His eyes do a rapid double-blink. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me just fine, Colin.” I shift in the chair to face him directly. “I want $10,000 up front, and you can give me the rest after the sale goes through.”
“Elle, I amnot—”
“I know what your base salary isandhow much money you pull in from commissions annually. Unless you’re living some kind of absurdly lavish lifestyle, I know you’ve got at least a few hundred grand or more on hand, so I know you can afford to secure thisarrangementwith an advance.” I fold my arms across my chest and angle my chin upward at him. “And if you want me to do something this smarmy without any kind of guarantee that I’ll get paid other than yourword, I need an advance.”
Colin squints one eye as though my skepticism isn’t one-hundred-percent valid. “You think that I would ask you do something like this with me and then justnotuphold my end of the bargain?”
“Yes.”
“Seriously?” Colin leans back and turns over his palms in a gesture at himself. “What kind of person do you think I am?”
“Iknowthat you’re a two-faced asshole who only cares about his own survival.” I cock my head. “You proved that to me onday one. You’re proving it again now by not following through with your guarantee to fire me if my performance wasn’t up to par because you suddenly need my help to close a massive deal. Bothyouand yourwordareshit.”
Shockingly, the expression that blanches his face isn’t livid rage, which is what I completely expected. Instead, Colin actually looks hurt; like what I said was a literal slap across the face; like he somehow doesn’t realize this about himself.
He says nothing, his blue eyes drifting away from mine under a tensely furrowed brow, and then he pushes away from the desk to stand in front of the windows. He stands there with his hands once again in his pockets, and I’ve got a three-quarter view of his profile, which looks a hell of a lot like he’s contemplating a lot of poor life choices. It’s so absurd that I could laugh again because it’s suddenly obvious that he actuallydoesn’trealize this about himself.
“Ten thousand dollars, Colin,” I repeat, undeterred because it’s really hard to feel sorry for someone as saturated with privilege as him. “Or I’m not doing it. I was already prepared for you to fire me today, so if you decide to hold that over my head to convince me, it won’t work.”
He stares out the window for another beat or two, the muscles in his jaw pulsing like he’s repeatedly clenching and unclenching his teeth. After an excruciatingly long silence, Colin turns and sits back down at his desk.
“Deal.”
I offer a single nod. “Deal.”
Pulling open his desk drawer, he retrieves a slender, black leather three-ring binder, opening it to reveal a sheet of checks.
Hischeckbookis aleather binder. He’s definitely not hurting for this kind of cash.
After he scrawls my name and those five lovely numbers, Colin tears off the check and holds it across the desk toward me. I take it, inspecting the date, amount, and signature. Even hissignatureis sexy. Dark. Slanted. Assertive. I never even thought a person’s handwriting could be sexy, but apparently his is, and the only reason I’m holding it right now is because I have to go away with him for a weekend and pretend to be his girlfriend.
It is only at this exact moment, Dear Reader, that I realize the potential for this little arrangement to become really problematic, really quick.
Despite the fact that heisa two-faced asshole, I’m totally hot for my boss.
That subtle lip-nibble of his from minutes ago indicates, at the very least, that he wouldn’t kick me out of bed.
I don’t know what the accommodations at this engagement party weekend will be, but I have a feeling that there’s at least aslightpossibility there might beactualbed-sharing involved.
Just say no, Elle!
Thank you, drug awareness campaign from my childhood and teen years. I’ll definitely have to keep that in mind.
Colin offers his hand as he stands up. “Care to shake on it, Kissinger?”
I stand as well and meet his palm with mine in a firm shake. “I’m not having sex with you, so don’t even try.”
At that… helaughs.
And not asmalllaugh either. I’m surprised he isn’t slapping his knee along with it.
“No,” Colin manages through another series of hearty, shoulder-shaking chuckles. “No, you aredefinitely not, Elle. That’s nowhere in the cards, so don’t even worry about it.”
My cheeks suddenly scorch with embarrassment.
Okay, then.
