Page 16 of The Enemies With Benefits Deal

I was hoping that Dad would give me the project. Something to show that he has faith in my ability to run it when he finally hands it over to me.

Ifhe hands it over to me.

Right now, I’m staring at the competition, and I have no doubt about that.

Dad changes his mind like the wind changes direction. He might seem like he’s set with me taking over the CEO role right now, but that could all change.

I get up and pace over to the window, ignoring the frustrated sound Jade makes. “You know, I think you should let me handle the website design. I’ve been with the company my entire career. I know what we should capture on the screen.”

Daggers stab their way into my back, the hair at the nape of my neck standing.

I’m sure she’s glaring at me right now.

Jade exhales hard. “Fine. If you think you can make a better website mock-up, then be my guest.”

Turning around, I wait for her to drop the other shoe. I know it’s coming. Life with Jade is never this easy.

What the hell did I see in her in college?

Whatever it was, I don’t see it now.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Jade stands up, appearing at my elbow, the scent of vanilla and lemons wrapping around me. “You do your mock-up, and I’ll doone of my own. We’ll have the office do a blind vote on which one they like the best.”

“And let me guess, you already know that yours is going to win.”

She shrugs, that annoying little smirk playing around the corner of her mauve-painted lips. “Grayson, you’ve never been very creative. If our time together in college taught me anything about you, it’s that.”

I spin around, towering over her. She’s wearing flats today, making her eyes level with my chest.

When she tilts her head to look up at me, for just a moment I consider what it would be like to mold my body to hers, having sex to fix all the issues between us like we used to.

It used to be hard to keep my hands off her.

Even when we were at our worst while competing over the internship, I still couldn’t wait until I got her alone at the end of the night and got to see the side of her that nobody else did.

It was only after she ruined my final project that I realized I never really knew her.

She pokes a finger into the center of my chest, pushing me back a step. “If you’re trying to intimidate me with your size, you’re going to have to try harder. Been there and done that already.”

My cock twitches, pressing against the zipper of my slacks as a reminder. “You’re going to regret starting this fight with me.”

“You’re the one who started fighting, Grayson,” she says, her shoulders slumping and her tone soft as she steps away and sits back down at her desk. “You always are.”

If I stand here and argue with her longer, I know I’m going to do something stupid.

Whether that’s attempting to fire her or reminding her of what she did to me, I don’t know.

I take a quick peek at her, those honey-brown waves cascading beside her face like a curtain she’s pulled between us.

As I turn, I consider telling her to just go ahead and do the mock-up. I know whatever she comes up with is going to be better than anything I do.

The competitive streak in me won’t allow it, so I head for the door, not sparing her another glance.

Leaving her in her office would’ve worked better if she didn’t go to the glass wall that separates our office, knocking on it until I look up.

When I do, she’s holding up a sign with a broad smile on her face.

---