Page 12 of Playing My Rivals

She shakes her head and turns back to the computer. “Sure. Cherries go along with the theme. We have them on our slot machines and people associate them with winning big. Therefore, they’re alluring.”

I laugh quietly and stay where I am. She focuses on the screen for a beat. When she realizes I’m not going to move, she faces me again.

“Jami, I’m having a hard time trying to figure out what you’re doing.”

“It’s funny you should say that because I’m trying to figure out what you’re doing.”

She studies me for a minute, then focuses back on the computer screen. “Help me figure out what I need to work on. I need to get these specs to our design team or we won’t have anything new to put into the app.”

I move my hand to the back of her chair. The tips of my fingers brush against her back and pebbles crawl across her arms.

Her reaction makes me smile. “What’s wrong, Dori? Does my touch make you shiver?”

She pulls her hands into her lap and shifts in her chair.

Once she’s steady, she turns to me. “Stop it. You can’t do this.”

Our gaze locks together. I want to push her into admitting she’d rather be with me. The problem with getting her to do so is I can’t follow through with anything with her until I get my relationship with Lauren in order. Otherwise, Dori could become collateral damage.

Lauren’s been relatively quiet, but when I told her I was thinking about dating someone else, she lost her shit. She pounded on me that night, even making my lip bleed. Dori showed up seconds after our fight took place.

That was when my decision to be with Dori changed. I can’t have Dori in Lauren’s sights because there’s no telling what Lauren will do.

She hasn’t stopped by my place since that night, but anytime I’m at Chuck’s, she comes over to talk. I can’t take the chance of Dori getting hurt. I have to protect her until I can get Lauren more stable.

And that’s just the beginning of what’s keeping Dori and me apart. Thoughts of her brother creep into my mind, but that doesn’t stop me.

I need to know if there’s still a chance with Dori, so I push. “Why is my presence affecting you so much?”

“Because I’m trying to meet a deadline and you’re… You know what you’re doing.” She’s begging me to stop with her eyes, but I’m feeling ornery after seeing Hunter and her together.

The provocative side of me takes over. “I’m simply pointing out the facts, Dori. I barely touched you and saw chill bumps fly across your skin. Why is that?”

She leans into me, lowering her voice. “Why are you doing this? You’re the one who told me to figure out my feelings for Hunter.”

Her cheeks burn crimson. “I’m trying to do that, but you’re making it complicated. When we’re at work, my only focus is work. Feelings don’t get to seep into our environment. We’ve got deadlines. You need this as much as I do, so stop. Stop flirting with me.”

“You think I’m flirting with you? How is asking you if you like cherries and pointing out that I saw your reaction to me flirting with you?”

She grits her teeth and glares at me, obviously annoyed. I feel justified, though. I’m just as irritated as she is.

Her voice stays low. “You said you wondered if I tasted like cherries. How is that not flirting?”

Shit.

She has me there.

“It was a fleeting thought. Nothing more.” I stand straight and step back.

She huffs out a fake laugh. “Nothing more. You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s the epitome of a sexual come-on, and you know it.”

I shrug and cross my arms across my chest. She turns back to her desk and glances around.

A moment later, she grabs her purse and her notepad. She pushes out of her chair and stands, then marches past me with her arms wrapped around her things, glaring at me as she leaves.

I may have upset her a little. I’m feeling spiteful today and even though it’s wrong, I can’t help myself. She’s cruelly strung me along for years, so maybe she needs a taste of her own medicine for twisting my heart into pieces.

My insides are bruised from years of her choosing someone over me. But then a pang of guilt swirls in my chest.

---