Page 22 of Trust Issues
“The wig comes off, Kyle. You know I hate that shit. It’s itchy and abrasive just like your personality.”
“Fuck you. Leave my wig alone. It has more personality than your little girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend, Kyle. Jesus. I’m trying to fuck her. Do you understand what that means? Or have you been out of business for so long you forgot how it feels to have someone hunt you?”
“I knew you were an animal.” I rolled my eyes and flipped through the movies. Max yanked on my wig again, this time harder and I shut my eyes. I was trying to calm myself down so I didn’t haul off and punch a man who clearly had a stomach bug. That wouldn’t end well for either of us.
“If you don’t get your hands out of my wig, I’m going to hurt you,” I grumbled through clenched teeth.
“Then take that shit off. I never understood why you go through the trouble of locking your hair and growing it for ten years to hide it away under that shit. I could see if you were trying to protect your hair or you were baldheaded but you’re not. Even though you act like you are,” he remarked.
“Why does it matter to you what the hell I do with my hair, Max? If you want the wig for yourself, just say so.” Without another word, he yanked the wig off, leaving me with nothing but a wig cap on underneath.
“You feel better about yourself now?” I threw a punch that landed on his chest. It wasn’t a playful hit either. He had to rub the sore spot.
“Not really. Seeing you in a wig cap is something I’ll never get used to. It’s the shit nightmares are made out of.” He shuddered then snatched the remote from my hand.
He found the movie and pressed play. After we fussed for a bit, we turned silent and I pulled the thick comforter over my body, settling down. I glanced over at Max and let my eyes roam over the curly hair scattered across his jaw then I moved down his strong neck. It was thick and corded veins that I traced to his collarbones.
“See something you like?” He chuckled.
“No.” I folded my arms across my chest to mask the thick and heavy way my heart thumped against my breastbone. The last thing I needed was for Max of all people to think he made my heart speed up. He didn’t. Maybe I was catching whatever stomach bug he had.
We remained quiet while we watched the movie and I tried my hardest not to fall asleep. There was no way I hell I was going to sleep in Max’s bed. That’s how people got hepatitis, I was sure of it.
…
MAXWELL
“I heard the former president is in the market for a new financial advisor. The people at Baxter Solutions are screwing him royally.” Tiana Armstrong waltzed into my office and planted herself on the edge of my desk.
She was a relatively new member of the team at Capital Financial and I didn’t mind looking at her every time she insisted on presenting herself to me. I had no idea why she always found her way to my office wearing those tight outfits that she spilled out of just a little too much but I wasn’t complaining.
She was pretty. Golden brown skin, full pink lips, and deep brown eyes. Her body was far more entertaining to look at though. She was very pear-shaped and every time she walked, she jiggled and I watched that ass like a fucking hawk. I wanted nothing even close to a relationship with her but I damn sure wouldn’t mind bending her over a few times.
“Oh yeah? Why are you tellingme, Tiana?” I quizzed, leaning back in my chair.
“I don’t know. I guess I wanted to see if you were really the shark everyone says you are. I heard you’d go after any client no matter how high-ranking they were.” She shrugged her shoulders and flashed me a pretty smile.
“Iama shark and I can sniff out bullshit too. So if I go after the former president and woo him into opening an account with us…what’s in it for you, love?” She blushed a little at my words and crossed her legs.
“I was hoping you’d have me as your co-pilot.”
“Ah, there it is. That other shoe. The answer is no.” I sat upright in my seat and winked at her. “Thanks for the heads up though. I’ll definitely look into it.”
“Ugh. Are you serious? You know I could have gone to anyone in this firm with that info. They’d be so grateful they’d be offering up the financial assistant position to me on a platter.”
“Well, you should have told one of them.” I straightened a stack of papers on my desk and then stood to my feet, circling around her just like a shark. Her cocoa brown eyes followed me everywhere. “Let’s be real, Tiana. The reason you came to me isn’t because you want to help bring in this possibly huge account, it’s because you want a reason to go to dinner with me and hash out details. You want me to wine and dine you and hopefully…other things.” Every second that passed made her cheeks blaze.
“Anyone ever tell you how fucking arrogant you are, Maxwell Parker?”
“Certainly. They usually tell me after a few orgasms though. See yourself out if we’re done here.” I liked toying with Tiana because she was young and looking for a come up. I liked her drive. She still didn’t go for exactly what she wanted though and that was a turn-off. I didn’t have a policy against dating colleagues but I had a policy against dating women who wouldn’t go for what they wanted when it was standing in front of them.
Kyle would have already run me through her elaborate checklist by now, chewed me up then spit me out.
Wait.
Why the fuck was I thinking about Kyle?
