Once Forbidden, Twice Tempted (The Sterling Wives Book 1), стр. 33
“I could never do that. You should know that about me.”
Tara drew in a deep breath. How did he manage to stay on the right side of everything? “I know, Grant. I know you’re a good guy.”
He shook his head and rose up out of his chair. “If it makes me a good guy because I want to win fair and square, then so be it. I guess I’m a good guy. Just please stop saying it like it’s a bad thing. I realize that’s not what you’re attracted to. I guess you’d rather be with the sort of man who cheats on his new wife with his former one.”
Ouch. “That’s not what I’m attracted to.”
“Then prove it to me.”
Tara struggled to find a response. What was he saying? “With you?” The idea was all wrong. So why did it have to send such a tide of electricity through her body?
He shrugged and his eyes narrowed. “I don’t know, Tara. You tell me.”
Grant had nearly told her yes—prove it with him. Hell, he’d nearly come clean with a confession, but he wasn’t ready. Something inside him was telling him to stay back. It was already hard enough to admit to himself that he’d been carrying a torch for Tara this whole time, even when she was married to his best friend. It would make him look weak and he didn’t want Tara to see him that way. Yes, he’d been standing in Johnathon’s shadow for years, but he’d been the backbone of the company and in many ways, he’d been that for Johnathon, too. It was just that nobody wanted to see it. The specter of Johnathon Sterling was too much for people to see past.
“No. I’m really not a good guy. At least not the way you’re trying to put it.” He stepped closer to her, scanning her face while memories of their night together gathered in his mind like storm clouds threatening torrential rain. He’d thought perhaps that last week might quench his desire for her, but it hadn’t. Quite the opposite. She’d awoken something in him, a primal part of his psyche that wasn’t willing to lose. Not anymore. He wanted what he wanted and he wasn’t about to apologize for it.
“I really think this is a problem you need to rectify on your own, Grant.”
She wasn’t wrong. But he hoped she’d help him work it out. “I want you too much, Tara, and it’s impacting my job. You’re too beautiful. Too sexy. Too desirable. That’s my real problem.”
A crease formed between her eyes as doubt spread across her face. “Oh, please. I’m supposed to believe that you’re so taken with me that you aren’t still laser focused on the prize? You’ve always wanted to be at the helm of Sterling, and you’re threatened by my presence. I don’t think you can blame our battle of wills on attraction. No matter what you might have said to Johnathon over the years about being okay with playing second fiddle to him, I think you’ve always wanted Sterling first and foremost.”
“You’re not wrong. I have always wanted to be in charge. I was content in my role, but now that I’ve had a taste of the control it gives me, I’m not willing to pass up this opportunity.” What he really wanted to say was that now that he’d had a taste of Tara, he wasn’t willing to let her go. But she could turn on him so quickly, and there was more at stake than hurt feelings.
“Then we’re at an impasse,” she said. “I have a chance to fulfill my own dreams and I’m not willing to just shrug that off or walk away from it. No way. Not now. Not when I’ve got Astrid and Miranda and her baby counting on me to make the most of this.”
“What happens if there’s a rift between Astrid and Miranda? The truth has a way of coming out. Then where will you be, Tara? I know you’re worried about them trusting you, but do you really, truly trust them?” It might sound like he was trying to sow discontent between the wives, but he wanted her to face the reality. Astrid and Miranda could turn on her at any point. And depending on which way they chose to go, whether they sold their shares to someone else or each other, it could all mean that control of Sterling would go into the wrong hands. It was a very real possibility. The sort of reality that kept Grant up at night.
“I have to trust that they’ll keep up their end of the bargain. I have three months to prove that I can make this work, and we’re barely two weeks in. Part of that is the Seaport project. If I can make that a success, I think I’ll prove to them what I’m capable of.”
Grant sighed as the weight of the situation he was in came crashing down around him once again. Any time he tried to shrug it off, it came roaring back. He wanted control, but so did Tara. He wanted Sterling to be successful, and Tara was on the same page, but in a markedly different way. And then there was this crazy side of himself that was rooting for Tara to realize her dreams, as well. Johnathon had held her back when he could, and it hadn’t been fair. Grant cared about her too much for his own good.
“Where does this leave us?” Grant asked.
“The same place we were before I walked into your office. For now, we’re on opposite sides of the same table. I want to run Sterling someday. I have to prove my worth to the wives and I need to prove myself to the staff. That means staying out of your bed.”
“Technically, we were in your bed that night.”
“You know