Page 22 of Hate Notes

She put a hand on her hip, emphasizing her distracting curves as she slowly licked her lips, eyes scanning me up and down. “I can’t decide if that was an act of immature jealousy, a statement on what a control freak you are, or just the cold, calculating action of a work robot who only thinks about his company.”

I moved behind her, pointing to a pair of women across the room. I also carefully ignored each of her accusations, all of which touched on at least a fraction of truth. “Kira and Aubrey Dublin.Clients,” I said. I pointed again to a tall, lanky older man. “Wilfred Manchester.Client.” I pointed at Huxley Cane, who was already talking to a group of two pretty young women. “Huxley Cane.Client and snake.Feel free to talk to anybody else here.”

Ember turned, but she didn’t step away, which meant her breasts were nearly pressing against my stomach as she craned her neck to look up at me. Her smile was pure mischief. “What about Orion Foster? Am I allowed to talk to him?”

“I would advise against it,” I said, nostrils full of her floral scent and body painfully aware of her proximity.

“That’s the thing about me…” she said, voice low and seductive. “When people tell me not to do something, it makes mereally, reallywant to do it.”

My jaw clenched. I leaned closer, my voice dropping further. “You should walk away and keep your distance from me, Ember.”

Her head titled and a frustratingly attractive smile touched her lips. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you just asked me to keep you company, Orion Foster.”

“I told you to keep your distance.”

“Mhm,” she said, smiling wider and stepping closer.

I turned my back to her with great difficulty and walked to a balcony where the crowd was thinnest and the music was little more than a distant hum. I didn’t look to confirm she was following, but I could feel Ember’s presence drifting behind me.

To my great annoyance, the not-so-subtle flirtation filled me with something like electricity.

I couldn’t say why she had such an effect on me, but it was beginning to seem ridiculous to deny something was there. Maybe it was her defiant nature. Maybe it was the grudging respect I gave her for being willing to stand up to me time and time again when everybody else fled at the slightest hint of my anger.

Or maybe it was just that goddamn dress.

Ember slid in beside me at the elaborately carved stone balcony overlooking the city two stories below. The city’s light highlighted every tantalizing curve and the swell of her form.My eyes lingered on the shape of her breasts and the white half-moons of light on her exposed cleavage.

When I met her eyes, they twinkled with knowing amusement.

“I’m not used to people ignoring my requests,” I said.

“Yeah?” Ember said. “Well, your mouth is saying one thing, but your eyes are saying something entirely different.”

“I apologize for my eyes,” I said.

Ember laughed suddenly. The change in her expression was mesmerizing. She had an infectious smile and ease to her that was a contrast to everything I knew and felt. My days were defined by gritting my teeth, clinging to self-control, and willing myself to push past every discomfort and selfish need until I achieved my goals.

Ember was…free.It was in every gesture and word that came out of her mouth.

“You apologize for your eyes, huh?” she said, stepping closer to me. “And what if I don’t mind them?”

I swallowed.God dammit. What the hell was she trying to do?

“Do you take anything seriously?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said, her small hands idly coming up to straighten my already-straight tie and lapels. “And I don’t really hide my feelings, so I’m going to come out and say this.”

“Don’t,” I said.

“I find you frustrating but incredibly interesting,” she said, ignoring my request for her to stop. “You act like you’re mad at the world, but you obviously care. About your company, yoursister, maybe even your employees. You could probably just hire a bodyguard to keep the hate notes employees from harrassing you each morning, but you suffer through the notes every single day. And why? It makes me curious about you. The real you. The one you hide under all the grumpy gruffness.”

“This is the real me,” I said, taking a step back. “And I deal with the notes because I enjoy bleeding Patricia Rosh dry. Bribing her employees so she constantly has to fire and hire new ones is incredibly expensive for a small, upstart company like hers. It’s a business move. Nothing more.”

She tilted her head, studying me. “You’re really good at being angry, you know that? It’s kind of impressive.”

“I’m not angry.”

“Oh, come on. You’ve been glaring at me all night. Admit it—you’re annoyed that I’m here, talking to your clients, wearing this dress...” She gestured vaguely at herself, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

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