Page 100 of Take It Offline

It’s not quite a smile, but the curl of her lip sends a wave of relief through me, and I finally unclench my jaw. Now we’re getting somewhere.

“But put all of that aside. Day one, you had no problem telling me you’d earned that job. What’s so different now?”

She sighs, keeping her gaze averted. “I appreciate your faith in me, but this isn’t a self-esteem issue. I should have done more, fought harder, pushed more.”

Shifting in my seat, I angle in closer. “Don’t beat yourself up.”

“Why not?” she asks.

Fuck. I hate seeing her like this. Hate that I feel so useless.

“You shouldn’t want the approval of a dickwad like that.”

“I don’t want it,” she says. “But I won’t get anywhere without it.”

She’s stronger than me, able to put herself aside for those she loves. What Emma needs is someone to be selfless for her.

“I’m in awe of you,” she says, because the world makes no sense, and Emma will never cease to amaze me. “You learned to play the game, but it’s more than that.” She turns to me, and every word makes me fall faster. “You have a natural talent for people. The kind of skill that other people pay thousands of dollars to learn. None of them make it look as good as you. It’s no wonder they want you.”

Honestly, the longer this project goes on, the less I want it. I wanted to earn the role, not feel like I was ripping my own heart out and sticking it into a hydraulic press.

“They want me because they think I’m one of them. Thanks, but no thanks.” I shake my head and shudder. “And do you really want to play who is better? Because I’m good, but I’ve got nothing on you, sweetheart.”

She looks away. It’s physically painful not to wrap my arms around her, show her how much she means to me. “We’re smart. We can figure this out.”

“How?” Her eyes swim with doubt. “Nothing we do will matter if Roberts isn’t going to back us up.”

My heart aches at the defeat in her voice. “I’ll fix it.” I’ll do whatever it takes.

So softly her words are hard to make out, she says, “I’m not sure you can.”

“Then we’ll face it together.”

If she needs help breaking down barriers, I’ll ask her to point and be her wrecking ball. If she wants to go high, I’ll give her a boost. If she wants to go low, I’ll grab a shovel and start digging. There’s nowhere I won’t follow. No corner I won’t have her back in.

“Okay, that’s it.” I stand before I do something stupid like kiss her or drown us both in my weak, mortal feelings.

“You want to know my secret? Well, here it is.” I hold out a hand, and when she slides her palm along mine, I pull her up. “Stand tall, shoulders back, chin up. Make them look up at you.”

Her lips curl into a smile. “It’s like being back at school.”

“Are you going to call me sir?” I waggle my brows, lust stirring under my skin.

She tugs on my tie, her attention slipping to my mouth. “Only if you’re good.”

Christ.

My pulse kicks up, and want roars in my ears. Damn if I don’t love a woman who takes control, enjoys the blood-pumping back-and-forth of taking and giving ground. And in all my life, no one has matched me like Emma does.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I’m playing with fire, waving a flare at a T-Rex and hoping I don’t get eaten. But I can’t stop.

She wants it, that’s obvious. Her pulse flutters at the base of her throat, and she’s practically vibrating. I keep waiting,fucking ready to let her devour me. Desperate to know if she’ll follow through.

What she’ll do.

“What next?” she whispers.

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