Page 43 of Mr. Hotshot CEO
I put down my novel. “Is that so? Tell me more about what I do to you. I’m curious.”
“I think you’re fully aware of your effect on women. You’re smart, rich, and good-looking, and you have an intensity that’s irresistible.”
“You seem to be doing a pretty good job of resisting. And I don’t care about my effect on other women, only onyou.”
“You can be very good at flattery when you want to be.”
I slide to the edge of my chair. I pick up one of her feet and start to massage it.
She moans. “That feels so good.”
I keep going. I want to spoil her. “Would you like a pedicure? I can arrange that.”
“Are you offering to give me one yourself?”
“No, I’m offering to throw my money around again.”
“How about this. I’ll get a mani-pedi if you get one, too. We can go together.” She grins. “Some men do them, you know. You don’t have to have your nails painted red—you can skip that part. Yes! We should definitely do this.”
Courtney is dangerous. She has me seriously considering a pedicure. Vince would laugh his head off.
“I’ll think about it,” I say, putting down her foot and picking up the other. She groans as I press my thumb into her arch.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“I said I’d think about it.”
“Good enough for me,” she says.
I glare at her, and she laughs.
This woman will be the death of me.
* * *
Courtney holds thewooden spoon up to my lips.
“No,” I say. “I’ll eat my cookies once they’ve been in the oven, thank you very much.”
We’re baking chocolate chip cookies. Her idea, not mine. I can cook a little but I’ve never baked before. I’m kind of grossed out by all the butter we put in the dough, though that’s not the issue right now.
“There’s raw egg in the cookie dough.”
“Live dangerously for once,” she says.
“Salmonella is very unpleasant.”
“I’m aware of the existence of salmonella, but it’s rare, and kids have been eating chocolate chip cookie dough for generations. I bet nothing bad will happen. I did this many times when I was little.”
“Your mother baked a lot?
“Sometimes.”
“Mine never did.” I examine the spoon. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
She puts her hand on her hip. “If you had a compromised immune system, I’d agree, but you’re young and healthy, aren’t you?”
I nod. “I’m still not doing this.”
