Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
“You have got to be kidding me,” Leo groaned.
“Just get in the limo, Leo.” Noah’s voice was strained, like he was overworked and tired.
He probably was. Over the summer, he’d had to take several weekend trips all over the country for different galas.
He’d be at the ranch one day and then gone the next only to return.
The fact that he wasn’t completely jet lagged begged the question of what sort of supplements he used to stay awake.
Leo folded his arms. “I was completely okay with this trip until you told me that the she-devil requested specifically that I keep my mouth shut. Why was it that Reese didn’t have to come to this meeting, again?”
Jane gave him a flat look. “First of all, we had to bribe you with a steak dinner. You were hardly accommodating for this trip. Secondly, Reese was the perfect gentleman and answered all the basics. From this point forward, all we need is you because all we’re working on is the build.”
“But the contractors aren’t even started yet.”
Noah dragged a hand down his face, leaving little red lines everywhere.
They’d fade before their limo reached the city, but it showed just how aggravated Noah had become on the plane ride over.
“All Kat said was that the owner of the company and an associate would be sitting in on this meeting. She didn’t want an outburst like last time.
She said it would reflect poorly on her and the CEO by proxy. ”
“How do you figure that,” Leo muttered.
“Leo,” Jane snapped, “get in the dang car and ask your questions while we’re on the road. I’m not going to be late to this meeting.”
He hesitated. Jane wasn’t the problem. Neither was Noah. And this equine therapy project was going to help a whole lot of people. But that woman?
That woman!
Kat Jerris was the problem. Disrespectful and conceited. That’s what she was. She sat in her tall tower staring down at the peasants and pretending that she was better than them when she knew nothing of the real word.
Noah’s sigh brought him back to the present and he rolled his eyes as he climbed inside.
“Does this mean you’re going to behave?” Jane continued to pester him.
Leo leaned back in his seat and folded his arms. “As long as she doesn’t start anything.” He held up a hand before he could get another reprimand. “Kidding.”
Noah’s dark stare was enough to cause his lips to twitch.
For all intents and purposes, he had it good.
Leo had a job he enjoyed. He got to be around his family—folks who would do anything for the people they loved.
There was plenty of evidence of that every single day.
Like the fact Noah wouldn’t let this huge company push them around and pick another contractor for the build.
They also weren’t letting Kat demand a new liaison.
Then again, Bo might be part to blame for Leo’s sticking it out.
Either way, Leo should probably stop being so difficult.
He sighed and stared out the window. His thoughts returned to Kat Jerris.
He’d only be lying to himself if he said he hadn’t thought about her since that first meeting.
She was a terrible human being—but beautiful.
Why were the most dangerous things wrapped in the prettiest packages?
There was something about her that rubbed him the wrong way and it went far deeper than her insolent behavior at their first meeting.
If it was possible, he would have wiped her from his memories all together. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do that. No matter how much he wanted to.
Then again, maybe he didn’t want to.
Leo closed his eyes as he rested his head against his seat. Kat’s beautiful green eyes and dark hair filled his thoughts. The dimple in the left side of her cheek that indented when her jaw tightened. That usually happened when she was deep in thought or really irritated.
And he’d caused that dimple to show up more than once.
A smile tugged at his lips then. It had been thoroughly satisfying to rile that woman up.
He wondered how easy it would be to get her to blush.
Of course, they’d have to be alone for him to get close enough to do such a thing.
He could already imagine what her skin would look like with a pretty pink glow.
“Leo. We’re here. Come on.”
His eyes opened and he glanced around at the empty limo.
Just outside the door, Jane had ducked her head and was staring at him.
Had he dozed off? Probably. The flight to New York hadn’t been terrible, it had been the restless night he’d had before.
All he could think about was the fact that he’d be seeing her again.
And he couldn’t decide if he was exhilarated or aggravated with the notion.
Maybe a little bit of both.
Leo’s eyes narrowed on the younger man of the two. The associate. The older gentleman, apparently Kat’s father, clearly had the power. It was clear by the way he carried himself that he was the CEO. The air of arrogance he held on his shoulders was ten times worse than Kat.
Chaz.
That’s what the younger guy had insisted they call him. What kind of name was Chaz? And why was he staring at Kat like they were an item?
Were they?
A flicker of something hot and irritating spurred to life in his gut.
Jealousy?
No. Of course not.
What would Leo have to be jealous about?
His gaze slid over to Kat.
She wore red today. Red lipstick. Red blouse. Red shoes. She looked like she was ready to go to war.
War with him.
Leo smirked at that but then his smile slipped and he turned his attention to Chaz again. They better not be an item. The guy was definitely not good enough for a woman like Kat. He was too…
Nice.
Leo rolled his shoulders and settled back in his seat. True to his word, he kept his mouth shut during the meeting. Granted, he’d only listened with half an ear so he could answer any questions that were directed his way which allowed him to pay more attention to Chaz.
He looked decent in a suit. He wore a vest and everything. His blond hair was slicked back in a style that was probably trendy here in the city. He wasn’t soft like Leo had expected most men who worked in an office space to be. But he definitely didn’t have a callous to his name.
What would he do if he came face to face with an angry bull?
