Page 83 of Darling Obsession
“Humor me,” I growl.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because if you don’t,” I say silkily, “I’ll hold it against you.”
“That was a very sexy-sounding threat,” she says. “I thought we weren’t having sex, ever, ever again.” She rolls her eyes.
I consider that. And how I should spank her for sassing me in my bed.
I know what I said to her.
I’m not sure my body agrees with my words.
My words were a lie meant to force us apart after we fucked. Clearly, since she’s laying in my arms, it didn’t work.
I war with it for a moment.
Then I tell her, “We aren’t. Since that’s the case, you might as well answer me.”
She considers, but seems too tired to argue further.
“Yes, I’m looking for another bakery job. I’m not desperate about it, though.”
“Don’t you need somewhere to bake your cakes?”
“Yes. But I’ve learned from experience. I’ve been desperate about jobs before. And I’d rather be in a good working situation than a bad one out of desperation.”
I’m not sure how to take that.
“Was it bad at Crave?”
“It… wasn’t great. There was a lot of pressure. And Justin was a very stressed-out boss.”
I’d rather she never mention another man’s name in this bed, especially one she was fucking so recently. I’m a jealous man. But I’m also compulsively curious when it comes to her, apparently. It’s an itch I need to scratch.
“He didn’t treat you well?”
“As an employee? No. As a semi-girlfriend, or whatever I was to him? No. I mean, yes, he let me use the facilities at Crave so I could make cakes for my clients. But the trade-off was that I was at his beck and call. I was always working overtime for him last minute. Doing him extra favors without being properly compensated, while he strung me along with vague promises that he’d promote me.”
“I should fire him.”
She lifts her head, looking up at me with wide eyes. “He’s working for you?”
“We kept him on after buying the bakery. He’s still running it.”
“Ugh.” She settles her head onto my chest again. “Well, please don’t fire him on my account. If he’s the best person to run the bakery for you, so be it. He’s good at his job,” she adds grudgingly. “That’s why I wanted to work for him. To keep learning.”
I make a vague, grumbly noise.
After a moment, she says, “Harlan? I know tonight was just a one-more-time thing… but can you please not fire him now? I know you want to.”
“I never said that.”
“You just said that,” she says patiently. “I realize ethics may not always be your first priority in business, but it really wouldn’t be ethical to fire him because a woman in your bed talked shit about him.”
“Thank you for the business advice, Quinn,” I say evenly.
“Do it for me?” she says softly. “Please?”
