The Way You Tempt Me, page 6
They spent the next hour talking about sports and life. And when he walked out of the office, Xavier smiled. I’m still in the game.
* * *
Zara dropped her purse on her desk and sank down in the chair. Peering up at the ceiling, she went over every detail of the meeting in Jax’s office: Xavier being blindsided, the tension in the room, the pain she saw beneath his eyes when she returned to the office after giving them time to talk. It felt like a powder keg ready to blow.
“So X brought the idea of creating a sports division to Pure Talent,” she muttered to herself. And, technically, she was the one standing in his way. Did she want to insert herself into a battle between father and son?
When she’d taken the job, she’d done so on a whim, fueled by emotion. Which was something she’d always been careful not to do. She had no knowledge of the reasons why Jax made the offer. She had no idea of the particulars, just that he was looking to expand into sports and thought she would be a good fit at the agency. Initially she had every intention of politely declining, until Larry and Jeff stabbed her in the back.
Zara couldn’t deny the appeal of working for Jax. Everything she would have negotiated into her employment package had already been included. He’d even thrown in perks she hadn’t thought of, including a signing bonus and moving expenses. All in all, he’d made an offer she would’ve been a fool to refuse. Still, she’d had reservations about her hasty decision all the way up to . . . well, even now.
With a heavy sigh, she picked up the phone and dialed Larissa.
“Hey, sissy,” Larissa said. In the background, she heard the sound of a drill and wondered what her big sis was doing to Zara’s new condo. But her questions could wait for later.
“Maybe I made a mistake?”
The buzzing stopped. “What? Why?”
“I just think there’s more at play here than I expected.”
“How so?”
Zara switched the phone to her other ear and pulled out her tablet to check her e-mails. “Because X didn’t even know I was coming, and, apparently, I’m being considered to actually run the sports division.”
“Shut up. Really? That’s awesome!”
“Except X wanted the job. And now it’s awkward.”
“Two things. I told you to call him weeks ago, but you’re so hardheaded.”
Zara rolled her eyes. “You told me to call him and schedule sex.” The conversation started with her confessing that she felt attracted to X at the holiday party for the first time, and ended with her sister suggesting she use her friend to scratch the itch.
“And two!” her sister shouted. “It can’t be more awkward than imagining him taking you on a rowing machine at the company gym.”
Shit. I should’ve never told her about that dream. “I call foul. You were never supposed to repeat that.”
Her sister laughed. “Hey, it’s funny. I crack up about it all the time.”
“There will be no X—”
The rest of the sentence—“doing me on any workout equipment”—died on her lips when she looked up and noticed the object of that particular fantasy standing in her doorway poised to knock. Now I can die.
“‘No X’ what?” He stepped into the office.
Zara’s mouth fell open and she blinked. Hard.
“Are you okay, Zara?” he asked, concern in his eyes.
“I have to go,” she told Rissa before ending the call. Taking a few seconds to center herself, she exhaled before she stood. “X!” Way too loud, Zara. She cleared her throat. “Hi. I didn’t expect you.”
He motioned for her to take her seat again, and she did happily. It was either that or fall over if she tried to walk toward him. “I wanted to talk to you.” He sat down in one of the chairs across from her. “I’m sorry about today. Not a good way to start your time here.”
“No, don’t apologize. I’m sure it must have been hard on you, too.”
He shrugged. “I won’t lie. It was definitely unexpected.”
Zara crossed her legs and noticed the way he followed the motion. “For me, too.”
“What happened at Huntington?”
She gave him an abridged version of events, glossing over the smaller details, like how she’d quit on the spot and cussed Larry out before she left. “Your father had offered me the job before the big betrayal, so I took it.”
“Well, it’s Huntington’s loss.”
“I worked so hard for that agency,” Zara admitted. “And when Larry betrayed me like that, I knew there was nothing left for me there.”
“I get it. I would’ve done the same thing.”
Even as children, Zara and X tended to react the same way in most situations. Except she’d given up her penchant for fights somewhere around that infamous homecoming-dance incident in high school and subsequent three-day suspension that landed her without her car for a month.
“It’s always worse when it’s someone you trusted,” she said softly.
“I never did like that clown.”
She giggled. “You sure didn’t. I never understood why, though.”
X smirked, giving her a glimpse of the dimple that drove many women and girls wild. “He always seemed like a snake, like he didn’t have your best interests at heart.”
“You never told me that.”
“It’s not like I could have changed your mind about him. You’re pretty stubborn.”
“I guess you’re right,” she conceded. “I like to form my own opinions about the people I let in my life. Usually, I have pretty good instincts.”
“Yeah, we all make mistakes.”
The room descended into silence, and for the first time since she’d seen him today, it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. Maybe that whole attraction thing was a fluke? “So, tell me, why sports? Why now?”
“Why not?”
“I mean, you’ve built an impressive career in youth. I’ve seen the trades. You’re tearing it up.”
“Thanks. And I’m not unhappy with my job. I just want more.”
“Is this about you? Or proving yourself to your father?”
“You know something about that.”
