Page 18 of Perfect (mis)Match

“When did she say she’d get back to you?”

Piper choked out a laugh. “No ‘way to go, Piper’? No ‘I knew you could do it’?”

I frowned at her. “Well, you haven’t yet. Nothing is scheduled.”

“You’re ridiculous,” she shook her head and glowered at me. “You’re lucky you made me sign a contract, because I’m tempted to walk right out of here this minute.”

The thought of it made my blood run cold, but I wasn’t about to let on. “That’s exactly why I made you sign it. Because I don’t trust you.”

She stormed closer to me and raised her chin at me defiantly.

“Good, then we’re even, because I don’t trust you either.”

I stared down at her, expecting her to blink first, but the woman didn’t look away. My heart started pounding because the way her chest was rising and falling meant she was ready to throw down with me.

Thatneverhappened. I could make anyone fold, but this demolition derby of a human was refusing to budge.

Holding her gaze wasn’t easy. I wanted to memorize all the details of her face. The dark eyes that almost looked black in this moment, the spray of freckles across the bridge of her nose, the lush mouth, even though it was downturned in a frown. Piper was distractingly beautiful up close.

And way too kissable.

No, I chastised myself, this wasnotwhat I needed to be thinking about. Piper was nothing but a pain-in-the-ass means to an end.

“What?” she demanded. “Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong with my face?”

I wanted to laugh at the thought of it. She brushed her hand across her nose quickly, and I realized I’d been way too obvious scrutinizing her.

“Listen, the faster you get to Hawaii, the faster we can be done with all of this,” I pointed between us. “I’m sure we both agree it’s been a disaster.”

“Hold on, you think I’m going solo?” she laughed. “Mr. Bossman, if I go,yougo. They think we’re a couple, remember? And you already ticked them off by ignoring everyone for half the engagement dinner to focus on your phone. If you want them to like you, trynotbeing the asshole who sends his girlfriend onvacation by herself because he can’t bear to drag his uptight self away from work.”

“Ifyou go?” I questioned, only focused on the first part of what she’d said.

I noticed that she still hadn’t moved away. I could almost feel heat radiating from her body.

“When.”

Just the thought of going anywhere with her gave me a tension headache, but she was right. I needed to be there to seal the deal.

“Get it on the calendar.”

She opened her mouth to fight me again, but my phone rang. My father.

“I need to take this. You can go.”

Piper shot me a glare, her eyes flashing with irritation, before she spun on her heel and stomped out of my office. I couldn’t help but let my gaze linger, drawn to the sway of her hips as she walked away.

I exhaled sharply, pushing any thoughts of Piper aside, and answered the call.

“Hey, Dad, what’s going on?”

“Stomach bug has finally cleared up,” he said. “Took forever.”

“Yeah, Paul was disappointed you couldn’t make it to the engagement party.”

I frowned to myself. The engagement party that had led to the blonde spitfire taking over my life.

“I was as well; you know how much I love a party.”

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