Page 4 of Total Abandon

“You know what he is like, Mr. Guerra,” Jacob replies, his tone tight.

I chuckle, but it dies a quick death when I see Miss Devlin’s pink tongue dart across her lower lip. Fuck. “Yes, I know what he is like,” I say tersely, warding off indecent thoughts that all involve that damn tongue.

“Yes sir, I’ll tell him you’re busy.” Jacob’s reply comes instantly, and I hear the line click dead. Poor guy is about to get the full weight of Mason’s steely tongue, no doubt.

“Tell me about Duke—”

“Are we really going to sit here and pretend that earlier never happened?” She blurts the words out so fast, she shocks herself. I can almost see her trying to stuff them back into her mouth.

I blink, not used to anyone cutting me off. But then again, I’m not used to anyone speaking to me the way she does. “Earlier?” I muse with a feigned frown of incomprehension. The muscle in her cheek twitches as she glares at me. It gives me a thrill to rile her.

“Yes, ea—”

“Oh.” I click my fingers, a smile bleeding onto my face. “You mean when you called me a sex addict and all but flipped me off?”

She pales, almost like she forgot her parting throwaway. “I’ll just…see myself out,” she says quietly, pulling herself up and smoothing her skirt before reaching for her portfolio.

“I haven’t dismissed you, Miss Devlin.” I pull the file out of her reach. She’s partially leaned over my desk, giving me a fantastic view of red lace between her blouse buttons. Her eyes round and she freezes. I point one finger to her chair and hold her gaze. That fucking blush is going to be the end of me. Her throat works to swallow, and she sits.

“If you want the job, it’s yours,” I say swiftly, closing the portfolio with a softsnapand pushing it her way.

Those big blue doe eyes blink once. Twice. “But you can’t possibly—”

“I don’t take kindly to being told what I can and can’t do,” I warn, annoyance pulsing through my gut. “I’m hiring you for the fact you worked on Genesis alone, references withstanding.”

She’s silent for a heartbeat. “Okay.” She breathes, steadying herself with a sharp breath through her nose.

“Good, that will be all for today,” I dismiss, already picking up my phone receiver from its cradle. As I dial the number I know by heart, I watch her curvy little ass walk away in that damned pencil skirt, wondering if I’ll live to regret this decision.

“Took you long enough,” Mason bites gruffly down the phone as my office door closes.

I huff out a deep sigh. “I was in the middle of interviewing a woman who might just make my life a living hell.”

Astute as he is, Mason doesn’t miss a beat. “Careful now, that’s how I got dragged into being an honest man.” I laugh, scrubbing a hand over my face, suddenly feeling as tired as I am antsy. I know he’s joking. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together can see how wholly smitten he is with his wife, Mia. Even I have to admit, their baby girl Macey is one of the cutest kids I’ve ever seen.

“Does this mean my wife is going to be sorely disappointed that you didn’t hire the candidate she put forward?” Mason continues.

Ah, Harvard guy. “Yeah, think you can let her down gently for me?” I ask as I flip my laptop up and type in my password.

His deep chuckle reverberates against my ear where my phone is now pressed to my shoulder. “Not a chance, buddy. That pleasure is all yours.”

I roll my eyes, but I’m unable to stifle my smile. “You’re a shit friend, you know that?”

“Yeah. Good luck.” He laughs and the line goes dead.

Chapter 3

Tilly:How soon is too soon for me to show up at your work unannounced and hit on your boss?

Chloe:I’m going to say anytime between now and the day I hand in my resignation.

Tilly:I still think you should fuck him.

Mom:You girls do realize this is the family chat?

Tilly:Hi Mom, did you google him yet?

Mom:Just did. Definitely fuck him.