Page 10 of Taming the CEO

"See? We're making progress. This is very productive," Natalie said.

"And then it got worse," I said because why not go there? I mean, it was a business deal, after all. I'd failed, and now Gabe had to pick up the slack. He needed to know everything.

"I can’t imagine how that's possible," Jake said, his voice tight.

"I started flirting with her."

There was an audible gasp from Penny. Then everyone else burst out laughing.

"Yeah. That is worse," Jake said.

"Why didn't I see that coming?" Gabe muttered. "I should have come with you."

Spencer stared at me. So did Penny.

"So wait, you were already on her bad side,” Spencer began.

Penny played right off him. "And you felt that was a good moment to start flirting?"

When she put it like that, I sounded like a damn moron. But at the time, it seemed different.

I'd been attracted to her from the second I saw her. She was a damn knockout. And then there was a spark—a moment. And I'd acted on that spark. She’d reacted deliciously to that accidental brush of our legs, and my mind went blank. I couldn’t explain it. But that wasn't relevant to this conversation, so I left the detail out.

"I'm going to take a shot in the dark," Spencer said, "and say she flipped you the bird."

"Spencer," Gran chastised.

"Not exactly, but she might as well have," I said.

Gabe wasn't amused.

I zeroed in on him. "Look, I messed up. I'm going to fix it."

"You'd better," he said, his expression hard.

He was usually just as easygoing as I was, but this was important.

"Because if she changes her dad’s mind—" he continued, but I shook my head.

"I won't let that happen."

"What are you going to do? Flirt the pants off her some more?" That came from Cade.

"Boys, what's with you tonight?" Gran asked.

I shook my head. "I deserve it, honestly."

She looked at me sympathetically. "I'm sorry the deal isn't going as smoothly as you thought it would."

"I don't mind," I said. "I like challenges."

"But I think you know better than to flirt during a business deal, Maddox. Your granddad and I taught you better than that," she countered.

"Yes, you did, and I honestly don’t know what came over me." I felt properly shamed right now and decided to concentrate on my meal.

Gran narrowed her eyes. "Would you like to show me around the adventure park one of these days?"

Gabe turned to her, raising a brow. "Why?"

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