Page 40 of The Shake Off

He stopped before he was too close, and his scowl deepened. “How did you get through security?”

“I smiled at the guard.”

For some reason my answer seemed to annoy him, based on the way his jaw clenched even tighter. “Yeah, of course you did.”

I wasn’t sure if he required a response, but from the way he was still staring at me, I’d hasten to add that it didn’t.

I cleared my throat. “How’s the mojo?”

“Still missing,” he snapped. “Come to rub it in further?”

I frowned, not really appreciating this heartless monster he seemed to think I was. “No.”

“Then what are you doing here, Payton? We’ve got a game tonight and I need to focus. It’s bad enough I haven’t started in two weeks.”

I shifted from one foot to the other and uncrossed my arms, trying to give the impression I was totally chill, when I’d rather be anywhere else. I also tried not to think about whether this was bordering on solicitation.

“About that… I think we can help each other.”

Ace narrowed his eyes and leaned back ever-so-slightly. “What does that mean?”

“You need my help, and I’ve come to ask for your help with something. I’m proposing an exchange of services.”

“What?” he frowned. “You want me to help you with sex?

It took a great deal of effort to hold in the scoff I wanted to let out. “No. I don’t need help with sex.”

“What then?”

I took a deep breath. “Do you know who Nathalie Cheung is?”

His mouth drew into a hard line, and he shifted back with a stamp of his foot. “No. Is she also saying I was shit in bed?”

“What? No…” I shook my head. “She’s the CEO of Simpson and Mather…” My gaze moved over Ace’s face, but there was no recognition there. “The publishing house? It’s where I work…”

“Oh,” he frowned, “okay.”

“She’s a big deal, Ace.” I stopped myself before I waxed lyrical on Nathalie Cheung, because it was clear it would be lost on my current audience. “Anyway. She’s a big Lions fan, or her kid is…” I gestured to him with a smile, “of you actually, and she’s been trying to get a signed birthday card…”

“Shepherd won’t let us,” he interrupted.

I drew in a long breath before I lost my patience. “I know. I was thinking, if you could sign something maybe just from you… then I’ll help you with the… um… the sex thing.”

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What do you get out of this?”

“I get to move out of my job in children’s publishing and into adult fiction”

“Oh.” He pushed his hands deep into the pockets of his trackpants. “And I only need to bring you a signed birthday card?”

“Maybe throw in a photo, too. No, make it a shirt with your number on. And a cap. All of it,” I blurted. I wasn’t about to chance losing this job opportunity.

His blue eyes fixed on mine, narrowing again. “And then you’re going to let me give you an orgasm?”

“I’ll let you try.”

“Fuck’s sake.” He dropped his head with a shake. “I can’t believe I’m having to bargain with someone to have sex with me.”

This time it was my jaw gritting. “Yeah? Well, there’s your first problem.”

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