Page 23 of Fairy Tale Lies
“Relax, I’m not going to seduce you,” she teased, throwing his words from the other day back at him.
He laughed. “Couldn’t resist, could you?”
“No. Sorry.” She smiled, appearing quite pleased with herself.
A playful Greta was hot.
“It wouldn’t take much. A crook of your finger and an inviting smile. I’m downright easy when it comes to you,” he replied, with way too much bluntness. He needed to shut up.
“It appears I have the same problem,” she said so softly he almost hadn’t caught it.
Heshouldpretend he hadn’t heard, yet he craved more of her mischievous side. It reminded him she wasn’t all straitlaced and coolness. The combination was sexy as hell and got under his skin. He wanted more of it, more of her.
Unable to stop himself, he came closer, his meager resolve crumbling like old parchment paper.
When mere centimeters separated her enticing lips from his mouth, she shifted back. “I–I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “I shouldn’t have flirted.”
Jacob groaned and leaned back. “Stop playing hot and cold with me.” He stared straight into her eyes, struggling to smother his frustration and sudden spike of desire.
Is this a game to her?
“I don’t mean to.” Her tone was clipped, her posture ramrod straight. The cold blueblood was back. “I wasn’t lying when I said I’m still attracted to you. However, that doesn’t mean I plan on acting on it.” In a kinder voice, she added, “You can’t deny we’re polar opposites. Plus, everything’s more complicated because of work.”
Jacob ran a palm along his brow, trying to hold back his growing aggravation. Not sure who he was more annoyed at, her or himself.
She’d basically repeated the reasons he had given Will for staying away from her.
The problem was, when she was close, none of it mattered, and he found himself arguing for the exact opposite. “We don’t work together. Your father’s company is giving me the means to expand Rework. He owns a small percentage of it. He doesn’t run it, and he’s not my boss.”
Jacob waited for her to meet his gaze. She didn’t. “Listen, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me your father owns Swift. I’m not stupid. I know he might be less than pleased to have his daughter dating someone like me. He could make my life difficult. Hell, he could cancel my contract.”
His heart skipped a few beats. Starting back at the beginning would kill him.
“Father would never do such a thing,” she gasped. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Come on, Greta. I’m sure he’d much prefer his daughter not dating a middle-class nobody. It’d be an easy way to get rid of me.”
“Now you’re the one making assumptions without facts.” Anger sparked in her hazel eyes. “My father’s not that kind of man. He knows how to keep his business and personal life separate. Unlike you.”
Jacob ignored the dig and asked the question he was bursting to know. “Would he be upset if we dated?”
“Maybe, though not for the reasons you think.”
“What are they?”
“It’s quite embarrassing.” She sighed and shifted in her seat as if she’d rather be anywhere than having this conversation with him. It stoked his curiosity.
“My father has his heart set on me getting back with my ex. He probably wouldn’t like anyone who got in the way.”
Jacob’s heart stuttered for a beat.
Shit. Another guy. Probably some asshole named Winston the third who was a member of the yacht club and was friends with the president.
“Do you want to get back with this old boyfriend?”
“No. If I’d wanted him back, we’d be together.” She wasn’t bragging, merely certain.
Good.
