Page 25 of Broken Rules

“Mr.Landry?”A voice rang out in the hall left me pulling my hand back like her skin burned.“Mr.Landry?I saw him come in…”

“In here,” I called out, my spirits sinking as Summer’s soared.Turning my head toward the door, I added, “Be right with you.”

“Let me treat you to dinner,” she offered, bubbling over with enthusiasm before pulling herself up short.“Oh.I have work to do tonight.I can order food to the apartment, and Claudia will be out, so we can talk shop without being interrupted.Please, say yes.”

Looking into those big, hope-filled eyes, how could I say no?

I couldn’t any more than I could keep from hating myself when I nodded my agreement.Tonight.I’d tell her tonight about Dad’s caveats, and we’d find a way to work around them.

We had to because I couldn’t stand the thought of crushing her.

10

SUMMER

Ibarely recognized myself.

Flying around the apartment, putting last-minute touches on everything I had arranged.Foil containers sat in a warm oven, sending the aroma of grilled chicken and roasted vegetables wafting my way as I uncorked a bottle of ice-cold chardonnay before adjusting a few of the items on the crudités platter I’d thrown together.The rest of the counter was devoted to plans—my laptop sat open, a revised shooting schedule on display, photos of shooting locations, and various corresponding pages from the script attached to them.I’d made some small tweaks, all of which emerged from the footage I’d seen earlier.

The footage.The rough cut.My whole body tingled at the memory of viewing it earlier.The thrill.It confirmed what I had known from the beginning—this was a special project, and we had something important on our hands.

My hands trembled a little, running through my hair as I passed a mirror near the front door.Okay, so maybe I had put a little extra effort into my appearance tonight, adding a little makeup, spritzing on a bit of perfume.Not that I was trying to seduce him or anything, but I couldn’t seem to shake the impulse to impress him.What was it that had me so conflicted?Yes, I had always wanted him, something that got harder to deny as days turned into weeks, but nothing had changed.All of the reasons for resisting were still firmly in place.

My weakening resolve was the problem.

That and the way my heart leaped when the doorbell rang.I’d texted him earlier, inviting him to come by around eight o’clock.Claudia had left to visit her family a few hours ago, giving me time to get everything set up without being questioned.

Get it together.This is a working dinner.A working dinner I was already starting to regret as anticipation made my pulse race when I opened the door to reveal Lex with a bouquet in hand.“These are for you,” he offered with a faint smile, handing the flowers over for me to admire.

“Thank you so much.Come on in.”Lord, this was awkward.We were hardly strangers.This was not a date.He hadn’t even changed from the crisp shirt and slacks he’d worn earlier today.I needed to get the fluttery feeling out of my system before this went completely off the rails.

“Smells good in here.I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble.”He said all the right words, but there was something wrong with his tone as he stopped in front of the counter, gazing down at what I’d laid out.

“Everything all right?”I asked as I filled a vase with water and placed the bouquet of daisies, mums, and roses inside.

“Oh, fine.”Right.That was believable.

With suspicion beginning to build, I replied, “Well, I hope you’re hungry.I ordered enough for an army.”

“Can we hold off on the food for a second?”he suggested, glancing up from the location photos.“I was hoping we could catch up on some feedback I received today.”

Just like that, any appetite I might have possessed became a thing of the past.“Is that what the flowers are really about?A peace offering?”I asked.I couldn’t help the growing dread and what it did to me, stirring disappointment in my heart before he had a chance to say another word.It all made sense now.As happy as I was, I hadn’t really noticed earlier, but he looked pretty distraught when he found me in my office.

“Do you always have to jump to that?”he demanded, throwing his hands into the air.“Always so combative.We are on the same side.”

“Right, and you’re buttering me up, getting me ready for disappointment.I would much rather you just come out with it.”Instead of taking the pans from the oven like I had planned, I rounded the counter, facing him with my hands on my hips.“What is it you have to say?Get it over with.”

“Don’t order me around,” he warned, his jaw tightening.“I’m not a member of your crew, remember?”

“Well then, don’t treat me like I’m an idiot who can be placated with a bouquet of flowers and dinner.”

“Youinvitedmefor dinner!”he reminded me.

Right.I had.“Whatever,” I snapped.“Get it over with.I know you’ve been dying to.”

He took in a breath, and I braced myself, waiting for the inevitable.I should’ve known this was coming.Yet once his gaze landed on my mouth and stirred a dozen needful thoughts, I found myself trying to remember what we were talking about in the first place.“It’s nothing we can’t handle,” he whispered, his breathing more strained than before, his body almost trembling.With rage?Or something else?“We can work around it.It doesn’t have to get in the way of anything.”

I had to wonder what he was talking about.The feedback or the energy crackling between us.Why was it always like this?How was I supposed to resist?“Well?”I challenged, breathing hard and trying not to.I had to be strong.I owed it to myself.“Do it, already.Do what you came here to do.”

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