Page 6 of Accidental Theirs

My face starts burning up. “Yeah, but not for looks. I just like to be... ready.”

“Ready for what?” She chuckles. “To take down a mountain lion?”

“Something like that.”

If I think about the real reasons that I stay in shape, I might spiral, so I try to keep those dark thoughts away.

She giggles, looking over at Sebastian’s flabbergasted face.

I chuckle. “I guess he doesn’t get rejected that often.”

Olivia raises a groomed eyebrow. “I wouldn’t think so. Have you seen him?”

A tiny arrow pierces my heart with jealousy. “You think he’s handsome? Isn’t he old enough to be your father?”

She snorts. “Maybe if he had me when he was fifteen.”

“Weird that you find your father’s friends attractive,” I mumble, sipping my third drink.

I should really stop while I’m ahead, so after this, I’ll switch to water. I’m turning into a teetotaler. I’ve changed a lot over the years.

“Everyonefinds him attractive. I’m just stating the facts.” She pauses. “Didn’t he used to be married or something?”

I shrug. “I dunno. I’ve heard rumors, but he keeps things pretty close to the chest.”

I huff out a breath, irritated at the way the conversation is going.

I don’t know what I expected, but it isn’t this.

Am I upset because the flirting turned into something else?

I shouldn’t be flirting with the COO anyway.

Olivia herself put down the rules that inter-office romances are strictly forbidden. She’s adamant about it, defending it to the board member who suggested it was a silly rule.

I nudge her shoulder. “Why don’t you go over there and ask him? About his hypothetical marriage.”

She looks up at me, her eyes widening. “You think he’d tell me?”

“Maybe. He’s been drinking since he got here.”

What the hell am Idoing? Why am I pushing her toward Sebastian?

Maybe it’s because I know I shouldn’t feel the way I do about her. Maybe it’s because if I keep standing here, drinking and talking to her, I’ll do something stupid.

Like tell her how uniquely beautiful those pale green eyes are. How I get lost in them.

I look away, trying to keep my thoughts together. The booze isn’t doing me any favors.

Roland bursts in between us, and I grunt and move out of his way, chuckling softly.

“Hello, Roland.”

He beams at me, and it lights up his youthful face. He’s younger than most of the people in the office, and he dreams of being an executive one day.

I think he has the temperament for it. He’s charming, handsome, and he’d be good at dealing with clients–maybe better than me.

I’m actually pretty shy, despite all the mingling I need to do for work.