She shakes her head no.

“You’re so f**king sexy.”

She pushes her clit against my palm.

“You like that?” I ask her.

Her head drops back and her body arches into my touch. “Yes.”

“Do you want me to f**k you?”

“Yes,” she moans.

With my teeth grazing the skin of her neck, I stop at her ear. “I want you to come to work for me. You’re going to be my social media correspondent.”

She doesn’t answer.

“Would you like a job like that?”

She nods.

“Then you’ll work for me.”

“I can’t do that.” Her voice is ragged as my thumb continues to work her clit.

I apply a little more pressure, bringing her to the edge, and then I stop before starting again. “Why?”

“You don’t have to give me a job.” Her green eyes meet mine.

I lift her breast and drop my mouth to suck on her nipple. I pause and feel her heart beating faster and faster. “I’m offering you something that I need. Please help me out. Give me a month.”

“If I work for you I don’t think we should do this in the office.”

My mouth skirts up her body to her lips. “You can start at noon. Now be a good secretary and do as I say. Stand up and take your clothes off so I can f**k you on my desk.”

CHAPTER 34

Dark Horse

Bell

Three weeks later

“How about this one?” Josie asks, picking up a large crystal bowl formed in the shape of a heart.

I shake my head no. Josie and I have kept in touch, having lunch every now and then. She told me Tate replaced me with a hot young guy who seems to jump every time he says fetch. Whatever works, I guess. Today her blond hair is tied back in such a way that none of the blue streaks are visible and her makeup seems lighter. She’s also in jeans and a simple top. Her punk rock edge isn’t visible. She looks really pretty, not that she’s not anyway. But it’s a softer look that I like on her.

“Why the change in style?” I ask with a smile.

She pats her hair and laughs. “Oh, my parents are in town for Christmas. They would die if their little girl didn’t look like the beauty pageant queen they raised.”

“Really? Well, I like it, but why not just let them see who you really are?”

She blows a piece of loose hair from her eyes. “Says the girl who won’t bring her boyfriend around to meet her family?”

“You know it’s more complicated than that.”

“What I know is something has you all worked up this week. Has Glow Boy’s glow diminished?”

“No, and stop calling him that.”

“Well, I’d say you got it bad, but I’m afraid you’d bite my head off. Bad case of PMS or what?”

She may be onto something. I can feel my mood shifting constantly but can’t stop myself. I laugh. “Yeah, maybe.”

“If Midol doesn’t work you might want to check yourself away from everyone for the week, because you’ve got crazy written all over you right now.”

“That’s enough. I get it.”

“Hey, you know I’m a good listener if you need one. After all, I have no life, so listening about yours is better than nothing.”

I nod in her direction. How can I talk to her about it when I don’t understand it myself? I deflect the conversation from me. “What about Hot Boy in the office?”

“I wish.”

“What does that mean?”

“He doesn’t even know I work there.”

“I find that hard to believe, Josie, since, A—he has to pass your desk to get to his and, B—you’re beautiful.”

“He usually goes straight to Tate’s office.”

“Brownnose.”

“Ha, right.”

“Why don’t you ask him out?”

She makes a face. “No.”

“Okay, then.”

“This one?” she asks, picking up a red-lacquered square dish.

“God nooo!” I exclaim as I squish my nose.

“Now, what exactly are we looking for? After all of yesterday’s nos, I’m not sure I can help you.” She moves closer, standing at least a head taller than me.

“I don’t know. Something that looks like magic.”

She rolls her eyes. “Okay, then we’ll keep looking.”

Eclectics is a small boutique featuring blown-glass items where I always find unique centerpieces or table accessories. Xander and Ivy’s wedding is just over a week away and I still haven’t pulled together the table décor. All I know is I want them to look like magic. My eyes flutter to the shelves laden with vases of every shape and size, and then I see it—magic in the shape of a fishbowl. I place my order for two dozen silver-and-gold-star-etched glass bowls and hug Josie good-bye.

“Call me if you need to talk,” she reminds me

“At least think about asking him out,” I chastise her.

She ignores me. “Oh, I almost forgot, mouthwatering boy Romeo stopped by this morning asking about you. I guess Tate didn’t tell him anything after all.”

I shrug over Tate and the job. I’m over it. I have a new job now. In fact, Kale asked me to join him and Ben for lunch today, but since I’d already asked Josie to help me shop for the centerpieces, I told them I’d meet up with them. Ben doesn’t mind if I take an extended lunch as long as I get my work done. He’s like that with all his employees. I’ve made sure he doesn’t show me any favoritism. Yet today even his generosity seemed to irk me.