“I do.” They’d discussed their fathers many times. Her love of sports was directly influenced by her father. She couldn’t play the game anymore, but she felt alive every time she stepped into a sports arena. Her father had never been impressed with her desire to jump into the industry as an agent, though. In fact, he’d given her hell for her career choice. But she’d moved forward, anyway, without his blessing. “But Jax has always been supportive of you, even when he didn’t agree with your choices.”
“True. But he’s getting older. He keeps talking about retiring. I want to prove to him that I’ll be okay if he does. Aside from the latest debacle, I’m not the same person I was. Yes, I’ve made mistakes, but I have goals for the company, ideas that I’d like to see to fruition.”
Zara smiled. “I think that’s great.”
“And now you’re here.” He stared at her. Actually, “stared” wasn’t the right word for what he was currently doing to her. His eyes bored into hers, like he was digging for gold, like he was looking for a treasure buried within her. And judging by the way her body tingled and her heart pounded in her ears, she liked the attention.
“Ooh.” A burst of air escaped from her dry lips. “I’m starving.” She jumped up, walking over to the window to put distance between them. “Skye mentioned something about lunch. I should call her.”
Seconds later, she felt him next to her and tried not to look at him. She failed. While he stared out at the skyline, she studied him, noted the changes in him from the fearless boy she’d sent secret messages to outside of her bedroom window. He was X, but he was more. More intense. Sexy. She shook that thought from her mind.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered. “For some reason, you’ve always made things better.”
She squeezed her throat. “Really?”
He gave her a sidelong glance and leaned into her. “Really.” It wasn’t an abnormal gesture, because he’d done it so many times in the past, but the contact felt like a live wire against her skin. “I missed you.”
“I guess it’ll be fun to hang out again.”
“Dominate the spades table.”
She tilted her head back and laughed as she remembered the heated card games they played in Xavier’s playroom. “Definitely that.”
“You never did tell me about that conversation you were having on the phone. ‘No X’ what?”
Heat flushed up her neck to her cheeks. “Nothing,” she grumbled. That damn Rissa. “You know Rissa is crazy.”
He arched a brow. “You know you can tell me.”
No, I can’t. “X, let it go.”
“Okay, okay. You’ll tell me one day.”
Not likely. “Anyway, I’m going to call Skye. What are you doing for lunch? Want to join us?”
He glanced at his watch. “Wish I could, but I have a meeting in about fifteen minutes. But we should have dinner this week. Where are you staying?”
“I’m walking distance.”
“Good.” He turned and walked toward the door. “Let’s set something up.”
“Sounds good,” she said, following him.
“Just so you know”—a sneaky grin formed on his perfect mouth—“as happy as I am that you’re here, I have no plans to hand you that job.”
She raised a brow. “Is that a challenge?”
“Oh, you know it is. And since I know you like to live in denial, I figured it’s best that I give you a heads-up. I’m not taking it easy because you’re my friend. I play to win.”
“Here’s the thing, though. I know I’m not like you. Yes, I do live in denial sometimes. I run away from personal problems. But not when I’m at work. Not when I’m negotiating contracts, talking clients off the ledge, and generally wearing a superhero cape at all times for them. This”—she motioned to the room about them—“is where I shine, where I meet things head-on. I’m not scared of a little competition. And I’m not running. So you better get ready because I’m already two steps ahead of you. Bring it.” She winked, then pivoted on her heels and went back to her desk.
But when she turned around to face him again, he was standing right behind her. She gasped and nearly toppled over. A warm arm wrapped around her waist to steady her.
“Oh, Zara. You just don’t know what you’ve done,” he murmured. His gaze dropped to her lips.
They stood like that for a moment, before she braced her hands against his hard chest. Damn, he’s like a rock. “I told you I’m not afraid,” she managed to get out. “And you can let me go now.” The warmth of his body disappeared and she flattened a hand over her stomach to calm the intense flutters. “Bye, X.”
“Bye, Zara. Game on.”
Soon as the door closed, she let out a long sigh. The game was definitely on. But she just wasn’t sure which one they were playing. Or if she even had a chance to win.
Chapter 6
“I told that girl not to mess with him. We both did, right, Zara?” Skye popped a piece of an artisan pretzel into her mouth.
Zara set up her swing and gripped the golf club in her hands. “You did,” she mumbled. “We all warned her.” With her feet apart and knees bent slightly, Zara bent forward and addressed the ball. A few seconds later, the ball was soaring toward the target. She did a fist pump when she checked the scoreboard and saw that she was now in the lead.
“See!” Skye handed Zara a beer when she stepped back up to the table. “She didn’t listen and look what happened?”
“What happened?” Xavier asked.
Zara shrugged. “How the hell should I know? I’m just here to win.” She winked and held her beer up to Xavier and let him take the top off. Grinning, she mouthed “thank you” and took a sip.
“Nothing happened!” Duke stood, raising his hands in the air. “And why do y’all have to bring up old shit every time we’re together?”
“‘Old’? You just took her out last month,” Skye said.
