by Emma Hart
“You know the problem with growing up with money?” he asked with a tilt of his head and a curve of his lips.
“There are only so many ponies your parents can buy you before you run out of stables?”
His smile got a little wider. “No. It’s that you’re used to getting what you want. So I’ll get you on a date. That, I can promise you.”
“If you say so.” I stood, then before I left, stopped right in front of him. There was a smudge of my lipstick on the corner of his mouth, and I didn’t even think before I reached out and rubbed at it with my thumb.
The move was horribly intimate, and I drew in a deep breath when I met his eyes. There was a fire in his gaze, one that made my stomach clench.
I stepped back before anything else happened. “Excuse me. I need to go fix my lipstick.”
“Music to my ears.” He grinned. “Also, you never did tell me why you were wearing heels today.”
Damn it. I thought I’d gotten away with it.
I stopped in the doorway and turned. “Honestly, I really did think that you’d fire me, so I wore them to be this strong, independent woman, but then I realized I was afraid of tripping over my own feet, so that kind of negated the whole thing.”
“You’re really selling me on your good points, aren’t you?”
“Eh, I make a mean sausage and bacon frittata. It balances out.” I shrugged and smiled. “Cooking is about the one thing I can do without disaster.”
“I like food. I’m sold.” He grinned and winked, then stood up. “Now, go get back to work.”
Rolling my eyes, I did just that.
***
The rest of the week felt like a breeze. We’d settled into a comfortable, slightly flirtatious relationship at work. It honestly helped that he wasn’t always at the office, and I would be a liar if I said I hadn’t been block-booking them so he’d disappear for a few hours.
Working with him was hard, despite how easy it was. He was right. If we hadn’t been working together, we’d probably already be dating. I always knew not to mix work and pleasure, which was stupid considering I was the one who had.
I’d told him about my attraction to him and that had set this chain of events in motion. It was really all my fault, but it was going to happen sooner or later. And, if we were going to crash and burn because he realized I was way harder than he thought—and a potential walking fire hazard thanks to a flat iron—then I wanted it to happen sooner.
Because that would be what would inevitably happen. I’d seen the world he’d grown up in, and while I’d been far from broke growing up, it was a different thing. I bet he didn’t eat breakfast around the table with his family in his pajamas, and I bet his aunt had never thrown a book at his grandfather because he’d called her a hussy.
Which might have happened last night.
Ahem.
I know. I thought they were only staying a few days, too. It’d been two weeks.
Whatever.
Now, it was Friday. Despite my reservations about dating my boss, he and I and the world knew I’d go on a date with him. I was too curious not to, and beside the attraction, I was starting to like him.
Really like him.
He was funny. He made me laugh. He might have been in charge of the whole shebang here, but he never took himself too seriously. He didn’t mind that I occasionally forgot to put his messages on his computer and sometimes left them in my desk, and he often watched with glee as I answered the phone to some of his…pickier…clients, and handled them like a pro.
I mean, come on. Great Aunt Grace was far worse than any of the people I’d spoken to on the phone since I’d started. Except perhaps his mom…
“I told you that you were going to bang him.” Jade cradled her take-out cup of coffee as I set the machine to make mine. She didn’t have any clients until ten, so she’d decided to stop by and get as much gossip out of me as possible.
More fool her. There wasn’t any.
“I’m not going to bang him,” I replied, watching the coffee splatter in my cup. “It’s one date, Jade, and it’s only because I’m dying of curiosity.”
“Of how good he is with his penis?”
Yes. “No.”
“You’re such a liar. It’s written all over you. Your born again virgin-vagina is so ready for it.”
“I didn’t realize you had a direct line of communication with it,” I drawled. “Look, it’s one date. That’s it. For all we know, we might not even be compatible. We may not get along as well as we thought.”
“You’ve been talking about him all week. You get along fine.”
All right, so that was a weak argument. “Flirting is one thing. It’s another to date someone.”
“Wait, you flirted and didn’t scare him off? Wow. He must like you.”
I turned and shot her a look. “Thanks for your support, douchebag.”
“Oh, come on. You know it’s going to go well. You’re just worried because you’ve wandered in here, gotten the job, and now you’ve bagged the boss.”
“I haven’t bagged the boss.”
“You’re right. You’d need to get pregnant, and then you’d bag him for life.”
“Jade.”
“I know, I know. Shut up, Jade, blah blah blah.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re only feeling like this because dating your boss is so far outside your comfort zone.”
“Well, yeah!” I paused. “Wait, what do you mean my comfort zone?”
She sipped her coffee and raised an eyebrow. “Mallory, you have this little comfortable bubble you live your life in. You visit the same coffee shop every day. You always order the same bagel. You never go anywhere new, and you stick to everything you know.”
“That’s not weird. That’s totally normal for most people,” I argued. “Besides, any time I do something outside of my comfort zone, something goes wrong.”
“It’s all in your mindset, you know. If you assume that this date with Cameron is going to go badly, it probably will. You’ll be subconsciously sabotaging it.”
“And that’s enough internet for you,” I said, picking up my mug. “Now you’re psychoanalyzing me? You’re a hair stylist, not a doctor.”
