Page 8 of Privileged Love: A BWWM Romance

“What my dislike of the man?”

"No, your attraction to the man. It caught you off guard is all. Admit it, Harper."

“I will not.”

“Pretty please…” She is singing please and Soul Train dancing on my last nerve. “Tell me the truth.”

“I can’t and I won’t.”

“But if you could?” Her eyebrows are wiggling.

I can’t tell her this underlying rage is steeped in desire. My heart racing, blood pumping, hands sweating, and all for a man. I have to see Liam as another frog, the froggiest of frogs, not acceptable for my pond, much too slimy to touch. Even if the man is absolutely yummy.

“I don’t know why I came over here.”

“Because your hormones got the best of you and he pushed your buttons.”

"No, because I tanked the meeting and we won't get the lease, and you have to help me fix it."

"I'll help if you tell me the truth." She leans forward and pinches her fingers together so small I can barely see the space between them. "You like him, like this much. Don't you?"

"How can I like him? He made me this nasty, foul-mouthed woman."

“But…in your defense, you stood up for yourself and your friends.”

“I did.” I didn’t think about it like that.

"Harper, it was your first time giving a presentation. You went alone, and he threw you off by his killer looks."

“I didn’t say—”

“You don’t have to, I know these things.” Charlee places the popcorn bowl aside. “So, after all of this shouting what did he say?”

"He asked me to marry him," I mumble.

"What?" Her eyes widen, and she's squealing and kicking her legs around. "You went from kissing toads to kissing billionaires. Oh, I have got to see this man.”

“No, no, no. And who said anything about kissing?” I see this baby running out of control the moment she jumps up and heads to her bedroom. “Where are you going?”

"To change clothes. We're going back to WEJ, and I'm gonna to meet…your future baby daaaadddddyyyyyy." She's dancing into her bedroom, and I'm mortified. We cannot go back to Liam's office. I mumbled like an idiot and cursed like a drunken sailor. He turned me inside out while his handsome face appeared to bask in my uncomfortable state.

Liam brought out a side of me I didn't know existed. I sit back on the couch. I have to get out of going. I can't let Charlee go back, and I can't tell Hunter I failed. And I surely can't tell my Dad I called his golf partner a jackass. So much for turning my life around. I sigh, dropping my head against the cushion.

I search the ceiling, roaming until my eyes settle on the pictures from our last vacation. We had a great time in the Bahamas. I take a deep breath.

It’s time to get real, Harper. Is Charlee right? Am I attracted to Liam?

Yes! The inner me is back to its frazzled state just thinking about the man. But finding an attractive man isn't my issue, finding a man open to love and ultimately marriage is. So, I can't let his dreamy eyes kill my chance at owning my role in Platinum Prestige.

Liam had me tongue-tied, and his outright dismissal hurt my feelings. They ask me to do one thing, and I tanked. Maybe I'm not cut out for business either. Then something Liam said comes to mind, You don’t make a billion dollars from nothing without being an ass Miss Price.

I don't want to be an ass, but it felt good to stand toe-to-toe with him. To not be run over. Yes, I fumbled, but my father always says, "The first no is merely an opportunity to re-saddle and ride it again."

I always thought of it as cowboy logic. But today, it makes total sense. This was no different than getting tossed off a horse. In which case, I’d stand up, dust myself off and get right back on.

This is my chance to show myself I’m a real partner in Platinum Prestige and not just because Hunter is my friend. I sit up. It’s time I get back on the horse.

“Charlee, I’ll see you at S&J.” I grab my purse.

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