Page 30 of Hate On
It wasn’t that the Montrose family didn’t have their tech arm. They certainly did and it was more adequate. But there wasadequate…and there was stellar. Templeton’s tech was stellar and the Castles chased after them with determination, anxious to draw even.
Maybe they already had an idea what the prototype would have been capable of and the results had been of little surprise to them.
The door opened and he glanced toward it, mostly out of habit than with the expectation of seeing her, but a rush of heated surprise and warmth rolled through him as Julianna came striding inside.
She was early.
* * *
He caughtup with her as she was studying an assortment of pendants his family’s designers had put out for Valentine’s Day.
A faint smile curled her lips and he wondered which one had caught her eye.
“Like what you see?” he asked, coming to a stop at her shoulder.
She glanced over at him. “They’re all quite lovely. Your design team is quite talented.”
“We think so.”
She bent over the case, a low hum of appreciation escaping her throat. “If only my father wouldn’t have a fit at the idea of buying from the competition, I’d suggest he buy this piece for my mother for Valentine’s Day. It’s gorgeous.”
She straightened and met his eyes levelly, a faint smile on her lips.
“I’m sure your father has plenty of pieces to choose from at Castle,” he replied.
“Yes.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “He’s always giving her jewelry. But you know, unless Mom has a function to attend, she rarely wears any of it. She has this one piece she got from him early in their relationship and it’s her favorite piece—she’d wear that and her wedding ring to everything if Dad didn’t nag her.”
It was odd to hear her talk about her parents, he mused. Odder still that he didn’t mind listening. To think of the Castles as people rather than just the competition.
When had that happened?
His musings were cut short as she lifted a chrome briefcase and laid it on the counter. “Here you go. Delivered as promised…even a bit early.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the discretion.” He laid a hand on the chrome case, glad he wasn’t receiving it in a yellow padded mailer she pulled from her purse.
She cocked a brow at him. “Thank Templeton. This was the way I received the item.”
The way I received the item…
Roman’s jaw dropped.
The way I received…
His mind raced, flashing to the padded mailer he’d received from the professional his team had hired to lift from her purse the night they went out to dinner.
The man sure ashellhadn’t taken it from a chrome briefcase.
Son of a bitch.
“It’s business, Roman,” she said softly, as if she was following his every thought.
And he suspected she was.
Meeting her eyes, he saw the acknowledgment.
“When it’s business, the gloves come off,” she added, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. Then she offered him another smile, softer, sadder. “It was fun, you know. If you ever want to hook up again, call me.”
She turned on one stiletto heel and strode out while he was still struggling to process what she’d just said.It was fun.