Page 34 of Keep Your Friends Close and Your… Work Enemy Closer?

"I'm fine," I wrote back.

Although I wasn't. My stomach was churning, all that hot sauce and milk mixing in my otherwise empty belly like a volcano ready to erupt.

With as much calm as I could muster, I stood up and quietly headed for the women's bathroom. I made it, the awful feeling in my gut ominous. Gripping the edges of the sink, I stared at my face in the mirror. I looked terrible. Jared was right about the green tinge.

I broke out into a cold sweat, and then the vomiting began. Right into the sink.

So focused on my aim and trying to keep clean, I didn't notice anyone had followed me in here, until someone gently pulled back my hair, keeping it out of my face as I hurled up the disgusting contents of my stomach.

When I was done, Jared wetted a paper towel and handed it to me. His eyes never left my face as I wiped down my mouth, cleaning myself up and washing out the sink.

"I'm sorry, Dee," he said softly. "I had no idea my stupid idea would result in you getting sick like this."

"It's okay," I managed to say.

"No. It's not okay. It was a dumb bet. And listen, we don't have to go to the gala. I'm calling it off. The results are invalid."

I whirled on him, only slightly annoyed at how much I had to look up at him to meet his eyes. "Nope. I agreed to the bet, and you won fair and square. And I'm an honorable woman who honors my bets."

He grinned at me. "Okay then. It's a date."

"It's not a date, Jared. It's business."

"Right. Strictly business of course." He nodded then winked at me.

Fuck me. Fuck my life. Oh, and throwing up hot sauce? I one-hundred percent do not recommend.

Ten

Max

After a million questions from my mom and grandma especially, the peace of the car was nice. Instead of having my usual driver, Ed, take us to the gala, I'd opted for an Uber because that's what Jared would do in a situation like this.

I tugged at the sleeve of my ill-fitting tux. It was too bad I couldn't wear my real one that had been custom made for me, but again, it would be highly suspicious for Jared to show up in anything that hinted at the wealth I actually possessed.

With the exception of that slight annoyance, I was positively thrilled about this evening. That it had come to fruition at all was a miracle, thanks to my uncanny ability to spin in office chairs and withstand the hottest of hot sauces.

I still felt bad about Cordelia and the fact that our bet had literally made her sick to her stomach. But tonight, I was determined to make it up to her and show her not just a good time but a fantastic time, maybe even the night of her life.

The driver pulled up to her place, and I jumped out. She was just exiting her fancy building, and honest to God, the sight of her took my breath away. Of course, she always looked pretty to me at the office, but seeing her in a cocktail dress that fit her like a glove? I stood there like a total dumb-ass teenage boy seeing his prom date, my jaw probably hanging open.

Pulling myself together, I closed the distance between us, offering her my arm on the wide walkway, wondering how much I could get away with gushing as Jared.

She paused a beat before putting her hand through my elbow, gorgeous eyes squinting up at me. "Well, how do I look?" she asked in an annoyed voice.

I couldn't help laughing. Leave it to Dee to just outright let me know I'd fucked up. "Beautiful."

"Yeah, thanks," she said, taking a few steps. "A few seconds too late and with prompting."

Stopping her dead in her tracks, I put my hands on her bare shoulders and turned her to face me. "Dee, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever known. And just now when I saw you, I was so awe-struck and blown away, I couldn't think of any words except pure gibberish. But you look so fucking stunning, I'm the luckiest man in the world to be by your side."

"Nice save, Jared." A hint of a smile played about her sexy lips. "That almost sounded sincere. Almost."

"Thatwassincere. The sincerest thing I've ever spoken."

Laughing, she took my elbow again and started forward. "Let's go. We've got a temperamental actress to try to woo."

After helping her into the back seat, I settled in beside her, itching to put my hand on her knee, her leg, her arm, her anything. Frustration swept through me, that I couldn't be my true self, that she didn't know the real me, and even if she did, she already hated me.

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