Page 3 of Winter Wrangler

“You’ll get that once a week.”

“What?” Her mouth falls open and then snaps closed. She blinks a few times before she sucks in a breath. “Devin, no offense, but do you have a brain tumor or something?”

A bark of laughter leaves me as I shake my head. “Not that I’m aware of.”

“Are you dying? Because why else would you give me this kind of money to cook you some dinner and remind you to buy soap?”

“Money motivates people, and I don’t have time to wait around for you to make a decision. If you don’t want the job, I’m moving on to the next candidate.” I’m absolutely bluffing because there is no other candidate. It’s Joy or no one. “So what’s it going to be? Are you in or out?”

“I, um...” She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear before straightening her shoulders. “I’m in. But I’ve got some ground rules.”

“Oh, this is gonna be good. Hang on, I need to sit down for this.”

“Great. It’s already started.” She rolls her eyes as I walk around the island to where she’s sitting and pull out the stool beside her.

“Come on, bunny, tell me what it’s gonna take to convince you to take the job.”

“Number one, don’t call me ‘bunny.’” She holds up her pretty finger in my face, and I have the urge to suck it into my mouth.

“Whatever you say, bunny.” I grin, and she makes the cutest growling sound in the back of her throat.

“Number two, I don’t work after dinner is over. I’m not getting in a situation where I’m at your beck and call all hours of the night.”

“Hmm, hadn’t thought about that, but now I’m kinda mad I didn’t make that part of the agreement.” I cock my head to the side and nod once. “Okay, after dinner you’re off the clock.”

“Number three, you don’t get to boss me around.”

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m your boss, and bossing you around is sort of the idea.”

“You know what I mean. This back and forth between us up until now has been hostile, and I don’t want to live here while you bark orders at me 24-7.”

“What else?” I wait, needing to hear all of her terms so that I can find ways around them.

“I get Sundays off.”

“Agreed.” I’m quick to say yes because I want to get to the end of this negotiation. “When can you start?”

“Oh, um, I guess whenever you want me to.” She looks around like she wasn’t prepared for me to move so quickly.

Little bunny, you have no idea. “Then let’s go get your shit.”

“Wait, now? Like now, now?”

“Listen, I’ve got a big wallet and a short fuse. You tell me how much and I’m getting it done. I don’t have time to sit around and think about decisions that have already been made. So get your ass in gear, bunny. We’ve got shit to do.”

Chapter Three

JOY

“Get what you need for a few days, and I can send a crew over to handle the rest,” Devin says as he roams around my tiny studio. With him inside of it, it’s extra tiny. I can’t help but wonder what he thinks of my space, and I hate the trace of insecurity I have over it. His home is so freaking nice.

“It’s after dinner time,” I point out. “You can’t boss me around.”

He smiles at my response, and I’m mad because I was trying to annoy him. I was sure he was going to get in his own little dig. Then again, maybe smiling is his own form of retaliation. Am I not getting to him as much as I used to? I have to admit that it can be fun to spar with him.

“Only trying to be helpful,” Devin says and opens the top drawer of my dresser.

He wouldn't.

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