Page 12 of Craving the Edge

But for her, I’d find the words.

CHAPTER 5

CHAR

What the hell was I thinking?

I shifted in my chair, the worn vinyl sticking to the back of my jeans. I was actually nervous. The realisation made me want to grind my teeth down to stumps.

My thighs squeezed together under the desk as a hot, unwelcome flush crept up my neck. It was his fault.

The thought of his hands on me, gripping my hips, pinning me to a wall, and tangling in my hair, made a low throb start deep between my legs. It made no bloody sense. I had a type, and it wasn’t him. He was a temporary disruption. In a few weeks, he’d be gone, and I’d be left sweeping up the damage he’d left behind.

Still, the restless energy sunk its claws deeper into me. Ten minutes. I had ten minutes to get my head straight before he came back.

I glanced towards the side door that led to a cramped storage room. Five minutes was all I’d need. Go out back, lock the door, and work this distracting tension out of my system. Just a quickie to get me through the next hour. To get him out of my head.

The click of the front door pulled me from the mess in my head. Billie breezed in, her bright blonde ponytail swinging high as she dropped her gym bag by the desk.

When she saw me, a slow smile spread across her face. “Alright, Judge? You look like you just remembered you left the stove on.”

I straightened my spine, forcing my hands to lie flat on the desk. “Just busy.”

“Busy calculating how many ways you can kill a man with a hole punch?” She looked me over. “Or is all that red for another reason?”

Bugger. The heat returned, twice as hot.

Billie’s smile widened. She pushed off the counter and took a step closer, lowering her voice. Her eyes flicked towards the closed doors to the main floor, where the rhythmic thud of gloves hitting pads echoed faintly. “Don’t tell me. One of our new celebrity guests has got under your skin.”

I scoffed, the sound thin and unconvincing even to my own ears. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous. It’s written all over your face. Which one is it?” She leaned in, a wicked glint in her eyes. “The smiling Brazilian or the moody one?”

My throat felt tight. Admitting it felt like a betrayal of every defensive wall I’d ever built. The silence stretched, and Billie’s expression went from teasing to triumphant. She knew.

“It’s Declan, isn’t it?”

The name, spoken aloud, made my stomach clench and let out a tiny squeak.

Billie clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a noise that was half gasp, half squeal. “Oh, my god. This is brilliant.” Her eyes sparkled. “It’s a classic. The grumpy girl and the superstar bad boy. A total enemies to lovers steamy romance waiting to happen.”

“Keep your voice down,” I hissed. My gaze shot past her, scanning the empty entrance.

Billie’s amusement only grew. “No one’s here, Char.”

“That isn’t the point.” I leaned over the desk. “There’s no steamy anything. He’s a high-maintenance client I have to manage for the next few weeks. That’s it. End of story.”

“‘High-maintenance client’?” Billie mimicked my tone, a laugh catching in her throat. “Is that what you call a guy who looks at you like he’s trying to figure out how to break through the ice to get to all the hot mushy goodness inside?”

“Hot mushy goodness?” I curled my nose. “Puke. He looks at everyone like that. It’s a brand.” I folded my arms across my chest like I was holding myself together. “He’s a product, not a person.”

“Right…and you were getting all hot and bothered over a stock market fluctuation.”

Before I could form a reply sharp enough to wound, a flicker of movement drew my eye. The digital clock on the wall read 11:00…and there he was.

Declan Walsh stood in the archway leading from the main floor, his hands shoved into the pockets of a grey hoodie. He just stood there, leaning against the frame, a silent, unmoving fixture who was clearly waiting for Billie to clear out.

My breath caught. An irritating prickle of annoyance crawled up my spine. He had actually come back and on time, too. Then a second, much stronger wave of annoyance washed over the first, but this one was all about me and the fact I wasn’t nearly as annoyed as I should be.