herself.”
“Do
you think he’ll dump her?”
“Nah.
This is just another news story. They’re solid.”
Crap. Erica
dressed quickly. She sensed he needed her. Sure enough, when she entered the
office, Gunther was already walking back and forth, running his hand through
his hair.
“Where
the hell have you been?” He stopped and glared at her.
She
checked her watch. “It’s eight. I’m an hour early.”
“When
I have a crisis, I need you here, pronto. I’ve been here since seven, waiting
for you!” His voice rose in intensity with every word.
“Don’t
yell at me! I’m not the one who pissed off my fiancée enough to throw water on
me. You did that! What the hell did you say to her?” She dumped her purse in a
drawer.
“Nothing.
I just asked her the same question I asked you. She was bitchy, and so I
thought, maybe…”
“Oh
no! You didn’t? You asked her if she had her period?”
He
shrugged. “Makes sense to me.”
“It’s
insulting to think a woman is disagreeing with you because of some hormone
instead of the fact that she just plain doesn’t agree with you. Are you that
stupid?” She shifted, resting her hand on her hip.
“Don’t
call me names! That’s what she did.” He pointed his finger at her.
“She
called you stupid?” Erica raised her eyebrows. Gunther Quill is anything but stupid.
“And
worse. She said a lot of nasty things. Got me thinking if
I wanted to be married to…to…that!”
“And
what did you decide?” A little flutter made her pulse kick up.
“Hell
no! I’m not stupid, no way am I marrying her. What a bitch!”
Erica
put her hand on her chest to still her wildly beating heart. Stop grinning like an idiot. Doesn’t mean he
wants you. You’re nobody. Don’t forget that.
He
raised his gaze to hers. “You’re pretty quiet all of a sudden. Bet you think
that was a dumb thing to do. Break an engagement over one fight.”
“I
think it was the right thing to do.” Control
yourself. Try to look sympathetic.
“You
do?”
“She’s…she’s
obvious. You need someone who isn’t so out there…know what I mean?”
“You
mean someone with class?”
“Yeah.”
She gave a nod.
They
stood staring at each other for a moment. Gunther broke first.
“I
don’t need anyone. I travel alone. I have a shitload of work to do, and who the
hell needs some dumbass broad dragging me down?”
For
a second, Erica couldn’t breathe. She hadn’t thought he’d prefer no one to
Elsa. “I thought you wanted to get married?” she blurted out.
“Me?”
He pointed at his own chest and burst out laughing. “Farthest thing from my
mind. Else was all about business.”
A
heaviness crept into her heart. Her smile dissolved. What did you think? He’d drop down on one knee, now that Elsa was out
of the picture?
“You
don’t ever want to get married?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Maybe
when I’m fifty. I want kids. But for now, I roll single. Always have, always
will.” She sighed. “Now that I have you, I may never get married. You take care
of everything a wife would…well, almost everything,” he snickered.
Damn you! Tears
pricked at the backs of her eyes again. “I don’t care if you ever want to get
married. No skin off my nose. We’re wasting time. What did you want me to do?” she
snapped at him, moving to her desk.
He
hesitated for a second before speaking. “Damage control. Set up an interview
with Celebs ’R Us . Tiffany Cowles,
herself. Get her to come here. Find out her favorite food or liquor and get it.
I need to charm this woman and get my side of the story in the press.”
Erica’s
eyes filled as she struggled to listen to his instructions. She fumbled with
her notebook and dropped her pen on the floor. Gunther bent over to pick it up.
When
he handed her the pen, their fingers brushed. His gaze searched her face. She
looked away, shielding her eyes with her hands. “Damn sun. Hitting me right in
the eyes.” She turned her
“Do
you think he’ll dump her?”
“Nah.
This is just another news story. They’re solid.”
Crap. Erica
dressed quickly. She sensed he needed her. Sure enough, when she entered the
office, Gunther was already walking back and forth, running his hand through
his hair.
“Where
the hell have you been?” He stopped and glared at her.
She
checked her watch. “It’s eight. I’m an hour early.”
“When
I have a crisis, I need you here, pronto. I’ve been here since seven, waiting
for you!” His voice rose in intensity with every word.
“Don’t
yell at me! I’m not the one who pissed off my fiancée enough to throw water on
me. You did that! What the hell did you say to her?” She dumped her purse in a
drawer.
“Nothing.
I just asked her the same question I asked you. She was bitchy, and so I
thought, maybe…”
“Oh
no! You didn’t? You asked her if she had her period?”
He
shrugged. “Makes sense to me.”
“It’s
insulting to think a woman is disagreeing with you because of some hormone
instead of the fact that she just plain doesn’t agree with you. Are you that
stupid?” She shifted, resting her hand on her hip.
“Don’t
call me names! That’s what she did.” He pointed his finger at her.
“She
called you stupid?” Erica raised her eyebrows. Gunther Quill is anything but stupid.
“And
worse. She said a lot of nasty things. Got me thinking if
I wanted to be married to…to…that!”
“And
what did you decide?” A little flutter made her pulse kick up.
“Hell
no! I’m not stupid, no way am I marrying her. What a bitch!”
Erica
put her hand on her chest to still her wildly beating heart. Stop grinning like an idiot. Doesn’t mean he
wants you. You’re nobody. Don’t forget that.
He
raised his gaze to hers. “You’re pretty quiet all of a sudden. Bet you think
that was a dumb thing to do. Break an engagement over one fight.”
“I
think it was the right thing to do.” Control
yourself. Try to look sympathetic.
“You
do?”
“She’s…she’s
obvious. You need someone who isn’t so out there…know what I mean?”
“You
mean someone with class?”
“Yeah.”
She gave a nod.
They
stood staring at each other for a moment. Gunther broke first.
“I
don’t need anyone. I travel alone. I have a shitload of work to do, and who the
hell needs some dumbass broad dragging me down?”
For
a second, Erica couldn’t breathe. She hadn’t thought he’d prefer no one to
Elsa. “I thought you wanted to get married?” she blurted out.
“Me?”
He pointed at his own chest and burst out laughing. “Farthest thing from my
mind. Else was all about business.”
A
heaviness crept into her heart. Her smile dissolved. What did you think? He’d drop down on one knee, now that Elsa was out
of the picture?
“You
don’t ever want to get married?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Maybe
when I’m fifty. I want kids. But for now, I roll single. Always have, always
will.” She sighed. “Now that I have you, I may never get married. You take care
of everything a wife would…well, almost everything,” he snickered.
Damn you! Tears
pricked at the backs of her eyes again. “I don’t care if you ever want to get
married. No skin off my nose. We’re wasting time. What did you want me to do?” she
snapped at him, moving to her desk.
He
hesitated for a second before speaking. “Damage control. Set up an interview
with Celebs ’R Us . Tiffany Cowles,
herself. Get her to come here. Find out her favorite food or liquor and get it.
I need to charm this woman and get my side of the story in the press.”
Erica’s
eyes filled as she struggled to listen to his instructions. She fumbled with
her notebook and dropped her pen on the floor. Gunther bent over to pick it up.
When
he handed her the pen, their fingers brushed. His gaze searched her face. She
looked away, shielding her eyes with her hands. “Damn sun. Hitting me right in
the eyes.” She turned her
Similar Books
