Page 80 of Catfish

“You could’ve crumpled her business.”

I scoff and throw the folder I’m holding onto my desk. “If she was any good, it wouldn't have mattered." A slow smile creeps on my assistant's face, one that I've seen more times than I care to admit because it's her victory smile.

“And it didn’t, she’s still thriving. Which means she’s—” she air quotes. “—’good.’ I don’t think I need to talk her up anymore.”

“And you want me to jump?” I press. “To have some woman with major mood issues to work with us.”

“You’re not good with letting new people in,” Em conveys softly. “I get it, honestly, you know I do. But, trust me, this won’t be a bad thing.”

I beg to differ like you don’t even believe.

I owe Em a lot. I owe her someone who she can work with that’ll make her life easier.

It’s just that Reagan will not make mine smoother. It's a temptation to take a bite of the plump, juicy red apple. Adam and Eve got cast out on their asses for doing shit they were told not to do.

My head’s telling me "fuck no" while my cock is telling me "fuck yes."

“You want to look that desperate to hire her today?” I ask Em. She bobbles her head again like an eager child.

I fight back the urge to tell her too fucking bad.

Fuck.

“Go ahead,” I blurt before I second guess myself for the hundredth time today. “And get the hell out of my office, I have shit to do.”

I can already feel the pit of my stomach start to twist a little with a twinge of regret.

This is going to be such a bad idea.

Em actually lets out a small squeal followed by a little leap in the air and starts to back her way to the door. “You won’t be making a mistake.”

I don’t stop that grunt from leaving my body, but it doesn't deter Em from showing her excitement as she makes her way out the door.

She doesn’t say goodbye or thank you, she just makes her way to hire the woman who should’ve never been in my life to begin with.

The woman who’ll hold a superpower over me to drop everything, start a scandal, and not give two flying fucks about it.

She’s fucked me over before I even got my dick wet.

? Headstrong — Trapt ?

“How’d it go?” Sadie asks me, handing me my fourth coffee of the day. “Did we get the job?”

I scroll through my phone, looking through the appointments that we have coming up that includes a sixteenth birthday party, a retirement party, and Mayor Montgomery's son's soiree.

Anything to get my mind off the governor and his hyper-ass assistant.

“Which one?” I ask, lining up potential caterers for each event.

“The governor,” she gushes, sitting on the couch in my small office with me. “Is he as handsome in person?”

“He’s an ass,” I deadpan.

“Well, they do say he’s broody and mysterious.” She twists her body to face mine. “Did we get the job?”

“I’m just waiting on his assistant to tell me that Lockwood took his head out of his ass and offered it to us.”

“Wait...what?”