Page 34 of Love to Hate You

“I don’t stay the night…”

Well, I want to change that. I just hope I didn’t screw everything up between us. That was hands-down the most spectacular sex I have ever had in my life. She’s so responsive and tastes like a damn sugary confection.

I’m going to get her back in my bed and I don’t care what it takes. When it comes to Charlie Langley, I am nowhere near done with her. Not even close.

Unfortunately, luring Charlie back isn’t even the problem. Getting her to talk to me is and the next day at the office, it’s like we’re right back at square one. It’s frustrating as hell.

I had a feeling this was going to happen so when I get in at 8:00 a.m., I walk down to her office and find her already behind her desk.

“Hey,” I say and wander inside. “I brought coffee and donuts.” I place the black coffee beside her elbow and open the box to show her a dozen glazed donuts. “You like glazed right?”

Charlie blinks. “Um, yes, but how did you know that?”

I shrug a shoulder. “I’m observant.”

“Thanks, but you should take that in the kitchen. For the employees.”

Ignoring her, I pluck one out, set it on a napkin and offer it to her. “It’s important to get your daily sugar in,” I tease. “Along with all that shitty Diet Coke you drink.”

“It’s certainly better than power bars and Gatorade.”

“I stopped drinking Gatorade.” I sigh and set the donut beside the coffee when she doesn’t take it. “We should talk about last night.”

Her blue eyes widen. “No, we shouldn’t,” she hisses. “As far as I’m concerned, last night never happened.”

Her words hurt more than I thought they would. “It did happen, though.”

“Nash, stop,” she says between clenched teeth. “This isn't the time or place.”

I suppose she’s right even though I hate to admit it. “Fine. We’ll talk later.”

Charlie pushes her chair back and stands up. “If it’s about last night, there’s nothing to discuss and I’d appreciate it if you’d never mention it again. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting.”

My hand snaps out and I grab her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “I have no regrets,” I tell her, voice low. “You were phenomenal.”

Her face flushes and she squeezes her eyes shut. “Please don’t do this.”

“Do what?” I ask, my warm breath near her ear. “Tell you how much I want you again?”

“It was a mistake,” she informs me and pulls her arm out of my grip.

I watch her walk out and release a frustrated sigh. Getting her to relax and trust me is going to be difficult. And it’s going to take a helluva lot more than donuts and coffee, I realize.

Every time I try to talk to Charlie, she gives me the cold shoulder. She refuses to make eye contact, turns around and heads in the opposite direction if she sees me coming and basically does her damndest to cut me out and ignore me. It’s really pissing me off.

This shit has been going on all week and when Friday finally arrives, I want to shake her. Yeah, my feelings are hurt, but it’s more than that. She’s rejecting me in a way that no one ever has before and, at first, my ego is bruised.

Was it not as good for her? Did I do something wrong? A move she didn’t like?

Fuck. I can’t stop thinking about her and our encounter and she seems to have completely blocked me from her mind with minimal effort.

I’m in the conference room, pretending to work, and daydreaming about Charlie when I see Tanner and Sierra walk in the main door. When they spot me through the glass, they head inside.

“Hey, big bro,” Sierra says and walks around the table to give me a hug. “How’s corporate life treating you?”

“Same shit, different day,” I grumble.

Tanner chuckles. “And you want us to get involved in the day-to-day grind?”

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