Page 16 of Possession

Then she tugged on her belt and the robe fell open, revealing everything I could sketch in vivid detail from memory.

Nice try, Carson.

“Nope, guess again,” she said cheerfully.

I had a voice left. I knew I did, somewhere. I also knew I couldn’t turn away from all her lusciousness spread out in front of me, or else she would win. What, I wasn’t even sure, other than there was a hell of a lot more going on here than her wanting to be my assistant.

“Okay, Ms. Copeland, I’ll bite.” I smiled thinly and aimed the remote at the TV to shut it off. “What’s your angle?”

She fussed with her robe, tugging it together without belting it closed. Why should she bother? Then it would just be more difficult the next time she wanted to flash me and render me mute.

“Angle? Why, I don’t know what you mean. I’m just a dedicated employee, campaigning for her job. I’m willing to do whatever you require.” Slowly, she licked her lips. “You know I don’t have any problem with overtime.”

“Do the wordsethical boundariesmean anything to you?”

“Hmm. Thinking.” She tapped a fingertip against her glossy mouth. “Pretty sure you were the one who fucked me brainless in the vestibule of your company when I hadn’t so much as given you a sidelong look. So, if one of us has a problem with those, it ain’t me, sugar. Though I guess that’s a family trait, right? Isn’t that what you said?”

The stitch in my side wasn’t the burn from her twisting the knife. It wasn’t, but it sure felt that way. I’d hurt her this morning. Unsurprising, since I’d meant to.

Bastard is as bastard does.

“Yes.” I didn’t flinch. “My father screwed the help and tossed them aside without compunction. Guess I’m the same. Only difference is I don’t go around indiscriminately making babies.” I patted her leg and stood as the bell rang. “Be glad your birth control situation is in fine working order.”

She didn’t speak again until I was halfway to the front door. “If you don’t give me my job back, I’ll go to Jack.”

Fury wound through me in a flash, incinerating everything in its path. That she would toss my best friend’s name in my face rankled more than anything else, especially when I still carried his cuff link in my pocket. I didn’t want to forget, not even for a second. He was presumed to be innocent before being proven guilty, but his guilt was definitely up for debate.

I pivoted to face her and waited to speak until I was certain my voice would reflect nothing but pure ice. “Jack doesn’t make the hiring decisions in my company. I do.”

“He does for his own assistants.”

Had I thought I was furious before? No, not even close. The idea that Jack had been talking to Grace behind my back, obviously trying to woo her—in a professional manner if not any other—made me shove a hand through my hair. Fuck tells. Relatively speaking, Iwaskeeping it together since I wanted to plow my fist through the nearest wall.

“He has an assistant.” I moved closer to loom over her where she still sat on the coffee table, easy as pie. Not threatened by me in the least. To her, I was just a declawed kitten who would roll over with just the right stroke.

Like hell.

“And who the hell are you to try to scheme your way into my company? I fired you. That wasn’t a love note. It was a permanent decision. You’ll stay out until I deem otherwise. Right now? Not deeming.”

The bell chimed again, and she glanced pointedly over my shoulder, not appearing ruffled in the slightest. “You just saidright nowyou weren’t deeming. Permanent, my ass.” She rose, sliding her body against mine as she gained her feet. “You want to waste time, go right ahead. I can always find another job. Jack said?—”

“Stay away from Jack. I mean it.”

She crossed her arms, her body still pressed close. In another second, we’d be nose to nose again. “Jealous much?”

“I’m not fucking jealous, Grace. I just don’t know what he’s up to. If he’s up to anything.” There I went again with the diarrhea of the mouth in her direction. I might as well show her my goddamn nonexistent diary. Maybe I should start keeping one, if it would mean I could keep my trap shut around her.

“What he’s up to? Is that a euphemism?”

“Don’t push me right now. There are things you don’t know.”

“Color me stunned. What I do know is Jack has been a friend to me. I need a job, and it turns out that I have a talent for the administrative arts. Who would’ve thunk it?”

“You were paid for the angel. You have enough money to take care of your bills for a while. And your lodging.”

If she got my point, she didn’t show it. “You better get the door. It’s not nice to keep someone waiting while you try to lord it over me.”

“Oh, I’m not lording yet. You’ll know when I am. Consider it friendly advice.” I gave her a dismissive glance. “Go and get dressed.”

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