Probably run screaming in the other direction.
Leo snickered.
“Mr. Chambers?”
Yeah. He’d definitely run screaming. Leo could practically hear his terror.
“Leo,” Jane urged quietly at his side.
He stiffened and looked in her direction. “What?”
“Something funny, Mr. Chambers?” Tatum Jerris asked flatly.
Leo glanced from him to Jane then toward Kat.
She looked about ready to spit fire. Shoot!
Had she said something? He’d laughed. It had been quiet, but still, he’d laughed, and he hadn’t been paying enough attention to find out if Kat had said something worthy of a chuckle.
He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. “No, sir.”
Jerris arched a silver eyebrow. Then he nodded toward Kat. “Please continue.”
If looks could kill?
Leo would be the one speared by the bull’s horn.
But he wouldn’t have gone screaming like… Chaz. No, Leo would be staring down this wild creature in all her magnificent beauty and let her pierce his heart without a second thought.
Once the meeting had ended, Mr. Jerris had insisted he wanted a private word with Noah. Jane had requested to use the restroom and Chaz, the gentleman he was, offered to show her the way.
That left Leo alone.
With the beautiful monster.
Leo had wandered across the room toward an espresso machine. He didn’t know the first thing about operating the expensive piece of equipment, so he just stared at it. His senses were on high alert.
He could smell the faint scent of mint and vanilla wafting through the room like she’d become some ethereal version of herself—a siren. Except it wasn’t her voice that drew unsuspecting cowboys to the depths of the ocean. It was her looks, her scent that snared them.
Leo swallowed hard when her heat appeared at his side. He shoved his hands into his pockets and steeled himself for the onslaught.
Just as expected, all she had to do was open her mouth and these strange sensations evaporated.
“Was that really necessary?” she seethed.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered as blandly as he could.
“You laughed at my numbers.”
He cut a look toward her out of the corner of his eye. “I wasn’t laughing at you.”
“Oh? Then what was it? My curiosity on the timeline once we break ground?”
“No.”
She scoffed. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that? Tell me, what kind of credentials do you have? What sort of experience do you bring to the table, hmm?”
He bristled. Sure, she didn’t know that he had barely completed high school.
He’d been working at a burger joint when his cousin had scooped his family up and offered them a different life.
But Leo had worked with the animals before.
He’d been told on more than one occasion that he was a natural.
He was good with his hands. Before his father had died, he’d told him anything he put his mind to, he could accomplish it, and Leo had proved his father right more times than he could count.
“Because I have more than enough knowledge and experience for this sort of thing. I interned at this company from the moment I turned fourteen. I worked through high school and college. I earned my way up through the ranks to be where I am today. I graduated with honors at Harvard business college. So let me ask you again, what—”
Leo whirled to face her. He dipped his head closer, so they were mere inches apart, and his voice lowered to an unearthly level.
“Are you so small minded that you can’t accept someone like me would know the ins and outs of what we’re trying to build out in Montana?
Have you considered the fact that I was chosen for this job because I might actually have a knack for it?
” He gestured around them. “You in your ivory tower with more money than you know what to do with won’t ever buy you the kind of talent that comes naturally to me.
I might have an attitude, but I know what I’m doing. ”
Kat didn’t respond at first. She looked mildly surprised that he’d stuck up for himself. Maybe people were too scared to do that around her. Or maybe she simply didn’t think as quickly on her feet.
He opened his mouth, ready to tell her that she was lucky she didn’t have to spend even a week out in the country because she wouldn’t survive, but the doors opened and all four of the missing members of their meeting entered.
Kat darted back a step and ran her hands down her blouse, smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from their surface. There was a faint flush on her cheeks.
Was she embarrassed?
Leo cut a look toward the door and found Chaz giving her a concerned look, but her father looked almost bored. The latter stepped forward. “Kat, Noah has agreed to a change in terms.”
Kat sucked in a sharp breath, drawing Leo’s attention. Change of terms? What did that mean?
“We both feel that it would be easier for us to maintain tabs on this project if one of our own were to be on sight at the time of the ground breaking. It would be good for us to know what’s in store moving forward as this opportunity is more than simply charity.”
“What… who would be…” Kat’s voice quieted, and her eyes shifted to Chaz. That blush deepened slightly, and Leo scowled at the man.
Chaz. What had he done?
“Seeing as you’re the one in charge of this project, we agreed it would be best if you moved to Rocky Ridge for the duration.”
Kat gasped. “What?”
“Chaz will of course take over any of the larger projects that need supervision. The smaller projects can be handled remotely.”
“But—” Kat started, but then she snapped her mouth shut.
It was then that reality set in. Kat was coming to Rocky Ridge.
He looked at her then. Really looked.
She wasn’t happy about it. There was not a reality where Kat Jerris would survive living in the country. Not with her pencil skirts that showed off her amazing body. Not with three-inch stilettos highlighting her gorgeous legs.
Montana would eat her alive.
He opened his mouth to… what? Argue? To what end? Apparently, Kat had resigned herself to her fate because all she did was nod, thank her father, and escape the room.
Stunned, Leo only moved when Noah and Jane reminded him they had a plane to catch.