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"I'm not. If it makes you feel better, I'll simply forward your résumé to HR. They’ll make you jump through all the hoops and tests we use for all brokers."
I rolled back my shoulders. "Yes, that would make me feel much better. I'm great at those tests."
"I bet you are." He toned his grin way down, but it was still there. It was an amazing look on him. He glanced at my mouth again. I licked my lips but scooted even farther back on the log.
"Chase," I said slowly.
"Yes?"
"If your company ends up hiring me, we need to start with a clean slate."
He finally lifted his gaze, making eye contact. "What do you mean?"
"You know what happened at the wedding.”
He tilted forward. I didn't have it in me to move even farther away.
"Josh all but threatened me today, instructing me to stay away from you."
"What?" I exclaimed. "You told him we kissed?"
“I promised to behave.”
That didn’t answer my question, but I had more important things to focus on.
“Okay. So we have a deal?”
His eyes glinted. "Why don't you apply first, and then we'll see what happens?"
"Nope. That's not how it works.”
Somehow, we'd ended up even closer. I was lost in his fragrance again.
"I need your word, Chase," I insisted.
"I promise," he said.
The glint in his eyes made me suspicious, but I'd gotten him to promise, and I wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Icouldn’t understand how I was so attracted to him, especially when I knew so very few things about him. He was a great dancer and an excellent kisser. He’d helped salvage my sister’s wedding.
And he’d come here tonight.
“Now, let’s focus on the marshmallows,” I said, making him laugh. “Wouldn’t want to let them go to waste.”
He ran a hand through his hair. The motion took me back to the beach. He’d done the exact same thing then after I’d tugged at his hair during our kiss. I remembered how it felt between my fingers.
Great. I asked him for a clean slate, and now I'm fantasizing about our kiss.
Way to go, Hannah.
Chapter Eight
Hannah
Two days later, I had an email in my inbox from Magda, the head of HR at Sterling Investments. I opened it with trembling fingers, scrolling through it quickly. It had been a while since I'd seen an invitation to an interview, but they seemed pretty standard.
I pressed a hand on my chest, breathing in and out. I was curled on my couch in my tiny apartment in San Diego. The sun shone right on my bare feet, warming me up. Over the past three days, I'd fretted over whether this was a good idea or not.
I wanted a job that started as soon as possible, but I still felt guilty for practically accepting Chase's offer the second he made it. I should've talked with my sister, even Josh, beforehand, but it seemed like a sign when he came up with the idea.