Page 17 of The Opposite Effect

Ignoring her cattiness, I continue as if she never spoke. “You should also consider removing your bling. It doesn’t fit in around here, and it will only lead to trouble.” I clutch the diamond pendant dangling around her neck and hoist it into the air.

She snatches the pendant out of my grasp. “You should consider removing your attitude because it doesn’t fit in around here,” she snips under her breath.

I smirk. “Will it be like this the entire two weeks? I saysomething, and you fire back with a bitchy comment?”

“Depends,” she replies with a shrug.

I glare into her stern eyes. “On what exactly?”

“On if you keep saying stupid things.”

I back her into the outer wall of the shop and press my hands on each side of the brickwork next to her shoulders. The veins in her neck thrum, but she maintains my eye contact, trying to act as if my intimidating stance isn’t affecting her. “If you want to work here, you need to lose the attitude. If you can’t do that, I suggest you slide your pretty little ass back into your pretty little car and drive your stuck-up princess routine back to the pretty side of Ravenshoe. Because that side of town may see your hard-ball approach as determination, where I just see it as a spoiled little bitch hiding behind a pile of money.”

Her lips thin into a hard, disapproving line. “I’m just giving as good as I’m getting, Brax,” she replies after locking her challenging blue eyes with mine.

I’ll give it to her. This time around, she’s got me played. I’ve given her just as much attitude as she’s been bestowing upon me. So much, I’m certain if my grandmother ever catches wind of my interactions with Clara, she’ll have my head placed on the guillotine block.

She’s quoted numerous times during the past twenty-eight years of my life that, “No matter if they’re richer than a queen or poorer than a struggling artist, every woman has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.”

But I can’t help it. Clara riles me up. Not just my hackles but my cock as well. The first half of my weekend was filled trying to work out what her deal was. The second half was spent striving to release the stranglehold her feistiness placed on my cock.

Just like I came up stumped on why a socialite like Clara would want to work at Inked, nothing could ease the throb of mycock. Not even the pretty little blonde with icy-blue eyes I picked up last night.

For some strange, unknown reason, my cock has set his sights on a little temptress with a scornful mouth and even more sinful lips. I can’t say I don’t understand his fascination. Clara is so much of a sexpot she only needs to breathe to excite a red-blooded guy. Just the way she’s staring up at me now, panting hard with her painted lips pursed, makes her so tempting all I want to do is wipe the sass right out of her mouth with my fucking tongue.

Knowing that will never happen, I drop one of my hands from the wall and scrub it over the few days of scruff on my chin. “I don’t think this is a good idea. This agreement isn’t going to work.”

My cock is already aching to sink into her, and she’s only been here for five seconds, so imagine how bad it will be in an hour?

Clara releases a long breath while crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’m not going anywhere until my trial is over. I may not have signed an official employment document, but a verbal contract is just as binding as a written one. Believe me, I checked.”

“Then I’ll pay you two weeks of salary, and we’ll call it a day.”

After glaring at me, she slips under my arm and saunters into the shop like she owns the place. Her shoulders are straight, and her head is held high as she slings off her jacket and hangs it on the coat rack before heading to the foyer. For the first time in her three visits to the premises, she’s standing on the opposite side of the counter. “Are you going to show me where everything is? Or am I going to figure it out on my own?”

I grit my teeth and take three steps toward her. “Did you hear anything I said? I’ll pay you your two weeks owed.”

“Yeah, I heard every word that spilled from your lips,Brax.” She spits my name out like it is a piece of trash. “Unlike you, I don’t have any concerns about my hearing.”

“Then why are you still standing in my foyer? I’m a man of myword. I’ll follow through on my agreement. You’ll get your money.”

She places her hands on her hips and stares me straight in the eyes. “Youagreedto give me a two-week trial. I’m here to begin my two-week trial. I’mnota charity case.” Her words come out shaky during the last part of her statement. “Now, are you going to show me where everything is? Or am I going to figure it out on my own?” she requests again, glaring at me.

I stare at her, looking like a slack-jawed idiot. I’ve never had someone with enough gall to spar up against me on my turf before, let alone a woman my cock wants to wrestle with beneath the sheets. Even giving her a stare that would make most men cower, she doesn’t yield the slightest. If anything, her determination strengthens. She came here to start her two-week trial, and she isn’t leaving until that happens.

Realizing that arguing with a woman like Clara is utterly pointless, I eat humble pie before spending the next thirty minutes giving her a general rundown on how the shop operates. I explain how she will be left in charge of booking all the appointments, taking clients’ payments, and pretty much doing anything the crew requests her to do.

She’s quick, but I don’t miss the tiniest flare of anxiety that crosses her face when I mention she has to do anything the crew demands.

“Other than Charity, the rest of the crew won’t be overly demanding.”

She nods as she follows me to the hallway.

“Charity can get a little handsy, but don’t let it bother you. She’s harmless.” I stop talking and run my eyes over Clara’s body. “Although, for you, she may be extra grabby.”

The spark of worry tainting her face explodes into a full flare.

“If it gets more than you can handle, holla, and I’ll have a quiet word with Charity.”

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