Page 8 of My Office Rival (Keep Your Enemy Closer #2)

CYNTHIA

M y hand landed on firm, glorious abs, my thumb just brushing the vee of muscles above his waistband.

Muscles he’d used to drive into me with ruthless focus just twenty-four hours before.

Oh no. No. Maybe I was dreaming. Or having a nightmare.

I looked up and met eyes of bright, burning blue, like the sun on a cloudless day, when it was so hot that you felt seared to the bone.

It really was him. Fuck. His lips quirked, and he raised an eyebrow.

I snatched my hand back like I had been burned.

“What are you doing here?” This can’t be happening.

He leaned against the door frame, blocking my way in to the house. The yellow light from the interior made him glow. “I could ask you the same question.”

“Are you on this deal?” Please say no, please say no . If I had to sit across from him for weeks…it would be torture.

“No, I’m just here for fun,” he replied, smirking. He gave me a once-over and my face flamed. I had a brief flash of him moving over me, his face slack with pleasure. My stomach tightened. I will not survive this deal if I can’t even stand next to him.

“So you’re representing H Brands?” I asked, inanely.

“Yup. And you’re representing Argan.” He crossed his arms. “You look a little worse for the wear. Tired? Didn’t sleep well last night?” His eyes danced.

Lovely. So we were going to play it like this. The deal started now, and he was already one up on me.

“It’s been a long day,” I said and paused.

I was exhausted from getting home after midnight and dealing with a full day of traveling, and still sore from the five orgasms he’d given me.

Again, give me another, he’d murmured in my ear as he fucked me into the mattress.

I wanted to throw up, or maybe run away.

Instead, I steeled my spine. “This is my rental house.”

He tapped his chin as if he were thinking, when I knew he was in fact laughing at me. “Actually, I think it’s my rental house.”

“I have the booking confirmation right here.” I pulled out my phone. I was not in the mood for him and his hot body and his shitty attitude. Embarrassment and exhaustion were a potent cocktail. And I had forgotten what an asshole he could be when he was in work mode. Guess last night was a fluke.

He shrugged, but his eyes danced with unholy glee. “Not sure. Must be a mistake. Find a hotel.” He turned and grabbed the door handle. Is he about to shut the door in my face? I clenched my fist.

“There are none.” I was not going anywhere. If I let him walk all over me now, I’d be giving up serious ground in our negotiation.

He knew it too. His eyes laughed at me. He had the upper hand, figuratively and literally, from his perch just within the door. I need to get into that house . He raised a brow and crossed his arms. His biceps popped obscenely, and I looked away.

“I’m sure you have an extra room.” The words were dragged from my throat. Asking him for a favor was about as pleasant as chewing glass.

“I don’t have to let you stay with me. In fact, I think that would be a very bad idea,” he said smugly.

“And why is that?”

“Do you think you can keep your hands off me?”

I flicked my gaze back to him. Muscled torso, arms crossed, low- slung pants showing off tight stomach muscles, bare feet, and a look of disdain on his perfect face.

With that attitude? “I very much think I can,” I said archly.

His jaw flexed, just the slightest amount. Ha. Got you.

“Possession is nine-tenths of the law. Or so they say,” he replied.

“So they do, in fact, say,” I ground out.

This place had to have at least three bedrooms. Jerk.

I wasn’t going to beg him. I had too much pride for that.

The laughing man from last night was gone.

In fact, Jason seemed to take pleasure in baiting me.

The Closer played to win. I stared at him, holding his gaze, waiting for his cold blue eyes to warm.

Waiting for him to move to the side and let me in.

He smirked at me from where he lounged against the door frame.

Stupidly beautiful and horribly frustrating.

“See you tomorrow.” I turned on my heel. “Asshole,” I muttered under my breath.

I grabbed my bag and trudged down the steps. It banged against my leg as I descended. I could feel Jason watching me from the house, and I held my spine straight, even though all I wanted to do was slump with defeat.

It was nine p.m. now. The only hotels were near the airport, which was a two-hour drive.

I didn’t even know if they would be open in two hours.

And driving four hours every day for meetings?

I wouldn’t get anything done. I frowned as I lugged my bag back over the grass and rocks.

Better to just sleep in my car and regroup tomorrow.

Maybe I could sneak into the house in the morning and grab a shower.

And Monday, I’d have to face Jason across the conference table.

Ugh. He was so smug, so knowing. Last night, I’d briefly reconsidered my opinion of him.

