Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)(6)
Boone West was still the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.
Snap out of it. You aren’t a dreamy-eyed girl. You are a busy, professional woman and he does not have an appointment or the right to waste your time.
I forced my gaze to Nikki, who was openly gawking at Boone’s ass.
She offered me a sorry-not-sorry smirk. “Buzz me if you need anything.”
“You can leave the door open, Nikki. He’s leaving. Immediately.”
“No, Hi, Boone, how are you today? No, I’m sorry I ditched your calls when I was in Wyoming because I pulled a muscle in my phone-dialing finger? Just, He’s leaving. Immediately?”
My mouth dropped open. “You remember that conversation?”
“I remember everything that happened between us, Sierra. Everything.”
“Then you’ll remember why I have nothing to say to you and why I’m telling you to get out of my office.”
Boone shook his head at me. “I’m not leaving until I get what I came for.”
Pushy bastard. “How about I give you what you deserve instead?”
“Which is what?”
“A swift kick in the balls.”
He grinned. “Luckily I wore a cup. Just in case.”
“Bully for you. Go away, Boone.”
“Nope. We have unfinished business.”
“Wrong. We were finished the moment you got on your bike and left me and the state of Wyoming behind. Since seven years have gone by, we’re past the legally recognized statute of limitations for immoral acts and criminal behavior—not that being a selfish, lying asshat is against the law. So if it’ll speed things up and send you on your way, I’ll accept your apology even when it’s years late.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’m not here to apologize.”
“Of course you’re not.” I pointed to the door. “Please let it hit you in the ass on your way out.” I returned my focus to my monitor, dismissing him completely.
Five seconds later he slapped his big hands on my desk.
I jumped.
Boone peered over the edge of my computer screen. “Your reflexes are good. So how are you feeling? Any lingering issues from the strep virus?”
“You came all the way to Phoenix for a house call?”
“Not hardly.”
“Then why are you here? I doubt the army just lets you flit around from place to place whenever the mood strikes you.” Dammit. You were supposed to act uninterested.
He smirked because he knew he’d hooked me. “I’m glad you asked. I’m here on leave for two weeks. I intended to tell you in Wyoming that I was already scheduled to be in Phoenix directly after my stint in Sundance.”
Do not react. “And this affects me…how?”
Boone’s intense gaze encompassed my entire face. “Us being in the same place, at the same time isn’t a coincidence, Sierra.”
“Yes it is.”
“No it isn’t. It’s fate.”
My stomach cartwheeled.
“You knew it. That’s why you ran from me in Wyoming.”
“I didn’t run. I drove.”
He shrugged. “And yet, no matter how we got here, we are both here.”
Do not get sucked into this conversation.
Awkward silence distorted the air.
Boone stepped back and sat in the chair across from my desk.
“By all means, make yourself comfortable.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“I was being sarcastic.”
“I know. I’m ignoring it because you don’t really want me to leave.”
In my head I said, Omigod, cocky much? Get out or I’m calling security. But I would not give him the satisfaction of an emotional outburst. Instead, I said, “You are mistaken if you think I have nothing better to do than entertain you. I have another appointment—”
“I’m sure you do. You’re the big executive now. Kyler was telling me about it last night.”
That little traitor. And what did Kyler know about my executive status anyhow? He usually introduced me as “my cousin who’s in real estate,” like my job was showing residential properties.
“Surprised?” Boone prompted.
“That you’ve already been in touch with my cousin?”
“I’m staying with him and the guys a few nights.”
The “guys” meaning my other cousins, Anton and Hayden.
He raised an eyebrow. “That sounded a little possessive. Ky’s my cousin too, McKay.”
“Like you have to remind me, West.”
Boone sank back in the chair as if settling in for a good, long chat. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Ky, Hayden and Anton. It’s weird that they’re these big, grown guys and not the skinny runts I remembered. Anyway, we were talking last night and I mentioned I was coming here today. Hayden said something like ‘your cousin is my cousin but that don’t make us cousins’ which sounded wrong coming from him because he always talked like he was reading from a textbook, even when he was annoying the hell out of us on the bus. Which reminded me about the first time we met on the bus. I saw you talking to Ky and thought, it figures the gorgeous new girl in town is a relative. I was so relieved to find out that we weren’t related at all. Then Ky made a crack about kissing cousins—”