Page 11 of Until It Was Real

“She has no experience as an assistant.”

“She managed a plumbing business. My needs aren’t much different.”

“Really?” I lift a brow. “Managing a bunch of plumbers unclogging toilets is the same as managing your billionaire lifestyle?”

The door flies open, and Dakota stomps into the room. “I can’t believe you.”

I jump to my feet. “How did you get in here?”

“You can thank me.” Zane steps into the room and bows. “A little lock can’t stop me.”

Dakota jiggles the keys in her hands. “And I have keys to Eli’s office since I’m his assistant.”

Zane frowns at her. “We agreed you’d let me accept credit for opening the door.”

She snorts. “You spent five minutes fiddling with it and you still couldn’t get it open.”

Miles glides into the room. “Are we having a meeting? What about?”

Dakota crosses her arms over her chest and glares at me. “About how Rhett went behind my back to speak to my boss about firing me.”

Miles whistles. “Dick move, dude. Dick. Move.”

“Why does he want to fire you?” Zane asks.

“You heard him.” Dakota motions toward me. “He thinks I’m homeless and unqualified.”

“You’re homeless?” Zane turns on Eli. “What the hell, bro? Are you not paying her enough?”

“I’m not homeless,” Dakota says.

“Except I caught you sleeping in your car the other morning,” I remind her.

Her nostrils flare. “I was exhausted. So sue me for having a lot going on in my life and falling asleep. Mr. High and Mighty strikes again.”

I want to ask what she has going on. What could possibly cause her to be exhausted enough to fall asleep at 8:30 in the morning in the parking lot while waiting for me to arrive?

But I don’t. I don’t need to know about Dakota’s life. She’s a work colleague. Nothing more. Nothing less.

No matter how much I want to taste those lips. I never will. I don’t do relationships. And I’m not making an exception for a colleague who drives me batty.

“Stop calling me Mr. High and Mighty,” I grumble.

“Stop being all high and mighty, and I might,” she fires back.

Zane grins. “This is awesome. Finally, someone is putting Rhett in his place.”

I scowl at him. “In my place? What the hell are you talking about?”

He flips his hand. “You’re always trying to tell us what to do. It’s exhausting.”

Miles elbows him. “Remember the time he tried to ground us.”

“I didn’ttryto ground you. I did ground you.”

Miles rolls his eyes. “Total overreaction.”

“Overreaction? You put hundreds of fake spiders in the principal’s office.”

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