. “I started my business in Kansas City. Everyone knows of the Sterlings there.”

She looks surprised, her pretty eyes shining with so many questions. “You’re from Kansas City?”

She’s going to find me out. It has to be obvious to her now. Of course, would it be so bad? Yeah. Maybe.“Yes.”

“I don’t remember a prominent West family there. We’re close to the same age. How didn’t we go to the same school?”

She thinks I grew up like she did. Privileged. Going to private schools.

“It’s a big city.”

She’s eyeing me with suspicion but seems to think better of calling me out. “I suppose it is. How did you end up here?”

“College.”

She nods her head, accepting my answer that, for the record, is not a lie. I worked my ass off and had a full ride to Stanford.

“No desk. No television in the bedroom, but a red chair in the corner.”

I turn to look at the bare corner and nod my head. “Yes.”

“Progress.”

“I like it.”

“Still hate me?”

My eyes can’t seem to look away from her plump lip after her question.

“I hate everything.”

Her lips turn up into another smile, and it’s knowing.

Because I don’t hate her. Not even a little.

12

LOLA

We should go back to hating each other. That’s less dangerous. I definitely hate how unbelievably gorgeous he is when he smiles.

I hate his laugh.

I hate that he told me something real.

And most of all... I hate how little I hate all of that.

He is beyond infuriating. Set in his ways and so incredibly frustrating, but there’s a vulnerability to him that makes me want to know everything about him.

At hotel number three, we go with the exact plan already set at the other two but add a couple of things to all three.

He’s right. Going to the building sites has helped me see his vision.

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