Page 19 of The Opposite Effect

“She’d be worth the hassle. You’ve always said it is the rich girls who are wilder in the bedroom. Clara is making me want to test your theory.” Diesel’s voice is a mix between playful and determined.

I glare into his hanker-filled eyes. “Are you gonna make a move on Clara?”

He rubs his hands together as his mocking grin switches to eagerness. “You got any objections if I do?”

The first thought to enter my mind is,fuck yes, I mind.The second is,why do I even care?Although I’ve been using the no-messing-with-the-crew clause as my excuse to stay away from Clara, it isn’t set in stone for my crew. It’s not in their employment contract, and it is not mentioned during the hiring process, so Diesel is well within his rights to ignore it. But even knowing this, I still don’t want him touching Clara. She isn’t mine, and she will most likely never be mine, but for some reason, unbeknownst to me, the thought of Diesel treating Clara like she’s a bunny annoys the shit out of me.

Before I can reply to Diesel’s question—or compile a reason as to why I object to his request—a flurry of blonde scurrying past my office door catches my attention.

After rolling my eyes at her imperfect timing, I say, “Come on in, Princess, you’ve never been concerned about knocking before, so what’s changed now?”

Clara’s red pumps enter the frame first, closely followed by the rest of her enticing body. “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a look of concentration on your face. I wasn’t sure if you were holding a serious discussion or needing to use the bathroom.”

Diesel’s deep laughter fills the office.

“You’ll be cleaning the bathroom if you don’t watch it,” I grumble, glaring at Diesel, my mood still edgy from his disclosure of interest in Clara.

“Un-fucking-likely,” Diesel replies while sinking deeper into the couch.

After leaning back in my chair, I intertwine my fingers, striving to ignore the way Diesel’s eyes roaming over the dark green dress clinging to the curves of Clara’s body has caused a tick to impinge my jaw.

The clicking of heels bounces off the wall when Clara pushes off the doorjamb and ambles deeper into thespace. “Charity has secured a walk-in, and Johnny has advised he will beindisposedfor an hour.” A ghost of a smile stretches across my face from the disgruntled cloud her eyes got when she referred to Johnny’s unavailability. “The remainder of the crew don’t have any clients arriving for another hour, so I’m going to grab a quick bite to eat.”

My brow arches. “You’re advising me that you’re going to lunch?”

My eyes follow her hands when she runs them down the front of her dress before she nods.

“Why? You’ve never bothered the past two weeks, so what’s changed today?” I question after dragging my eyes away from her petite frame. It’s a hard-fought battle.

She stiffens. “I was just trying to be polite.” Her brows stitch together tightly. “I guess it was imprudent of me to believe manners held any place in a tattoo parlor.” With a sigh, she spins on her heels and saunters to the door. Just before she exits, she peers back at me. “You need to make a decision about converting my trial basis to a permanent position soon. It is highly unprofessional to leave such an imperative decision until the last minute.” Although her words come out stern, the bitchy smear of her tone can’t hide the desperation in her eyes.

“Actually, Diesel and I were just discussing your inclusion in the Inked family.” I gesture my hand to Diesel, who hasn’t taken his eyes off her ass since she entered my office.

Although my statement is slightly deceitful, it isn’t a total lie. Before our conversation veered off course, Diesel and I were discussing the possibility of extending Clara’s appointment at Inked.

Clara’s breathing quickens, but she remains as quiet as a church mouse as her wide eyes shift between Diesel and me. “And?” she eventually squeaks out, unable to harbor her curiosity any longer.

I quirk my lips. “I haven’t reached a decision yet. How about we extend your trial to a day-to-day basis until I’ve had time to decide?”

Anger spreads through Clara’s veins, giving her skin a red hue. The veins in her neck pulse so furiously, they nearly burst. When she glares at me in disdain, I’m primed and ready to cop the wrath of her fury, so you can imagine my surprise when she holds back her usually bitchy retaliation and storms out of the office without a single word seeping from her lips.

I balk and turn my shocked eyes to Diesel. “What the fuck did I just miss?”

“A prime opportunity.” Standing from the couch, he stretches his legs before striding to my open office door. After closing the door, he twists to face me. “She just gave you an in, and you shot her down like she has the clap.”

I stare at him with bewilderment all over my face. “She didn’t give me an in. She’s just sucking up as she’s worried about her position. Today is the last day of her trial.”

Diesel throws his head back and laughs. “Yeah, right.” He steps closer to my desk. “‘I’m grabbing a quick bite to eat’ is a bunny’s way of saying, ‘will you please fuck me over the lunch table?’”

I can’t help the smirk that crosses my face at the way he changed his voice to mimic the women he usually spends his weekends with.

“Maybe for a bunny that might be true, but Clara isn’t a bunny.”

There’s no way in hell Clara is a bunny. That name is solely reserved for girls who have no problems hopping from bed to bed. I may have called Clara a few choice names the past two weeks, but a bunny will never be one of them.

Diesel glares at me like I’ve grown a second head. “I knew youwere off your game, man, but I had no clue it was this bad. Every woman is a bunny. Rich or not.” He shifts his hazel eyes to mine, his expression changing from cheeky to serious in a nanosecond. “How long has it been since you graced a woman’s womb with your seed?”

While glaring at him, I pretend I don’t have a clue what he’s referring to.

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