Page 78 of Treat

She smiled, as he’d hoped she would. “You don’t even know what I’d bake.”

“I’m not picky. Really. Anything with chocolate will do.”

Her eyes, so solemn and serious only moments before, laughed up at him. “Esme said I could stop by the tattoo expo today if I was free. I bet there’s plenty to distract me there.”

Kissing his chocolate chip cookie fantasies goodbye, he nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

“And we can compare notes about you in the sack.”

“On second thought…”

“I’m kidding.” She pressed her lips to the hollow of his throat, then laid her head on his chest.

“It’s going to be fine,” he assured her.

“I know,” she said.

They both pretended to believe her.

Jude gotto the restaurant early, wanting to stake out his territory. The after-church brunch crowd was thick, but he was shown to a private corner booth quickly. He started to order a drink, then changed his mind and went with club soda. He was going to need every advantage he could get.

The waiter had barely delivered his drink when he spotted Grant across the restaurant.

Dressed in a black suit with a crimson tie that contrasted sharply with his steel gray hair, he walked toward the booth with the confident, ground-eating stride of someone used to being in charge. He slid into the booth, his mouth set in a grim line and his shark-like eyes glittering. “Jude.”

“Grant,” Jude replied, matching his agent’s abrupt, icy tone. “Nice suit.”

Grant made a show of looking Jude over, taking in the trim grey trousers and matching jacket he’d paired with a crisp white shirt left open at the collar. “You, too. I figured you’d show up in jeans and a Simpsons t-shirt.”

Jude lifted his drink to hide his smile. “I’ll tell Brynn you like it.”

Grant scowled and raised a hand to signal the waiter, his diamond pinky ring flashing. “Scotch, neat, with a twist,” he barked when the waiter appeared.

“Thanks,” Jude said to the waiter with a smile and waited until they were alone before turning back to Grant. “You want to watch the rudeness? I live in this town.”

Grant arched one silvered eyebrow. “Forgive me if my manners aren’t up to your standards. I’m a little preoccupied with my star client trying to blow up his career.”

“Kissing a woman is blowing up my career?” Jude asked mildly, unsurprised when Grant’s eyes narrowed warningly.

“It is when it’s this woman. Are you going to dump her or fire her?”

Jude sat his drink down. “Neither.”

“Fine, then I’ll choose.” Grant picked up his napkin and snapped it out. “I’ll have Chloe start the termination paperwork.”

“The hell you will,” Jude said in the same mild tone.

Grant leaned forward, his fist clenched on the napkin. “You fucking her already?”

Jude controlled his instinctive flinch—and the wave of anger that followed. “That’s not your business, Grant.”

“The hell it’s not. Do you have any idea what a sexual harassment accusation could do to your career?”

Forcing himself to take a calming breath, Jude leaned back. “She’s not going to accuse me of sexual harassment because I’m not sexually harassing her.”

“Don’t be naive,” Grant snapped. “She’s probably already got the papers drawn up.”

Jude fought the urge to snap back that he wasn’t naive and Brynn wasn’t some grifter looking to make a buck off him. It wouldn’t do any good. “It’s my business, Grant.”

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