Page 32 of The Reluctant Hero

“Actually, yes.” Her tone is so aggravated I lean back to take her in.

She’s wobbling in the tall heels she’s wearing. I can see how pinched they are. Why is she wearing shoes that are too small with heels that tall? She’s been standing this entire time. I’ve been torturing her more than I thought.

“And that would be?” I set my pen down to give her my full attention. Most women would simper at the frozen disgust on my face. Her eyes narrow on it, and she returns the look with a curled lip. Her fists are clenched at her sides. Hard enough that her knuckles are blanched.

“I’d like for you to get on with the whole, thanks for nothing, you’re fired thing so I can take these damn shoes off. They’re killing me.”

I do my best to keep my expression under control. The sudden spike in my heart rate when she calls me to task is a new experience. It masks her softly spoken angry words until I realize what she just said.

Why is she assuming she’s been called here to be fired?

What follows is the most baffling andinvigoratinginteraction I’ve ever had with a woman.

The librarian outfit is hiding a beast.

She completely annihilates any manipulation I can come up with and takes my guards down with me. Her mouth is filled with barbed words that she spits out without mercy.

I can’t get her to relax to save my life. She’s hell-bent on ripping through us like tissue paper.

Before I can get myself together through the barrage of sarcasm and insults, she’s flipping me off and ready to leave.

It’s all I can do not to pounce on the brat. The complete destruction of my control is so out of character I can’t help my frozen shock. It’s the only thing keeping me from pulling her over my lap and spanking that attitude right out of her.

She spins towards the door and wobbles dangerously in her shoes. Ace and Mikael both take a step forward as she wavers, trying to right herself. Once she’s on steady ground without assistance, she reaches down and yanks the shoes off, keeping her balance by propping a hand on the door. The position outlines her ass nicely.

“Stupid egotistical pigs and their I’m the lord of the universe attitudes. I’d rather stuff these damn things down that asshole’s throat than carry them home. Fuck this place.”

The clearly heard threat makes my lips part in surprise even though my eyes remain glued to her backside. Jake’s smile gets so wide he looks demented. Mikael freezes up in disbelief. Cade seems confused as if this wasn’t in the script he had made up for her. Ace is leaning forward as if he’s ready to give chase.

I stand abruptly and brace my palms on the desk.

“Sitdown,” I force myself to keep my voice low, but the rage in it is a physical presence.

She startles and snatches the door open as if she’s ready to run. I don’t expect her to say anything in return.

“Oh, no thanks. I’m alreadycalm. Go back to pretending you’re really special because your desk is big. I’msureyou’re not overcompensating for anything.”

My eyes widen to the point of discomfort at her unrelenting lack of decorum. Cade lets out a loud, obnoxious laugh. He’s pointing at me childishly, drawing Jake’s attention to my face. She slams the door closed behind her hard enough that it rattles in its frame.

“The elevator takes a key card,” Jake yells over Cade’s laughter.

“I know I’m fat! You don’t have to keep reminding me when you see me! And I can make it down the stairs just fine,fuckface.”

Cade’s laugh stops abruptly, his head snapping toward the door with a frown. Jake turns to Cade, his expression blanking out as if he’s blaming Cade for her reaction to his comment.

He was simply warning her that she needed someone to let her in the elevator if she wanted to leave. It had nothing to do with her luscious curves. But her innocent-seeming pink mouth is foul enough to singe a man at a hundred paces. I’m sure she’s berated constantly and reacting accordingly. How many curse words does she have stored up in her head?

“Her feet,” Mikael mutters and glances at me with a frown. “They have to be aching with how long she was standing here. It’s no wonder she was pissed.”

I’m surprised at the disappointed tone. There is no excuse good enough for the head-ripping rant I just received.

“I got this.” Ace doesn’t hesitate to stalk after her with a wide grin. His excitement to give chase isn’t hidden at all as he tosses his toothpick into the trash can by my desk.

Cade and Jake look at each other and scramble to get off the couch. Neither of them is concerned about Ace; they simply want to see the show.

I’m frozen in place again with shock. I’ve never had anyone speak to me like that. Especially with all of the threatening faces surrounding me.

Who the hell is Amanda Jefferson?

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