Page 30 of Strictly Business

“I can’t be nice?”

“No! You’re never nice, not to me. And vice versa. We don’t do breakfast. We don’t do whatever this is.”

“It was just a sandwich, Shortcake.”

“From Brooklyn.”

“Where I happened to be before I came into the office.” That’s exactly what I told Nick and Nina last night, so why do I feel disappointed when he says it? I knew he wouldn’t go all the way to Brooklyn to bring me coffee and a bagel. “And as for today, we have a lot of work to do. I figured treating you to some nice coffee, and not that shit you’ve been making in the office, was the least I could do. Today is going to be hell.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

“What secret?” I whip my head to look up at him.

“Well, obviously, you think there’s some reason for it other than what it is.”

“I do not!”

“Whatever you say, Shortcake,” Finn smirks behind his cup.

I knew the days of us getting along weren’t meant to last. We spent the rest of the morning walking through the streets of Tribeca, going through the list of possible event ideas. I thought he should keep it simple, do a small cookout-type thing at one of the waterfront parks, but Finn had other ideas. He wanted to go big or go home. He wanted to buy out Luna Park for a day. Do you know how much that would cost? Neither do I, but I can imagine it’s not chump change. You can’t just rent out Coney Island! He didn’t care. He wanted to do and that’s how it was going be.

That’s where our days of amicability ended.

“Sasha can meet us on Thursday,” I say walking back into the office with containers of food Caitlin dropped off on her way home. I told her we could order delivery, but she insisted. I think she wanted to see how things were going after I spent over an hour venting earlier. Sure, I had already given in to him, but I had to finish getting it out.

Cait was right, it’s not my problem. I only have three more days to deal with this, and then I’m free. I won’t have to worry about any of this ever again. So, why should I care how he wants to spend his money? He’s doing what I wanted him to do in the first place — run his own business.

“Did you hear me?”

Silence.

“Helloooooo, Earth to Finn.”

Nothing.

“Fine,” I toss the container in front of him. “You want to act like a child, be my guest.”

Finn laughs, “I learned from the best.”

“Oh fuck off, Finn.”

“Young ladies shouldn’t use such language, Michaela Jane.”

“Good thing I’m not one.”

He gasps, “Something you wanna share with the class?”

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

With a soft chuckle, he leans back in his chair. “You couldn’t handle it, Shortcake.” A warmth spreads across my skin from the heat of his stare. He licks his lips, and it sends a shiver down my spine. When I meet his gaze again, there’s a twinkle in his eye that I’ve never seen before. Is he challenging me?

“Fuck you, Sheffield.”

Finn rises from the chair and my body vibrates with anticipation. He gently pushes the hair from my shoulder, leaning in close, his breath ghosting across my skin before he whispers, “Only in your dreams, Shortcake.”

Chapter Fourteen

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