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“Okay. I get it. I won’t go after you.” I clear my throat. “Besides, I already have a new target.”

“What?” She makes a face.

I get up from my seat after taking another sip from my coffee. “Be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

I don’t answer. Instead, I walk to the bar and have a small chat with the barista. Sometimes, I glance over my shoulder and spot Emily trying to hide her concern. I don’t mind, but I don’t like being constrained. Either she takes what I have to offer, or she lets me do whatever the fuck I want. There’s no having her pie and eating it, too. The only one who’s going to eat anything around here is me, and I swear to fucking god, it’ll be her pie I’m eating soon.

I’ll make it fucking happen, whether she’s ready for it or not.

I talk with her for a minute, after which I saunter back to my seat. Meanwhile, Emily is giving me the stink eye.

“I’m not thirsty anymore,” she says, picking up her coffee and throwing it into the trash. “I have to get back to work.”

“All right. Catch you later,” I say, taking the last sip of my coffee.

I struggle to keep a straight face as she walks out the door and leaves me here. She’s mad, and we both know why, but she won’t admit it. Soon, baby … soon.

Chapter 15

Emily

Back in the office, I immediately log on to my email, trying to get my head off Chris and back to my work. I have to do something to take my mind off him, but the moment I open my email, all hell breaks loose. The media company we have ties with sends me the pictures they take of my clients so I can approve them for publication, but this one makes my jaw drop. It’s Chris, and he’s having a drink with that same barista who served us only an hour ago.

Hot off the press. And hot in my head.

Goddammit. I smack my hand on the table and almost scream out, but when I notice my coworkers eyeing me, I stop and force myself to control my anger.

“Calm down. He’s just your stepbrother. Your annoyingly dead-sexy asshole of a stepbrother,” I whisper to myself.

I blow out a few breaths before picking up my mobile phone and dialing his number. But then I realize that he’ll probably just avoid the questions that I have. Plus, he doesn’t even know about this picture yet. He’s still sitting there with her, pretending nobody will notice.

Well, I noticed. He can’t just go around having drinks with everyone. Soon, they’ll think they’re dating, or worse, having random, steamy sex in a hotel room every night. I can already imagine his strong arms pinning her down on the bed, kissing her lips with fervor, growling into her mouth, licking her neck … oh, god. Why am I even thinking of this?

It’s wrong, so wrong, and yet I can’t stop inserting myself into thoughts about Chris.

I have to stop him from humping every girl he can find because it damages his image, which is already at a historical low. He’s been dubbed the next bad boy in town, the one who gets girls to do things they’ll regret later. And I can tell from personal experience that’s exactly what happens when you fall for his charms.

“What are you doing?” Alyssa asks as I tuck away my cell phone.

I look up, surprised to see her there, even though I shouldn’t because this is the freaking office. When I’m in my mind, I just tend to forget there are people around me.

“Ah … nothing.”

She gives me a small nudge. “Oh, c’mon. I can tell you’re hiding something.”

An awkward laugh leaves my mouth. “Well … it’s kind of embarrassing.”

“What? Tell me!” She sits down beside me.

I roll my eyes. “My …stepbrother is my client, which is problem number one. I’m supposed to help him with his problematic reputation, but I just got this picture sent to me.” I show her the email.

“Oh, my … wait, is he grabbing her butt?”

She points at the second picture I hadn’t even dared to look at.

“Oh, my god,” I say, staring up close. My face is almost hitting the screen, and Alyssa laughs at me. With a flush, I lean back.

“I see you’re involved,” she says with a snicker.

“No, I’m just trying to contain this.”

“I can see that.” She muffles another laugh.

“Stop laughing,” I whisper-yell.

“What? It’s funny to see you get so worked up over this guy.”

“What? No, I’m not worked up. He’s just making it so hard on me.”

“I think there’s more to it than that,” she says, winking at me.

“Uh … right.”

She smiles. “I know you. I also know you never act this way around a guy. Or even remotely talk about them like this.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re embarrassed … confused … maybe a little jealous.”

My jaw drops. “I am not jealous!”

“Don’t tell me,” she says, getting up from her seat. “I’m not the one who needs convincing.”

“Fine, maybe I am, but so what? This is still not what he’s supposed to be doing to keep his reputation intact. Before you know it, she’ll go to the tabloids with some crazy-ass story, and then shit really hits the fan.”

“Or you just want him for yourself,” she muses.

I give her a playful shove. “Shut up.”

She giggles. “I can tell you like him, so there is no use in hiding it.”

“When? How? What are you, some kind of magician?” I say.

“No, but I’ve seen enough. He’s been here, and you’ve talked about him. One plus one … ahh, you get it.”

I shrug. “I don’t like like him. We just have … history …”

“Uh-huh …” She nods as if she just doesn’t believe me. “Whatever you say. Let’s just go get him, shall we?”

I frown as she wraps her arm around my shoulder. “We?”

“Yeah, I’m backing you up, girl,” she says with a grin. “I know when I’m needed.”

I’m still not sure if there’s anything that can be done. I mean, I’m supposed to help Chris, but I’m not doing a great job. He’s so stubborn and cocky all the time; it just gets on my nerves. That, and him flaunting all his goods in my face isn’t helping.

I think I’ll have to flaunt his own actions in his face. Maybe that’ll wake him up. If anything, at least this picture will show that girl to be careful around him. She might not want all the attention. Or at least, that’s what I tell myself when we walk out of the office, determined to tell him what I really think.

***

30 minutes later

Of course, he’s already gone by the time we arrive. I shouldn’t have expected anything different, but I guess I was hoping I could catch him in the act and confront him. Too bad it’ll have to wait, but he can sure as hell expect me to talk about this with him.

“Wanna go grab a coffee then, since we’re here anyway?” she asks.

“Nah, I just had one. Besides, I’m not really feeling well right now.”

“Oh … heartbreak troubles.”

I roll my eyes at her. “My heart isn’t breaking and especially not over him.”

“I understand,” she says, but I know she’s being sarcastic. “But I still think we should do something fun to take your mind off him. Hey, I know! Let’s go out tonight.”

“I don’t need a distraction or your pity, Alyssa,” I say, sighing.

“It’s not pity! It’s to celebrate my birthday,” she says. “I said I’d think about it, and I have. I wanna go out and party!”

“You’re sure?” I squint. “This isn’t about me, right? You’re doing this for you, okay?”

“Yes, of course. Now, are you coming or what?”

“Of course,” I say with a big smile. “We’ll have something to look forward to tonight.”

“And if all goes well, you might even forget about that big asshole. What’s his name, Chris?”

Of course, I can’t forget about him after she says that, which is exactly what she wanted to happen. I shove her, making her laugh like crazy. “I’m just messing with you.”

“I know you are. That’s why you’re such a bitch,” I growl playfully.