Pride and Persuasion by Wrenn Montgomery
Publication date: April 16th, 2020
Synopsis (according to Goodreads):
Elliott James is a control freak. After being told she was nothing special by her ex, Baker Williams, she's spent the last eight years proving him wrong. She's built a life she loves--prominent attorney, partner at her firm, a luxurious penthouse, and the best friends a girl could ask for. After a harrowing encounter last year, she's determined to get her life back on track. She's succeeding, until a case brings her face to face with the one man that's ever made her want to lose control.
Baker Williams started with nothing but determination to make a better life for himself. He's built an empire he's proud of, by acquiring companies and working his way up. So when a rogue employee threatens to bring his kingdom tumbling down, he hires the best to defend his case. His only fault is not realizing that the best is Elliott James, and she's ready to remind him of all the damage he did years ago.
Eight years ago, Elliott and Baker were matches and gasoline. Explosive and hot. Back then, they both walked away burned. When they're forced to work together long after the flames have died down, they discover they're just as combustible as ever. Now, they have to figure out how to save each other without their spark burning down everything they've worked so hard for in the process.
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"You said we need to talk, so go on. Say what you need to say so you can leave and I can get on with my night," she gets out between mouthfuls, and I stop myself from smirking at her. She's the same old Elliott in this moment--monogrammed pajamas, fuzzy slippers, hair up in a messy bun, and stuffing her face as fast as she can but still talking shit.
I take a deep breath. I'm the worst fucking apologizer there is but I need to give this a go. "I said a lot of shit I didn't mean, EJ."
"Don't call me that."
"All right. Elliott."
"Don't call me that either," she says.
"What the fuck am I supposed to call you?" I flinch at the anger in my own voice, but she doesn't seem affected.
She just shrugs and takes a sip of her wine. She's so incredibly frustrating when she's defensive, but two can play that game.
"Okay. I said a lot of things I didn't mean that night, Ms. James."
"Okay."
That's it?
I expect her to say she did too, that she's sorry too. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
She shrugs again, taking another bite of food, and I wait for her to finish, trying to stop my leg from bouncing in my impatience. "I don't know what you want from me, Baker."
"I don't know, maybe an apology for the shit you said? We can start there," I offer.
"Did you apologize? I think I missed that," she quips back.
I grit my teeth, knowing I'm losing my temper. "I'm sorry for the things I said, which I didn't entirely mean." I choke the words out, each one wounding my pride.
She nods, standing and taking her empty cartons of food to the kitchen.
I wait, expecting her to come back and sit down so we can finish duking this out, but she doesn't.
"That's nice," she flings, walking down a hallway.
"Nice? Where the hell are you going?" I'm ready to pull my hair out. For her to just fucking apologize already so we can get this over with and I can leave, like she said.
"To bed. I'm not fighting with you. That's what you want and I won't give it to you. So, I'm going to bed now." She pauses, seeming to wrestle with herself before setting her face back into its usual 'I don't give a fuck' look. "You coming?"
Fuck yes, I am.
I take a deep breath. I'm the worst fucking apologizer there is but I need to give this a go. "I said a lot of shit I didn't mean, EJ."
"Don't call me that."
"All right. Elliott."
"Don't call me that either," she says.
"What the fuck am I supposed to call you?" I flinch at the anger in my own voice, but she doesn't seem affected.
She just shrugs and takes a sip of her wine. She's so incredibly frustrating when she's defensive, but two can play that game.
"Okay. I said a lot of things I didn't mean that night, Ms. James."
"Okay."
That's it?
I expect her to say she did too, that she's sorry too. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
She shrugs again, taking another bite of food, and I wait for her to finish, trying to stop my leg from bouncing in my impatience. "I don't know what you want from me, Baker."
"I don't know, maybe an apology for the shit you said? We can start there," I offer.
"Did you apologize? I think I missed that," she quips back.
I grit my teeth, knowing I'm losing my temper. "I'm sorry for the things I said, which I didn't entirely mean." I choke the words out, each one wounding my pride.
She nods, standing and taking her empty cartons of food to the kitchen.
I wait, expecting her to come back and sit down so we can finish duking this out, but she doesn't.
"That's nice," she flings, walking down a hallway.
"Nice? Where the hell are you going?" I'm ready to pull my hair out. For her to just fucking apologize already so we can get this over with and I can leave, like she said.
"To bed. I'm not fighting with you. That's what you want and I won't give it to you. So, I'm going to bed now." She pauses, seeming to wrestle with herself before setting her face back into its usual 'I don't give a fuck' look. "You coming?"
Fuck yes, I am.
About the Author:
Wrenn Montgomery resides in North Carolina with her husband and three daughters. She spends her time psychoanalyzing strangers and writing about them in steamy romances.
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