“You need one.” She snorted. “Seriously. Don’t go into it thinking that it’s all going to mess up. It’s going to be fine.”
“I totally agree,” said a decidedly male voice who wasn’t part of this conversation.
Cameron stood in the doorway, a smile twisting his lips.
My cheeks flushed at the knowledge he knew I’d been talking about him.
“Oh, hey. What’s up?” Jade said, unbothered by it.
“Morning,” he replied, walking over to where I was at the coffee machine. “Are you distracting my employee?” He pulled a mug down, and I went to take it from him, but he shook his head. “Perfectly capable of making a coffee, Mallory.”
I rolled my eyes and stepped to the side.
“You bet I am,” Jade said, replying to his question. “She wouldn’t reply to my texts, so I came to talk about you in person instead.”
“Ah, the best friend intervention.” He glanced over his shoulder with a smile. “Are you going to subject me to questioning?”
Oh, my God. No.
“I like you. You’re smart.” Jade grinned. “Not right now, but I might have some after the date.”
“Oh, so there is a date, is there?” Cameron’s gaze slid to me, amusement shining brightly in his eyes. “Good to know.”
“Don’t you have to get to work?” I said to Jade, telling her with my eyes that she did.
Instead, being the insufferable little shit she is, she checked her watch and said, “Nope. I’ve got another ten minutes.”
I ground my teeth together. “Of course you have.”
Cameron’s shoulders shook with quiet laughter, and when I glanced over at him, he was already looking at me with a smile.
I wanted to go to my desk, but if there was anything worse than be
ing in the room while my best friend talked to my boss, it was not being in the room.
God only knew what she’d say if I weren’t here.
So, instead, I sucked it up.
Not that anyone really said anything. It was mostly silent except for Cameron being polite and asking Jade about her job.
I stood and sipped my coffee, just waiting for her to leave. The following conversation with Cameron stood to be embarrassing enough as it was without her sitting here and deliberately causing tension.
And I knew that’s what she was doing. She was a pain in the ass, and if I hadn’t known her my entire life, I might just kill her.
After another minute of painful silence, she checked her watch and drained the last of her coffee. “All right then,” she said as she stood. “I’ve gotta get to work. Mal, I’ll call you later.” She tossed me a wink, dumped her cup in the trash, and with a quick goodbye to Cameron, finally left us alone.
I blew out a long breath and shook my head.
“Wow. She’s a character.” He chuckled.
“She’s a pain in the ass, and just so you know, she’s part of the package. Trust me. I’ve tried getting rid of her. Still want that date?”
“A weird best friend doesn’t change my mind.” His eyes sparkled, and he put down his mug before standing in front of me. He gripped the edge of the counter I was leaning against and blocked me in so I had no escape.
“Are you sure? She’s even weirder when she’s drunk.”
“So are most people.”
He wasn’t backing down.
“All right, that’s it. She was my last line of defense.” I shrugged and sighed. “I guess I’ll let you take me on a date.”
His grin was lopsided as he leaned in, quirking one eyebrow. The look was oddly sexy. “Tonight?”
“Tonight? Can’t you give a girl some warning?”
“I did. I warned you on Monday I’d be taking you on a date. It’s not my fault you didn’t listen.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he was right, so I closed it again. He had said he’d get his own way, so…
“Whatever,” I muttered, looking away.
He leaned in even closer to me. “What do you want to do? Dinner? A movie?”
“Aren’t you supposed to decide? You’re the one taking me.” I looked up into his eyes and almost stopped breathing. His eyes were so bright, and there was nothing I could do but just stop and make sure my heart didn’t beat right out of my chest.
Oh, I was in so much trouble with this man.
“All right, I’ll decide,” he said in a low voice, his thumb stroking my hip. “I’ll surprise you.”
“Okay, but can it include food?”
He stilled for a second. The laugh poured out of him, and he dropped his forehead to my shoulder for a brief second. “Yes. There can be food. All good dates involve food.”
“I completely agree. Can I wear yoga pants?”
“Why don’t you just come to my house and I’ll order pizza if that’s the way this is going?”
“Your house seems a little personal.”
“More personal than walking on me half-naked in front of my fridge?”
He had me there.
“Your house can be the second date.” I nodded, reaffirming to myself that was the best idea. “Yes. If there is one.”
“Nice save,” he muttered, lips twitching to one side. “So I need to find a date that’s outside, where there’s food, and where you can wear yoga pants.”
I tapped the side of my nose. “Good luck.”
“Hurricane Mallory strikes again,” he said under his breath, pushing off from the counter. “Blowing right through my plans.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at him. And I would never, ever admit that his stupid little nickname was growing on me.
Or maybe it’s just because he was.
CHAPTER NINETEEN – MALLORY
“This is a terrible idea,” Mom said, closing the dishwasher. “Have you thought this through? Dating your boss?”
“We’re not dating,” I replied. “It’s one date. What can it hurt?”
“Famous last words,” Great Aunt Grace said. She waggled her finger at me. “There’s something wrong with that boy, let me tell you, Mallory Harper. A young man like that, with money and looks, and he’s still single? In my day that wouldn’t be done.”
