Page 16 of Love to Hate You

My gaze travels up her black sleeve, over her shoulder and to the creamy expanse of her neck and collarbone visible in the open neckline of her white shirt. No necklace. Just smooth, soft-looking skin that begs to be kissed and licked. Her jawline is firm, cheekbones high and nose straight.

Why didn’t I remember how pretty her profile is? Or how her eyes are the shade of aquamarines? Like two bright gems the color of the sea. When my dick starts to swell, I can’t fucking believe it. I drop down into the nearest chair and blink stupidly.

What is happening? How in the hell can I be attracted to Charlie Langley, ball-crusher extraordinaire? How is it even possible? All I have of this woman are bad memories. I shift, trying to get comfortable, and it’s nearly impossible. Especially when I catch the lightest whiff of vanilla.Oh, Jesus.No doubt about it. My mind and my dick are on two different pages right now.

Charlie Langley always had the exact opposite effect on me and my jewels. The moment she opened her mouth, they shrank up and tried to hide from the shrillness. But, now, everything has changed. I have no idea why, though.

This complicates things and is so unexpected that the speech I had prepared to give to the board and my siblings evaporates. Just dissolves away and I find myself trying to get a glimpse of Charlie’s ass when she turns sideways.

Of course, it’s perfect.

I’m completely thrown by what’s happening right now. It’s like she put some kind of voodoo spell on me or something. The overwhelming draw I feel toward her is unexplainable. I mean she’s always been pretty, I guess. But that was overshadowed and diminished by the fact that she drove me insane.

A couple of minutes before 10:00 a.m., Tanner and Sawyer arrive. I introduce them to everyone and it’s hard not to miss the look of appreciation that flashes in Sawyer’s eyes when I present Charlie to him. Annoyance prickles through me and even though she remains cool as always, Sawyer’s gaze heats up.

“Why don’t you have a seat? Over there,” I say, directing Sawyer away from her and to the other side of the table. My wild military brother can be a huge fucking flirt and that’s not why we’re here or the impression I want to make with the board right now.

Sawyer rolls his eyes but walks around the table, a smirk curving his mouth. I don’t know what the hell is so amusing but the further away he is from me and Charlie, the better. I pull her chair out and nod. “What do you say? Should we get started?” I ask her.

She blinks, almost looking surprised that I asked her opinion, or maybe because I pulled out her chair, and damn her lashes are long. They practically touch her eyebrows. “Aren’t we waiting for two more?”

“Yeah, but no telling when the twins will show. They kind of do their own thing and will get here eventually. No point in making everyone else wait, though.”

“Okay. Then why don’t you have a seat,” she suggests and pointedly looks down at the chair I pulled out for her. “I’ll get us started.”

I bite back a reply. There she is– the old, domineering Charlie. But instead of annoying me, something about the way she takes charge turns me on. “Great,” I answer and sit down. No one needs to see the growing evidence in my pants.

Again, she looks slightly floored that I hand her the reins.Why?I wonder. Was I always such a controlling asshole that I needed to start every meeting first and throw my weight around?

Yeah.If memory serves me well, I guess I kind of did.

Well, people can change. Besides, I need a few moments to get my thoughts back in order and remember what the hell it is that I had planned on saying. I also need to refocus and stop thinking about how good Charlie smells and how damn long her legs look. And stop wondering how they’d feel wrapped around my waist.

Aw, fuck.This isn’t good. I have never been so distracted in my life and I need to get it together because today is a big day.

“Good morning,” Charlie says. She stands at the head of the table, and I realize that I’m on her right-hand side. No wonder she didn’t want to sit here. She’s not about to relinquish her position of power.

I can hear the authority in her voice as she speaks, and she’s grown a lot in the last couple of years. I recognize her confidence and the ease with which she addresses the men in front of her. She’s not intimidated and it’s clear this woman can hold her own in the testosterone-driven tech world.

It’s weird but a little part of me is enjoying her little speech. That is until she gets to the part where she says she’s basically better qualified than me to be President when the three months is up.

Wait, what?

My head snaps up and it’s at that moment that Crew and Sierra decide to show up. I stifle a sigh, tell them to sit and make a quick introduction. They immediately dig into the muffins without a care in the world.

“Are you finished?” I ask Charlie. I’m pissed off that she’s already showing her claws. For some strange reason I thought, very briefly, that we might be able to work together. I need to stop mentally undressing her and get my head in the game.

“For now,” she murmurs.

I wait for her to move over, relinquish her spot at the head of the table, but she doesn’t and instead pulls up a chair and sits. There’s no missing that spark of challenge in her eyes.Fine. She wants to do this, then let’s do it,I think.

“Gentleman and ladies,” I add for Charlie and Sierra’s benefit, “despite how I left TB Tech, it’s a pleasure to be back. It took some time and distance away to realize how important this company is to me. It meant everything to my father, and I know our relationship wasn’t always perfect, but I’m back and I plan to take his company to number one. I know it’s what he would’ve wanted and let’s face it…” I look right at Charlie. “I love a good challenge. In fact, I can’t resist it.”

Her eyes narrow.

“With that said, I plan to be here and reacquaint myself with the day-to-day operations. It’s important that we’re all on the same page-”

“You mentioned that you wanted to put TB Tech’s best interests first,” Charlie interrupts. “Care to share any of your plans on how you intend to do that?”

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