No Strings Attached by Jaci Burton Page B

love.
    Someday.
    But despite Tish’s insistence, it wasn’t going to be with Clay.

    Clay walked out of his office, surprised to find Tish still at her desk. Kind of unusual
     for a Friday afternoon. Usually she was gone at five o’clock sharp, ready for her
     weekend. He couldn’t blame her.
    “Workday’s over. Shouldn’t you be gone by now?”
    Tish looked up from her computer. “Thought I’d hang out for a few minutes.”
    Uh-oh. That usually meant she had something to say and she didn’t want to say it with
     the other staff around. He leaned againstthe desk opposite hers and folded his arms. “Okay, what’s on your mind?”
    “Ella.”
    Just the mention of her name was a gut punch. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking
     about her since Hawaii. Oh, sure, he intended to honor her wishes, but it was damn
     hard not to call her, to drive over to her house, to tell her how he really felt…what
     he really wanted.
    “What about her?”
    “She’s in love with you.”
    He frowned. “No, she’s not.” If she was in love with him, she’d have called him in
     the weeks since they’d been back from Hawaii. She’d have expressed some interest in
     getting together. She’d made things clear in Hawaii. Sex only. Onetime thing. Done
     and over.
    “You know, for someone who’s had a ton of experience with women, you are completely
     blind.”
    He pivoted and headed back to his office. “Stay out of my personal life, Tish.”
    He started to shut his door. Tish stopped him. “She loves you.”
    He whipped around to face her. “She told you this.”
    Tish opened her mouth, closed it, then finally said, “Why don’t you ask her yourself?”
    “So this is just something you’ve conjured up on your own. I’ve been on the receiving
     end of your misguided matchmaking skills before, Tish.”
    “This isn’t matchmaking. The match has already been made. You two pigheaded idiots
     just need to open your eyes and figure out you love each other.”
    “Uh-huh. And you believe in fairy tales.”
    She smirked. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
    “Good night, Tish.”
    She shook her head. “Don’t forget about the charity ball tomorrow night.”
    “I’m not going.”
    “I already rented a tux for you. It’s hanging near the door. You
are
going. Key building and political contacts you need to talk to are going to be there,
     and like it or not, you’re going.”
    “Shit.”
    “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Tish said with a laugh. “See you tomorrow night.”
    Clay sat at his desk and looked outside at the growing darkness. The weather had been
     unseasonably warm for early March. Maybe spring would come early, which was a good
     thing. Clear, nice weather meant more construction days in the year. He’d have to
     map that out on his calendar, maybe bid on a few extra projects.
    Yeah, right, as if he had even been thinking about work since he’d gotten back from
     Hawaii. All he’d thought about was Ella. How she was, what she was doing. Oh, he kept
     in touch work-wise through the guys, knew what jobs her crew were working on. He’d
     even thought about stopping by, but figured she’d be uncomfortable.
    Hell, he was uncomfortable. Which really sucked because he’d never thought twice about
     dropping in on her before they’d had their week together in Hawaii.
    But before, they’d been friends and business associates.
    Now they were…what? What exactly were they now?
    Nothing. They were exactly what they’d been before, because that was what Ella wanted.
     She’d gotten the sex she’d needed, and she wasn’t interested in having a relationship,
     in falling in love, in having what she’d had with James.
    Trouble was, his entire focus had changed since that week in Hawaii. And he didn’t
     know what the hell to do about it. He’d seen what could happen when you loved someone.
     Love, loss. Losing his mom had hurt. It had devastated his father. And him.
    Love sucked. Look what it had done to