Page 53 of Snow

Nova forced a polite smile, but every instinct she possessed recoiled at his words.

Maybe Brett had intended the comment to sound reassuring, but paired with the way he had been staring at her, it landed more like a warning.

She had spent the last few years negotiating with high-profile people who believed they were the smartest ones in every room. She had learned to trust the quiet voice in her head that whispered when someone’s words and intentions didn’t match. That voice was practically yelling now.

Brett shifted his attention to Clint as though Nova no longer existed.

“What do you need?” he asked casually.

Clint glanced between them before answering. “The reports you asked for from corporate came in. I thought you’d want to look them over before the guys start connecting the piping tomorrow morning.”

Brett gave a single nod. “Yeah. I’ve been waiting on those. We can discuss it in my office.”

He started toward the nearby unmarked door, then paused just long enough to glance back at Nova.

“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Hart. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other.”

The smile that accompanied the remark was predatory.

Then he took a regular key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. It closed behind them with a solid click.

Nova remained rooted where she was for another heartbeat, staring at the unmarked door. So that’s Brett’s office.

She suddenly had no desire to linger in that space near those two men. And what really pissed her off was that she lost her appetite and ended up tossing the half-eaten cup of ice cream in the trash.

Turning on her heel, she headed back toward the stairwell, took two flights down to the kitchen level, and then walked to the other side of the building to the stairs that would take her back up to her and Snow’s room.

◆◆◆

“Wait, so you’re saying you and Nova are sharing a room?” Joker asked.

Snow leaned back in the chair, the tablet propped up on the desk against the wall. He smirked. “Yup.”

Bear’s massive frame filled most of his screen, his eyebrows practically disappearing into his hairline. “How does she feel about that?”

“She seems okay with it.” Snow kept his voice casual, but in his head he was laughing-remembering Nova’s dead-serious delivery of her roommate rules. “Though she did lay down some ‘roommate’ rules.”

There was a moment of silence before every screen exploded with laughter.

Snow couldn’t help smiling. “Actually, they’re pretty reasonable.”

“He’s defending the rules already,” Nails groaned dramatically. “Boys, we’ve lost him.”

There was more laughter, then Aussie spoke up. “So let me get this straight. Out of that entire rig, they gave you two a room to share?”

Snow nodded once. “They said it was because the other rooms aren’t finished yet.”

“Yeah, I call bullshit,” Joker stated.

“Nova and I both said the same thing.”

Nails then smirked. “So, you guys have the honeymoon suite. One or two beds?”

Snow groan. “Jesus Christ. I’m hanging up.”

“I’m calling it now,” Duke chimed in.

Snow sighed. “Calling what?”