She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Michael. I just don’t want to cause you problems.”
“That’s ironic coming from you,” he snapped.
Something flashed in her eyes, but she didn’t respond.
“Teri is the only family I have left. If you choose to believe anything, believe this—I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”
He’d been eighteen and Teri just ten when their parents died. But they’d pulled together and moved forward. And that’s the way they would make this project an unqualified success.
Geneva worried her lip between her teeth as she studied him. “Michael, clearly this has been in the works for a while. Why didn’t you mention this to me that day in your office?”
He shrugged. “I had other things on my mind.”
No way would he tell her that seeing her again and acting as if he felt nothing had taken all of his concentration. Everything else had slipped his mind.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “The bottom line is that I need to presell forty percent of the high-rise units to secure the last of the financing before we break ground. We’ll leave no stone unturned and take advantage of the press, publicity and media exposure wherever we can find it. You’re part of that whether you like it or not.”
“And if I refuse you’ll fire me?”
“That’s not the kind of publicity I’m after.” Was she hoping he’d let her go? Put distance between them? Bailing out was what she did best, but he wouldn’t let her get away with it this time. The project was the highest profile development he’d ever done and he was dedicating it to his parents. He’d do whatever was necessary to make it happen, including using her. “Look at it this way. You owe me, Geneva.”
She stared at him for several moments, doubts swirling in her eyes. The uncertainty was still there when she nodded and said, “Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“Maybe there really is something I can do to help you get what you want and make up for what I did. I’m willing to take a chance. Because, God knows you have your faults, Michael. A good many of them. As do I. But you’d never do anything to hurt your sister. Not even for business.”
That was true. If Teri had the slightest doubt about this aspect of the marketing plan, he’d find another angle for the media attention.
“Then we have a deal.”
“We do. And for now I’ll assume you’re not trying to lull me into a false sense of security, then—” She drew her hand across her neck, miming slitting her throat.
Get her? A shaft of heat lasered through him and again he did his best to ignore it. He straightened and looked down at her. “To still be angry enough to get even with you over what happened a year ago requires a great deal of energy and passion. I’ve focused both on opening Sullivan Towers.”
“You’ve made that abundantly clear.”
“Good.” And speaking of passion, it was time to put his back to work before he forgot to forget and remembered to remember everything about her. He walked toward the door and said, “I’ll be in touch.”
Touch.
Like the exquisite sensation of her bare skin beneath his hands, her lips responding to his own. Those memories gave a whole new meaning to the words I’ll be in touch.
His intense reaction irritated the hell out of him. He didn’t want to want her, but that made no difference to his testosterone. And with so much at stake, he couldn’t afford any weakness.
He didn’t have to like the idea of working with her, but he wouldn’t let her become a distraction. Since he didn’t have a choice, he’d make the most of a bad situation. He’d make sure his sister had the best and if that meant hiring Geneva as the wedding planner and watching her every step of the way, he’d do it. That would never make up for Teri not having her father and mother there to give her away, but Michael intended to create a wedding day she would never forget. And he wasn’t above using the situation to his advantage. Since a year without Geneva hadn’t taken the edge off his attraction, perhaps overexposure would do the trick. Might be just what he needed to get her out of his system.
The best part was that she wouldn’t like it.
CHAPTER TWO
“HI, TERI.” Geneva cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder, then swiveled her office chair around to look out the window. “Thanks for calling me back.”
She still couldn’t believe she’d actually agreed to plan this wedding. Although agreed was stretching reality. She’d been backed into a corner—damned if she did, damned if she didn’t. Refusing would have the same results as walking out—breach of contract and goodbye career. Still, Michael had all but said this would help him and somehow that made it different. The man she remembered hadn’t needed her. Which made her wonder if Michael had something up his sleeve besides a very muscular arm.
“Your message said you wanted to discuss wedding plans.” Teri Sullivan’s voice was cool, but that was to be expected.
Michael’s sister was a beautiful brunette, tall, slim, dark-eyed. Her fiancé, Geneva had learned, was Michael’s best friend Dexter Smith, a good-looking geek and chief numbers cruncher for Sullivan, Inc. They’d looked especially spectacular a year ago in their maid of honor and best man ensembles. And both of them loved Michael. Working with them wouldn’t be easy. Which might be what Michael wanted. Whoever said payback was a bitch hadn’t exaggerated.
Geneva let out a long breath. “I wanted to talk to you because we have to start making decisions.”
“Like what?”
“For starters, you should be shopping for a dress. I can recommend some designers who will bring sketches to you.”
“That would be great.”
“Next on the list would be the location. We need to find a place you love that can also accommodate your guest list.”
Big sigh on the other end of the phone. “I don’t have time for that.”
Teri worked with Dex in the financial end of the corporation and chances were good that the two were deeply involved in securing the necessary funding for Sullivan Towers.
“If you’d like, I can look and gather information, then report back to you.”
“Again, great.”
“Okay. Good. I’ll take care of all the details. I want to assure you that the wedding will be perfect.”
“I have no doubt.” There was steel and sarcasm in her voice. “You owe Michael.”
He’d told Geneva the same thing. And he was right. “I’m aware of the debt.”
“I’m not talking financially,” Teri added. “Dex told me about the check you sent to reimburse my brother for the wedding costs. What’s that about?”
“It was the right thing.” Michael knew all about doing the right thing. She swiveled around, saw Michael standing in the doorway and dropped the phone. “Good grief.”
“What’s the right thing?” he asked.
“That would be you wearing a bell around your neck,” she said as she repositioned the receiver.
“For the wedding?” Teri sounded surprised.
“No. The fashion police would be all over that. I was talking to your brother. He sneaked up on me.”
And it was becoming an annoying habit. Every day he dropped in and lounged in her doorway—early morning, just before quitting time, or, like