Gina recalled Wade’s instructions and wondered at her sanity. She would never have taken this job if the compensation hadn’t been so tempting. She had debtors knocking on her door and that big bonus Wade had offered would surely keep them happy for a while.
She’d changed her clothes three times before settling on a pair of white slacks and a soft-pink knit top. She brought the whole outfit together with a matching short sweater. Comfortable, but still a professional enough look for a woman about to embark on a new job with an old lover.
Gina shook her head. She still had trouble believing she would be working with Wade Beaumont after all these years. He resented her. She’d seen it in his eyes each time he glanced at her. No amount of Beaumont charm could conceal that look.
Gina lifted her briefcase filled with documents that Wade had asked her to review this afternoon. She glanced around the tiny guest apartment she lived in behind the large Spanish-style house in the Hollywood Hills. Once Wade saw where and how she lived, he would realize how desperate she’d been for this job. It was a tidy place with three rooms: a small cozy living space with one sofa, a kitchen that amounted to one wall of the living room with a range, a refrigerator and a café table for two, and a bedroom beyond that.
Her apartment suited her needs. She’d had to downsize everything in her life since Mike Bailey had betrayed her. They’d dreamed the same dreams, or so she had thought, and had gone into partnership together. The day GiGi Designs was born was the happiest day in Gina’s life. The day she found out he’d absconded with all of her money and designs only compared with the day she’d had to leave El Paso and Wade Beaumont forever. She’d been heartbroken on both accounts.
Gina sighed and walked out the door, deciding to meet Wade out front. Not a minute later, he drove up in a shining black Lexus convertible. She watched him get out and approach her, his eyes focused on her clothes and she wondered if he approved of her choice of attire. Though not one of her original designs, she always chose her outfits carefully. When the door of the main house slammed, Gina turned her head to find the owner locking up.
“Hey there, Gina. Are you going out?” Marcus’s eyes narrowed on Wade and she couldn’t help but laugh. Her handsome fifty-something landlord was always watching out for her.
“Yes, but it’s business. I have a new job.”
“Ah. Well then, good luck.” He headed for his car in the driveway.
“Ciao, Marcus. See you tomorrow.”
When Gina turned back around, Wade’s intense-green eyes burned into hers. “Do you live with him?”
Gina blinked away her anger. Wade had no right to ask her personal questions. She wondered why it mattered, anyway. He had nothing but contempt for her. “No. I don’t live with him. I live in the guesthouse in the back.”
Wade’s mouth twitched. “How convenient.” He put his hand to her lower back and ushered her inside his car. She took her seat and adjusted the seatbelt as Wade started the ignition. He took one last look at the house and gunned the engine. They drove in silence for a while, until he asked, “Is that guy married?”
Gina leaned her head back against the seat and smiled inwardly. Marcus and Delia had the kind of marriage her parent’s had had. That kind of love and commitment was rare and it saddened Gina to think that her parents’ love had been cut short by a freakish accident. “Yes, happily.”
“He’s your landlord?”
“My landlord and a very dear friend.”
Wade shot her another glance, this time with a dubious look in his eyes. Gina let the subject drop and stared out the window, her eyes focused on the mountain on one side of the road rather than the blue ocean waters on the other. As Wade drove down Pacific Coast Highway, the wind blew her long hair out of its tight knot.
Ten minutes later and completely wind-blown, Gina was pinning her hair back up, noting Wade’s eyes on her as he killed the engine. She marveled at the impressive two-story house that sat on a strip of beach in the Malibu Colony. Wade hopped out of the car and came around to open her door. She stood and looked around for a moment, her gaze traveling past the house to the surging surf and then beyond to the stunning western horizon. “All of this is yours?”
Wade grabbed her briefcase from the car then nodded, staring directly into her eyes. “It’s mine.” She shivered from the cold assessing look he cast her; a look that said, “It could have been yours, too.”
Or maybe Gina had imagined that. It had been nine long years and surely Wade hadn’t brooded over her too long. Handsome and successful, Wade wouldn’t have to look far for female companionship. He had all the markings of a man used to getting his way with women and with life in general.
Gina followed Wade through the front door and into a large vestibule. From there it seemed that she could almost touch the pounding surf as the shore came into view with brilliant clarity through enormous windows. “Take a look around,” he said without ceremony. “I’m going up to take a quick shower.”
Gina watched him toss both of their briefcases down onto a soft moss-green L-shaped sofa before disappearing up a winding staircase. She felt safest standing there waiting in the safety of the living room, but curiosity forced her to walk through the French doors that led onto a sweeping veranda overlooking the ocean. Wade seemed to have all things necessary for the life of a single man; a hot tub surrounded by a cocktail bar sat in one corner of the deck while a fire pit took up the other corner. In the middle of the deck, patio tables and chairs were arranged to enjoy the view of waves crashing into the sand.
Gina walked to the wooden railing and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath she tried to calm her jittery nerves, but the combination of deep waters and Wade was too much for her.
Wade approached with two glasses of white wine. He handed her one. “To unwind.”
Gina accepted the glass, grateful for the fortitude, and both of them stood leaning on the railing, gazing out. “It looks peaceful here.”
Wade sipped his wine. “Looks can be deceiving.”
That’s exactly what Gina thought, but she was thinking of the deceptive calm of the uncompromising sea. She was certain Wade meant something altogether different.
Rather than stare at the ocean, she shifted slightly so that she could consider Wade Beaumont. His dark hair, still damp from the shower, was slicked back and tiny drops of water glistened on his neck. Late afternoon sunlight revealed a gleam in his eyes and highlighted high cheekbones leading to a beautiful mouth and the masculine line of his jaw. He had changed into a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a black polo shirt. Tan and trim with broad shoulders, his shirt couldn’t hide the strength of his powerfully built chest.
Now, as in the past, Gina had trouble keeping her eyes off of Wade. He affected her like no other man ever had. Her heart pumped twice as hard when he looked at her and an unwelcome tremble stirred her body when he came near. In those clothes, he reminded her of the man she’d once known during a time in her life when she could enjoy carefree days and hot summer nights.
Gina took small sips of her wine. She wasn’t much of a drinker and needed to remain in control. She couldn’t afford any more slipups.
“Only one more sip,” she said, “or my head won’t be clear for business.” Gina set the glass down on the table. Turning to Wade, she hoped that he would take the hint and lead her back inside so that they could begin their work together. She needed to prove herself on this job and, more importantly, she needed to keep her mind on business and not the glowing attributes of her new boss.
Wade didn’t move from his stance by the railing. He shook his head, his eyes fixed on hers. “Sorry, Gina,” he said, looking anything but sorry. “I can’t work with you.”
I can’t work with you.
Gina blinked as Wade’s words sunk in. A rapid shot of dread coursed through her system. She’d begun