Page 26 of Fire in You

I cast him a sidelong look.

“Okay. I was the one who wanted to eat thebakedbrownies or cake, but you wanted to make it because you wanted the raw cake and brownie mix.” His thick lashes lowered. “You still do that?”

“Never.” I did just that two days ago.

The look on his face said he knew the truth. Neither of us talked as we finished off the doughnuts, leaving one in the carton—one that I would definitely eat once he left.

“So, I came here to talk to you.” Brock wiped his fingers off on the paper towel as his gaze slid in my direction. “Because I’m disappointed.”

I frowned as I cleaned the stickiness from my fingers. “In what?”

“You.”

“Excuse me?” I leaned back.

Rolling the towel up, he dropped it in the brown paper bag. “When you decided to stay and work with me—”

“For you,” I corrected.

“Forme.” He dipped his chin and grinned, peering up at me through those impossibly thick lashes. “I didn’t think you would spend the entire time hiding from me.”

Oh crap.

I fixed a blank expression on my face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really?” His tone was sly. “The only time I see you is when we’re in a meeting with the staff.”

“That sounds normal,” I argued.

“And whenever I happen to walk out of my office, you’re suddenly on the phone.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “Well, I’m making a lot of calls, checking the prices of advertisements and trying to find—”

“Uh-huh. And it’s real convenient those calls only seem to take place when I’m not in my office.”

I forced a casual shrug.

“And how do I know that?” he rested his chin in his palm, looking way too smug. “I checked today. I called Steve. You know, he sits directly in front of you, and I asked if you were on the phone.”

Oh no.

“He said no, but guess what?”

I said nothing.

Brock waited.

Sighing, I folded my arms. “What?”

“You were on the phone a second after I stepped out of my office.”

“How coincidental,” I murmured. “You have some really bad timing.”

He arched a brow. “That’s bullshit.”

“Language, Mr. Mitchell,” I mimicked.

Surprise flickered over his face and then he threw his head back and laughed, exposing his neck. And who knew a neck could be so attractive? I didn’t, but his was.

---