“Yeah, ‘cause you’d have snapped him up, you rotten golddigger!” Grandpa shouted from the living room.
“Watch your mouth, or I’ll stick that cane where the sun doesn’t shine!” she yelled back.
“Enough,” Mom said wearily. “This is not about you two and who used all the glue for your dentures.”
Ew.
“Thank you, Mom.”
“It’s about Mallory and her terrible life choices.”
Here we go. “It is not a terrible decision to go on one innocent date with Cameron. You told him you’d have him as your son-in-law, for Christ’s sake!”
She turned fiery eyes on me. “If he weren’t your boss. I specifically said those words.”
“Fine. Then I’ll quit, and then I’ll be here even longer, long after Aunt Grace and Grandpa have gone, and you’ll have to live with the knowledge that your grown-up daughter is living with you forever.”
“If you quit, you can live with him,” Mom sniffed. “And there’s no need to be so dramatic.”
“You’re the one being dramatic,” I pointed out. “It’s one date. It’s harmless.”
The kissing wasn’t harmless, but the date was.
That’s right. I’d talked myself off the ledge of going out with him. Mostly.
“What if it doesn’t work out?” She folded her arms across her chest. “Then what happens with your job?”
“It doesn’t affect my job.”
“You should get that in writing.”
“It’s one date, not a marriage proposal.”
“It’s a terrible idea!” Mom’s voice rose a few decibels. “He. Is. Your. Boss!”
“Say it a few more times, dear,” Aunt Grace said, idly pulling the whiskey bottle from the bottle rack. “I don’t think she understands that she’s going on a date with her boss.”
Mom shot her such a dark glare that it took everything I had to stop myself from laughing at her sarcasm.
“Look,” I said, holding my hands out. “I went to his mom’s mixer with him. We had dinner earlier this week—”
“Told you it was a date,” Aunt Grace interrupted, slurping her whiskey.
“Wasn’t a date.” Now it was my turn to glare at her. “And nothing bad has happened. Absolutely nothing.”
“Mallory, I don’t want you to get hurt because you’re making another bad decision. Think about Aaron—”
“We broke up two years ago, and it wasn’t my fault he couldn’t keep his penis out of other women!”
Aunt Grace cackled.
“Don’t use that language in the house, Mallory.”
“Sure,” I said dryly. “I can’t say penis, but you and Dad can have sex on the kitchen table.”
Aunt Grace turned to her. “You had sex on this table?”
Mom waved her hand. “It’s been disinfected,” she said blithely. “Mallory, this is a terrible choice. If you want to be successful, you need to start making better ones.”
“I don’t know, Helen,” Aunt Grace said. “Have you seen that man’s buns? Phwoar. That’s a damn good choice right there.” She even held up her hands and mimed grabbing someone’s butt. “Also, she’s wearing yoga pants. That relationship isn’t making it past a hot dog.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. I should never have cracked. When they started asking me where I was going, I never should have caved, not even when Aunt Grace threatened to throw the lemon cheesecake she’d made in the trash.
Nope.
The doorbell rang, and I had to run to the door to get there before Mom. My yoga pants were magical things that had pockets, and my phone and de
bit card were already in them along with my house key. I was ready to make a break for it like I had before we’d had dinner the other night.
I wasn’t so lucky. The second I opened the door to make my great escape with my hot boss, Mom was right behind me, gripping onto my sweater and stopping me from going any further.
“Cameron! How lovely to see you. Why don’t you come on in before you kids head out?”
Kids? I was twenty-five! He was twenty-eight! What fresh hell was this?
Cameron looked at me, and I hoped that my wide-eyed, panicked look told him to run away. “Actually, Mrs. Harper, we really need to—”
“It’s Helen, and nonsense! You can spare five minutes for a quick chat!”
“How tight are his pants?” Aunt Grace yelled.
“He could be wearing steel ones, and you’d still try to get in them!” Grandpa hollered back.
I smiled sweetly at Mom. “Do you still think he should come in for a chat?”
“I’m going to choke you on your dentures, Eddie!”
“Good, choke on yours and come to Hell with me!”
Oh, God.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Mom said, beaming. “Come on in.”
“I think I’m going to kill you in your sleep,” I muttered under my breath.
“What was that, Mallory?”
“Nothing. Not a thing. Just a prayer.”
“You don’t pray,” Aunt Grace said, narrowing her eyes at me.
Clearly, she’d never seen me nursing a bottle of wine. Which, incidentally, sounded good right about now.
“Aunt Grace, this is Cameron. Cameron, this is my great aunt Grace.” I waved my hand between the two of them.
Like the gentleman I knew he was, he took her hand and kissed it. “I remember. A pleasure to officially be introduced, Grace.”
Aunt Grace fluttered a hand to her chest. “I think I need to sit down.”
“Oh, Jesus,” Mom snapped. “Cameron, how do you feel about tonight’s date? Are you looking forward to being one of Mallory’s terrible mistakes?”
“Mom!” I gaped at her. “You can’t say that!”
“I can and I did.”
Even Aunt Grace looked shocked.
