Johanna started to argue, but then the notion of rolling up to Diamonds in the Rough, Incorporated in the middle of downtown Fort Worth, dogs in tow, sounded like one hell of an entrance.
Her Texas temper fired up and ready, she was through letting Stone McNair walk all over her emotions.
Four
Stone hated like hell being late for anything, but crisis after crisis had cropped up at the office even though he’d come in at five in the morning to prep for his weeklong departure.
Parked at his desk in front of the computer, he finished with the last details, clearing his calendar and rescheduling as much as he could for teleconferences from the road. He loved his grandmother, but she had to know the CEO of Diamonds in the Rough couldn’t just check out for a week without major prep. That was the primary reason for her test, right? For him to prove he was best suited to run the company.
She couldn’t have chosen a worse time.
Their CFO had gone into premature labor and had been placed on bed rest. His personal assistant was stuck in an airport in North Dakota. Their showroom was still under repairs from tornado damage and the construction crew’s foreman had gone on strike.
And his grandmother was dying of cancer.
His hands clenched over the keyboard. For her, he’d put together detailed plans for taking Diamonds in the Rough to an international level, to expand the company as a tribute to his grandparents who’d been there for him over the years. Yet now she might not even live long enough to see that dream come to fruition. It cut him to the core to think he’d somehow let her down, but he must have since she felt she needed to concoct tests for him to prove himself.
His eyes slid to the wood drafting table littered with new designs, most of them done by Amie, but a few of his own were scattered through the mix. He sketched late at night, after hours, to ease the tension of the corporate rat race, more so since his breakup with Johanna. His pieces incorporated a larger emphasis on metal work and carvings than Amie’s. He still included signature company jewels inlaid into the buckles, bolos and even a few larger necklaces. Each piece also carried the expected Western aura.
Amie was the true artist in the family, but his pieces usually landed well, too. Johanna had always encouraged him to design more....
He scratched his head and leaned back, desk chair squeaking in protest. What had he been thinking, climbing through her window last night like some out-of-control teenager? Except...he had been out of control, jealous over seeing her with his cousin. He hadn’t thought. He’d simply acted. That kiss had left him with a need for her that clawed like metal shards scraping his insides raw. Even hearing her voice on the phone forty-five minutes ago had increased the ache of wanting her in his bed again.
A quick buzz from the temp serving as a stand-in personal assistant gave him only a second’s warning before his door flung open to reveal Johanna, fire spitting from her eyes. “You missed your flight.”
God, she was sexy all riled up.
“I called you.” He creaked his chair back even further, taking in the sight of her in white jeans and layered yellow tank tops. “And it’s a private plane. My private plane, for that matter. There’s no way to miss a flight that’s waiting for me to give the go-ahead for takeoff.”
Speaking of taking off... What he wouldn’t give right now to peel away those tanks of hers, one at a time, with his teeth. He’d left her place last night to give himself space to regain control. Instead, their time apart had only taken his need to another level.
“Would have been nice to know you had other plans for your day before I reached the landing strip. I could have worked, too, or slept in. Or...” She held up her hand, four leashes in her fist. “I could have let the dogs play and run around in the yard longer.”
She dropped the leashes and the four-pup pack stampeded into his office. Stone barely had time to bark, “Heel, damn it!” before Gem launched into his lap, the full force of the yellow lab almost tipping his chair over. Stone regained his balance then knelt to greet the dogs. Ruby, Sterling and Pearl licked over his face with slobbery wet tongues. He liked animals—clearly, since he’d grown up on a ranch—but these guys in full force were a little much, even for him.
Barks and yips continued until Johanna dipped into sight again, regaining control of the pooches one at time until all four mutts sat in a perfect line. Which only proved she could have controlled them right away. She’d let them overrun him on purpose.
Wincing, he stood, swiping an arm across his face. He shrugged off his suit jacket. Thank goodness he hadn’t bothered with a tie today.
He draped his jacket over the back of his leather chair. “My apologies for inconveniencing you. Even if my grandmother questions my ability to run the company, I do still have obligations here that needed to be taken care of before I could leave.”
“Is that what this is about?” She crossed her arms, which threatened to draw his eyes to her chest just when he needed to keep his wits about him and focus on her words. “Showing your grandmother you’re indispensable?”
“That’s not a nice accusation.”
“Is it true?” she pressed.
Damn it, she always saw right through him. But that was only part of the picture. “My primary goal is to bring my grandmother peace. A crisis here at the office will only add to her stress level at a time when she can’t afford any additional drain.”
Silently, Johanna assessed him through narrowed eyes while the dogs panted, lazy tongues lolling.
“What?” he said. “You don’t believe me?”
“I’m skeptical,” she said slowly. “Are you still sulking because Alex brought me flowers?”
Did she have to read his every thought? “I don’t sulk. I’m charming. Everyone says so.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Yep, you’re sure charming the socks off me right now.”
Really? He recognized a challenge when he heard one. He flattened a palm to the heavy oak desk that mirrored the one in the ranch office. “If memory serves, I charmed off more than your socks right on this desk about ten months ago.”
Her jaw dropped, then clamped shut before she finally said, “Never mind. If you’re finished, let’s leave so we can get this trip over with sooner rather than later.”
All the more reason, in his mind, to prolong this little chat.
She leaned down to gather the leashes.
Kneeling, he clasped her wrist. “Wait, you started this. Let’s talk.”