Tempest Shaw had been valedictorian of their high school class and a good girl. Recently she’d contacted Zara because she’d run into Duke at some mysterious event. Since then, she’d been acting weird.
“Still, last month is in the past,” Duke said. “And since when are you Tempest’s number one protector?”
“I think you broke her,” Skye mused. “How does one go from focused to... ?” She shook her head and shrugged. “I don’t even know.”
Duke shook his head and stood. “Enough talk about me. Whatever happened between me and Tempest is none of your business.”
Skye leaned forward. “You know you just admitted that something did happen between you two.”
“Yeah... no. That’s not what I did.” Duke threw a piece of cheese at Skye and she ducked.
The hunk of Colby Jack hit Xavier on the shoulder. “What the hell, bruh?”
“Tell your girl to move on, Zara,” Duke said. “Better yet, tell her to get her own shit together with Garrett.”
Skye jumped on Duke’s back and pretended to choke him. “You get on my nerves.”
Zara threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, I missed this.” Although Duke lived in Michigan most of their childhood, the young family had spent a lot of time in California. “You two are crazy.”
She watched Duke carry her friend over to the faux grass patch and take his turn as Skye remained on his back.
“Look at them fools.” Xavier pulled a beer from the open cooler the wait staff had brought to the table.
“Maybe they should have just been together.”
Duke bent down, letting Skye go. “Oh, hell no!” he shouted.
“I’d kill him,” Skye agreed.
They’d spent the last hour playing golf, drinking beer, and eating. It had been one month since she’d joined the Pure Talent family and she’d enjoyed it and her time in Atlanta. The short orientation period at the company consisted of the required classes on sexual harassment, the computer software that agents used, and compliance. She’d attended meetings with legal, finance, public relations, and business development. With Jax’s blessing, she’d scheduled personal meetings with each of her current clients to explain to them how her move would affect them. It had been a hectic few weeks of traveling to multiple states, eating out, and signing new agency contracts. When she wasn’t working on procuring new talent, she’d spent time formulating her plan for the sports division. Tonight was her first night back in town, after a few days in Detroit.
“How was your trip?” Xavier asked.
“Good,” Zara answered. “I’m tired as hell.”
“Dad told me he wanted to meet with us Monday?”
Zara nodded. “He sent an e-mail. I wonder what he wants to talk about?”
“Probably my promotion.”
She laughed. “Ha-ha. You wish.”
He stood and walked over to the play area. Dressed in dark jeans and a tight-fitting sweater, he looked like a poster boy for smart casual attire. The baseball cap he wore topped off his look, and she assumed he’d worn it to prevent people from immediately recognizing him. Of course, his attempt to be incognito hadn’t worked because he’d already been pointed out by a few women in the place. He looked damn good, and despite the rousing pep talk she’d given herself before they arrived, she hadn’t been able to keep her eyes off of him the entire time they’d been there.
“Stop staring, Z-Ra.”
Zara blinked. Busted. “Oh no,” she mumbled.
Skye squeezed her arm. “It’s okay. He’s my cousin, but he’s hot.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Zara hissed. She’d shared her woes with her bestie on her first day of work, after he’d touched her and single-handedly set off every nerve ending in her body with the contact. After her best friend laughed at her, she’d commiserated with her about men and their cute, yet annoying, ways. “I can’t stop looking at him.”
“Girl, nothing’s wrong with you.”
“Shhh! You’re so loud. He’s right there.” She pointed at Duke and X, who were talking off to the side.
Skye craned her neck around to peer at the two of them. “He’s not paying you any attention.”
“Thanks.”
“What? You act like you don’t want him to, anyway.”
“You know that’s generic shit talk. Not that I want a relationship with him—because I don’t. But it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if he was just as affected by me.”
“What if he is? I can ask him.”
“No!” Zara smacked a hand over her mouth. “Girl, no. You’re never supposed to say anything about this to anyone. Ever.”
Skye giggled. “I love seeing you all hot and bothered.”
Yes, she was hot. Her body temperature seemed to shoot up to broil when he was near. And she was definitely bothered, because it annoyed her that he had that effect on her.
“Listen, you’re a woman, he’s a man.” Skye shrugged. “You’re both single, attractive people.”
“I said the same thing about you and Duke years ago, and you said no.”
Skye rolled her eyes. “Correction. I said, ‘Hell to da naw.’ Besides, he might as well be my brother, and that’s against God’s plan.”
“Whatever.”
“It’s gonna be okay, sis. Attraction is fluid. He’s fine today, but he’ll be ugly tomorrow.”
Zara burst out laughing. “You’re so stupid.”
“We should eat donuts,” Skye suggested. Before Zara could agree, her friend had waved their waitress over and placed an order for the popular injectable donut holes, stuffed with chocolate or Bavarian cream.
“I ate enough while I was away.” Zara patted her belly.
“But not with us. And not these donuts.”
Several minutes later, Zara bit into a chocolate-stuffed donut hole and groaned. “Oh, my God, this is delicious.”
Xavier slid into his seat and snagged a donut. “Be careful. They’re addictive.”
She paused, donut midair. “‘Addictive’?” She gulped.
