Page 11 of Mr. Blackwood

“Creed, stop by that little spot that was opened up last month.”

“Yes, sir.”

My phone rang, and I held up a finger to stop her questions.

“Ms. Valentine, please enjoy your drink while I take this call.” She eyed her drink suspiciously but took a sip as I answered the call.

I listened as Elian gave me an update on the takeover that was in progress. We were almost finished with it, and I felt like I could breathe a little easier. Another domino had fallen, and I could sweep it up into my empire.

We spent the rest of the ride with me on the phone, and I ended the call as we stepped into the Caribbean restaurant. She looked around with bright, interested eyes, but she didn’t speak another word until we were seated at a table and had ordered from the menu.

“Why didn’t you tell me you owned the building that I worked in?”

“How are you and your staff settling in?” I asked rather than answering her question.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you owned the place?” she repeated.

“What difference would it have made?”

“A huge difference.”

“How?” I challenged.

She rolled her eyes. “Let’s just say that how I responded to you would have been very different had I known you were my landlord.”

“It shouldn’t matter. You should treat everyone with the same amount of dignity and respect.”

“You mean the way you did me?”

“You were trespassing.”

“Yeah, whatever. Do you always manipulate situations to your will?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” I thought about how I had caused the car service to cancel on her, but I was sure she didn’t know about that.

“How you were supposed to be taking me home, and yet, here we are at a restaurant of your choosing, having a dinner that I didn’t ask for, with a man who has treated me rudely.”

“You need to eat. You spend so much time at the office, and I just wanted to make sure that you didn’t go home, go to sleep, and then get up to do it all over again without fueling your body.”

“Why are you worried about my body?”

“Let’s just say that I have a vested interest in your body.”

“Why?”

“I’m interested in you, Camilla. I find you attractive, and I want to get to know you better.”

“Is that all?” Her tone of voice was a bit sassy, but I felt that I was breaking her walls down.

“I think that if you were to let your guard down just a little bit and get to know me, you might find someone you genuinely like underneath.”

“Is that what you think?”

“I do. Now, will you go out with me?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll have to think about it. I don’t like mysteries. I’m an open book, and I believe the men I’m dating should be too.”

That was unfortunate, because I wasn’t an open book, neither would I ever be.