Page 42 of The Grump I Loathe

“Does it do this a lot?” he asked.

I grunted. “Only on days that end inY.”

“Is this why you were late to work the other week?”

I heaved. “Maybe.”

He hummed, putting his box down. “You know, there’s a provision about the use of company cars in the contract. I think this would qualify for?—”

“Ew, no. New car smell? I could never,” I joked, biting my tongue. This had flavors of Dad tossing money at me to solve my problems. Sure, it didn’t havequitethe same flavor of “here, take this expensive thing so I don’t have to deal with you” coming from Connor, but it raised my hackles all the same. “I don’t need a company car. All I need is a jump.”

Connor eyed my junker doubtfully. “I think you need a lot more than a jump,” he muttered.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m not even going to consider your offer.”

“Oh, you’ll do more than consider it,” he said. When I turned back, he was closer, and I stumbled against the car. “I can’t have my narrative designer breaking down in traffic.” He stared at me, those brown eyes flecked with gold. My breath caught as he stepped even closer, entering my space, reaching for…the door.

My heart slammed against my ribs.He was just reaching for the door! Get over yourself!

Connor took hold of the key, his fingers slipping over mine. “I’ve got it.”

“It needs a special touch,” I murmured.

His smile hooked, and I felt a jolt of something in my belly. “I can handle a special touch. Trust me.” He wiggled the key in the lock, those forearms doing magical things, and suddenly he was popping the door open, giving me a shit-eating grin. “So, what color?”

“Huh?”

“For the company car?”

“I haven’t agreed to that.”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t make this difficult.”

“You’re just trying to butter me up so I tell Alannah’s team to take it easy on yours,” I said, stepping away from him before my insides combusted.

Connor crossed his arms. “Grace’s team doesn’t need anyone to take it easy on them.”

I smirked. “You sure? Because the kids are already calling your team baby puke green.”

He narrowed his eyes. “It’s a perfectly nice green.”

“No, purple is nice,” I said. “You’re in charge of a bunch of bodily fluids.”

He towered over me, nostrils flaring. “We’re going to wipe the floor with you.”

I straightened my spine, an electric thrill coursing through me. “If you’re so sure, how about we put a little skin in the game? If my team wins, you have to agree to take fun lessons.”

“And if my team wins?” Connor asked.

“Name your terms.”

His face broke into a smug grin. “You accept a company car.”

I pursed my lips, thrusting my hand out. “You’re going down, Lockhart.”

He shook my hand, and I did my best to ignore the tingle of sensation that shot through me. “You’re on, Edith. Prepare to lose.”

“I didn’t know snacks were a competition,” Connor said an hour later in the field behind the school. He was newly greenified, his unfairly sexy forearms painted with green stripes. The color even looked good on him, damn it.