“Weren’t you just complaining about—ow.” Kyle jerks like someone stomped on his foot.
I bite back my smile. “Sure. There’s a new Indian restaurant a couple of blocks down that has some really good curry.”
I lean forward to get to my feet. My muscles smart from the movement.
“Ooo, yes.” Sunny claps, but her hands freeze in a praying position as her eyes go wide.
A hand cups my elbow, helping me straighten, and I turn my face up to Trent’s scowl. But it’s not aimed at me.
“Why don’t you clear through those last three files while we’re gone,” he says to Kyle, who straightens, nods, and returns to his desk.
The other interns scatter, too.
Before I can make a smartass comment, my feet are already moving under me as Trent tugs me a long.
“Hey. What have I said about manhandling me?” I swat at his hand, but even that movement hurts. And we’re walking too fast. It has my butt muscles screaming.
I elbow him this time, but still he’s not letting me go.
Once we’re in the elevator, alone, he releases me.
Huffing, I step away and bump into the handrail, wincing.
Trent’s attention zeros in on it immediately. “What was that?”
“Nothing. Just a little sore.” I use my reflection in the elevator walls to brush my hair from my face and tuck it appropriately. I mean, it doesn’t need it, but it gives me the right excuse to keep my gaze away from Trent’s.
“You weren’t sore this morning.” His voice is dark. Cold. Like an investigator about to carve out a confession.
“Mmm. I wasn’t.” Part of me wants to lie to him, but I won’t. He’s been pretty clear on his hatred of liars.
“Harper.”
My shoulders pull back, and I turn to him. His gaze is no-nonsense, so I unravel the truth slowly.
“Well, you see, I was being a bad girl. And I got punished.”
His nostrils flare.
“How?”
I plant my hands on my hips and tilt my head to elongate my neck, enjoying the way I can drag his gaze from mine with the subtle shifts of my body. Grant isn’t the only one I’ve been teasing and testing these last few days.
“Grant bent me over the edge of his desk…”
I swear Trent is smothering a growl.
“…and spanked me.”
“Hard enough to leave you sore? Bruised?”
I shrug one shoulder.
He steps into my space and his voice lowers dangerously. “You let him do that to you?”
The vibration of the words in his chest makes me want to melt against him. I smirk instead. “I liked it.”
His hands clench at his sides, and his gaze lights me on fire. I want him to burn me, but the timing is off.