I was pumped full of adrenaline. Riled up for a heat. “For someone so annoyed at me you sure do stare hard at my chest, sweetheart.”

The instant I said it, I knew I’d made a tactical error. She was off me before I could backtrack. Her expression cool and detached. “Where are the bedrooms in this joint?” she called over her shoulder and went for her suitcases again. Play time was over then.

“Down there.” I pointed at the corridor lined with doors, following her at a distance while I regrouped. “I’m in the first room to the left, there’s another bedroom across from me.” I pointed to my closed door. “On the other side of the living room there’s a TV room, but it’s more like a home theater. And on the end there is a library with an office. Oh, and the mezzanine has a home gym.”

“What’s outside?”

“Patio with gazebo and grill.” She made an appreciative sound at that. “And a pool/hot tub combo.” She stopped abruptly at the mention of the hot tub and the movement made her ass bounce. I wanted to take a bite out of it.

“I think I’m going to take the room at the end of the hall,” she said quietly and picked up the pace.

That was the farthest room away from mine.

“You sure you have enough distance,” I said testily, before I could stop myself. She snapped her head up at me, but I couldn’t tell what she was thinking. If she was mad or just surprised at the edge in my voice. When she rolled her eyes I got my answer.

“We’re going to be working together all day and I feel like it will be good to keep some distance.”

“We worked twenty feet from each other for three years,” I reminded her.

“I’m aware of that,” she bit off as she turned the knob on the door. “I’m still wrapping my head around everything. It’s weird enough to be doing this with you.” She paused then, her luscious mouth flattening into a taut line. “Honestly, I need time to adjust to not having to be at your beck and call all the time. I’m not used to seeing you as anything other than the person whose needs it’s my job to fulfill.”

I knew what she was saying was fair, but it still smarted that she couldn’t see me as anything other her former, demanding boss. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“Yeah, you were,” she snapped instantly.

I opened my mouth then closed it knowing that if I pushed, I’d undo any progress I’d made with her. A man who was too fragile to hear about his shortcomings was not a man who deserved Alba, even if that man was me.