He’d been fun, full of life, fantastic in bed.

He’d shared little pieces of himself. At one point I’d thought that I’d been wrong about him, had been ashamed that I’d judged him and called him an asshole, when he hated the law firm protocols as much as I did.

A kindred spirit. I snorted as I shoved my bag back into the car. For one night. Jerk.

I had to win this deal, and now doubt swirled. No one put me on my back foot like he did, and now we had slept together. Stupid. This is why they told you not to fool around at work.

I settled myself in the driver’s seat and finally let my spine relax, let myself curl in protectively.

My throat tightened. I didn’t cry about work, and I didn’t cry about men.

I met plenty of assholes like Jason in my day-to-day life.

Men who thought they could dismiss me, who thought I was a pushover.

But showing up Monday, exhausted from getting up early, with four hours fewer per day to work than Jason had.

.. fuck. I needed this deal, and I needed this job.

I had nowhere to go without it. A silent tear leaked out, and I squeezed my eyes shut like I could physically prevent myself from crying.

Another tear made wet tracks down my cheek, and I took a deep, shuddering breath.

I need a distraction. I pulled out my phone and called Margo.

“Hi, what’s up?” she asked cheerfully. What sounded like a hockey game was on in the background. Andrew must be home. They’d moved in recently and were disgustingly happy together.

“You’re not going to believe this,” I responded miserably.

“Uh oh.”

“I got lost, my phone died, and I just got to my rental house. And it’s occupied.”

“By whom?” She was appropriately shocked.

“Jason. Elliott.”

“No way,” she breathed. “No fucking way. He’s opposing counsel on this deal?”

“I know. You and I must have jinxed it. He’s back to being awful. One night of sex did not soften that man. I practically begged him to let me stay in the rental house for one night, and he tried to close the door in my face.” Just saying the words made my fists clench.

“ Asshole ,” she said vehemently. “Do you want me to see if I can find a place? Let me grab my computer.” She rustled around in the background.

“No,” I sighed. “No, it’s okay. I looked. There’s nothing between here and the airport.” I tipped my head back against the seat. “I’ll sleep in my car tonight and then figure it out tomorrow. I’m so tired.” Tired from traveling and then sparring with Jason. Exhausted from all the disappointments.

“If you’re sure…” She trailed off uncertainly. “He really is the worst. After last night, he’s still being a dick? No wonder his reputation precedes him.”

My stomach bottomed out. Wasn’t that the worst part?

I hated being weak. And in front of a man, no less.

“He’s right back to his asshole ways.” I sighed.

“Look on the bright side. Now I have absolutely no reservations about crushing him,” I responded, trying to talk myself up.

“And I really have to crush him.” Or I’m going to get fired.

“Ugh. I guess. I can’t believe you got the talk.

You’re too good for that. Gerald doesn’t know what he’s doing,” she grumbled.

She’d threatened to go straight to the partner committee, but I had stopped her.

I didn’t want her using her political capital like that.

Not that it would do much of anything. The decision had been made.

“You know my heart hasn’t been in it for a long time. But I need to keep my job. I have no other options at this point. So Jason Elliott is going down.”

“That’s my girl,” she said. “Call me to talk strategy all you want. Oh, and I’ll send you the precedent documents from this deal Andrew did. He absolutely eviscerated the seller. You can use some of the language.” Her tone brightened, presumably at the thought of eviscerating someone, and I smiled.

“Thank you. You’re the best. Now go enjoy your night. I’m going to try to get comfortable in my car.”

“Good luck tomorrow,” she responded, before we hung up.

I slumped back against the seat, my false bravado gone.

Tomorrow, I would regroup. Tomorrow, I would be full of fire and sharp words.

But right now, after today’s setbacks, all my fire was extinguished.

Seeing him , just standing there, like he remembered exactly what I looked like naked and was planning to use it against me, that had been awful.

I hated the way he made me feel. Like I was a junior associate coming to bother him with something silly, or an incompetent opponent he couldn’t stand to give complete answers to.

Instead of what I really was–smart, well-dressed when I wasn’t sleeping in my car, and a shark.

Well, most of the time. Right now, I felt fragile and wrung out. At least I could put some cozy clothes on and have the snacks I had saved from the plane ride.

I got out of the car and took a deep breath of the fresh night air, determined to forget the coldness of Jason’s eyes and the anxiety simmering beneath my skin.