Page 24 of Fairy Tale Lies
“If you’re not pining after or seeing this guy, why not go on a date with me? Is it because your dad’s wishes overrule yours?”
“No, of course not.”
Her tone said the opposite, yet he persisted. “What doyouwant? Don’t overthink it. Believe me, I’ve done it enough for the both of us.”
Her head tilted as if weighing her options.
“A date, Greta, not marriage.” Getting her to agree shouldn’t rate this high on his list of important accomplishments. Yet, all that mattered was getting her to agree to one date. “You’ve already told me you’re moving back to Lansing in the fall. It’s not like I’ll be following you there. Hell, maybe after spending some time together we’ll find the only thing we have in common is sex, and we’ll go our separate ways before you even return to college.”
He leaned forward, closer, breathing in her tantalizing scent. “Hell, reliving some of our chemistry wouldn’t be so terrible, would it?”
Her face reddened, but her gaze didn’t waver. “No, it wouldn’t.”
Those words were the only invitation he needed. Jacob closed the distance between them, slanting his lips over hers. He gave the kiss everything he had, even knowing the consequences of it might be steep.
Repercussions didn’t mean much when risk tasted and felt so damn good.
Chapter Nine
Blake had a million things to do, yet here he was delivering paperwork to Greta like some lowly secretary. All to get a couple of minutes with her. It was humiliating. He was a Kingstine, and Kingstine men didn’t grovel.
The elevator opened, and Blake stepped into the corridor, catching sight of Allen waiting with a group to get inside.
Allen wasn’t a friend or equal, but since Greta had broken things off, the man had become downright insufferable. He was almost smug, and, at times, Blake swore the other man was internally laughing at his efforts at reconciliation with Greta.
Blake paused mid-step, spite tiptoeing along his bones. Was it possible Allen was delusional enough to believe he now had a chance with her? Blake shook his head, clearing away asinine thoughts. Everyone at Swift understood Greta was his.
Allen caught sight of Blake and parted from the group, letting the doors slide shut without him. His smirk was on full display. “Havinganothercomputer problem, Blake?”
“No,” he snapped, trying to tamp down his annoyance. He didn’t want the other man to know he was getting under his skin. Humiliating him. “I would have summoned someone from your department and not wasted my time coming here. I have important papers, and I have to make sure,” he glanced at the file’s tab, “Mr. Grimm receives them.”
“I’ll be heading back there shortly. I can take them for you.” Allen reached for the papers.
Blake held tight to them and shook his head. “No. They’re important. I’ll do it myself.”
Allen retracted his hand. “Okay. Don’t let me stop you.” He pressed the elevator button, his damn smirk back in place.
Mortification ran through Blake’s veins. Allen was probably aware the file was nothing more than boiler-plate stuff for the new client. Something any lowly intern could deliver.
He wanted to wipe the damn grin off Allen’s face, and he would, soon.
When he was back with Greta, and she ran the IT department, he’d convince her to fire Allen.
For now, he pretended not to notice Allen’s smugness. Blake nodded a curt goodbye and started for Greta.
Before he could get rid of Allen, he had to win Greta back, and regrettably, that meant lowering himself to a delivery boy. She wasn’t taking his calls, and he wanted to invite her to his father’s annual education fund-raiser. It’d be a perfect place to reconnect.
In the past, she’d go on about the importance of helping others. Personally, Darwinism, survival of the fittest, worked for him. However, if her soft heart got her to accept his invite, he’d take it. After an evening with him, they’d get back together and she’d be planning their wedding.
The Kingstine and Meier family would be a powerful union.
Usually she listened to him. She needed to stop being stubborn. And dramatic. He’d had one too many scotches that night and had gotten carried away.
He couldn’t help women wanted him. They liked his looks, his power, his money. He wasn’t to blame when they threw themselves at him. It was inevitable he’d slip up once in a while, but Greta was the one he wanted as his wife. Didn’t she understand the importance, the difference?
If she didn’t know now, she would soon enough. She was reasonable. He could get her to see things his way.
Reaching the IT hallway, Blake paused by an empty conference room and checked his reflection in the door’s window. His expensive cut didn’t allow for a hair out of place. His tie was tight and straight, and the fit of his jacket was impeccable.
