Page 47 of Conspiracies and Chemistry

“But do you believe it?” He finally flicked the errant lock of hair out of his eyes, and he hit me with a calculating stare, one I remembered from game night at Carly’s. Was Oliver Bond about to take a riskat work?

I lifted my chin. “Sure, I do. I invested all my college savings into Red Rover and took out a loan to pay my tuition.”

He nodded. “Then I’d like to offer an exchange of risks. I’ll agree to take both tests to clinical trials?—”

“Simultaneously?” I interrupted him.

“Yes, assuming they’re both ready. In exchange, I want you to give me a chance.”

“A chance?” I thought I knew what he was asking, but I wanted him to say it.

“Giveusa chance.”

“You want sexin exchange for crashing the schedule.” It wouldn’t be the first time a man had offered to fast-track something for my business in exchange for sexual favors. But Oliver didn’t seem slimy like that.

“No. No!” He leaned forward over his desk. “Give me a chance to woo you.”

“Woome? Are you secretly ninety inside that hot body?”

“I’m being serious. I want a shot.” He swallowed, and I watched the bob of his throat. I wanted to lick it. “Sex is off the table.”

“Off the table?” I repeated. “Then what’s the point?”

“The point is for us to exploreemotionalintimacy. Like when you told me about Harry.”

I’d told him about Harry right before he’d gone down on me. This was the most bizarre power exchange I’d ever negotiated. “So what will giving you this shot you want entail?”

He thought for a moment. “Dinner. We both have to eat.”

“I avoid restaurants. People still recognize me sometimes.” I flicked my red hair, which I’d refused to change despite the negative attention it brought me. “Some of them aren’t too nice. You don’t want that kind of attention. Not when this product launch is so critical.”

“We’ll have dinner at my place,” he said. “Low-key.”

“Like a Netflix-and-chill situation?”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Sure. But no sex.”

“I still don’t get it. Is this some kind of bizarre millennial dating ritual?”

“I’m pretty sure you’re a millennial too.” He crossed his arms.

“I’m right on the dividing line with Gen X. I play both sides. But I still don’t get it.”

“I want to get to know you. Let you get to know me. Figure out if there’s a spark.”

“I think we both know there’s a spark after the supply closet.”

“Something sustainable,” he amended.

“Like, you want the whole damn forest fire.”

“I do.”

Unfortunately, I knew how forest fires went. Harry had torched my personal and professional lives and left nothing alive, not even a seedling. My heart was scorched and barren, unable to support the spark Oliver wanted. He’d see.

“Fine. Dinner is your shot. Regardless of how it goes, we run both trials as soon as they’re ready. No delays.”

“Agreed.” He stuck out his hand.

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