“I thought I was here to work,” she says, but I don't miss the breathy way it comes out. She can pretend all she wants, but she's not as unaffected by me as she likes to act.
I stuff my hands back in my pockets and adopt an aloof air. She won’t say my name yet. That’s fine. I’ll pry it out of her eventually.
I tap my finger against my chin contemplatively before I give her an order that I know will rile her. “Go fetch me a cup of coffee. Heavy on the cream, no sugar.”
As predicted, her eyes flare with indignation before she presses her lips into a thin line and stalks off to do as I instructed her.
I sit back down behind my desk, a shit-eating grin breaking out across my face as I steeple my hands before me.
I no longer give a flying fuck if Sharon is my stepsister. I’ll take my little lioness and turn her into a purring kitten if it’s the last thing I do.
four
Sharon
That self-serving,egotistical, cocky son of a bitch.
I'm fuming as I stalk to the break room to get my new boss’ coffee.Heavy on the cream, no sugar.
I slam the coffee pot down back onto the burner a bit harder than is necessary.
How in the fuck do I have the misfortune to have that arrogant bastard be my new boss? My fingers itch to march back in there and slap the smug look off his irritating face. It doesn't help matters he looked charmingly handsome while he was goading me, and I absolutely hate the way heat pooled in my belly when he called me kitten.
I'll show him a kitten when I claw his eyes out.
I consider marching right out of this office and saving myself a lot of headaches and embarrassment, but I need this job. Not only is it necessary for my future career, but I desperately need the money right now. And, there'll be no explaining away why I quit working at the most prestigious firm in the city on day one. If I don't see this through, I'll be un-hirable in my sector, and that just pisses me off even more because Charlie has me by the balls—figuratively speaking—and he knows it, and it looks like he's going to exploit it to the full extent of his ability.
I dump a shit-ton of cream in his coffee and stir it vigorously. I hope he chokes on it.
As I throw the stirring stick in the trash, my eyes light on the other condiments on the table. There's the sugar, and then there's a saltshaker. I smirk as I pick up the salt and “accidentally” spill a liberal amount in the boss's coffee. Oops.
Let him taste one swig of this shit, and that'll teach him to never give me such menial tasks as getting his coffee for him ever again.
I keep a straight face as I walk into his office and set the coffee cup in front of him. I try to keep my expression neutral as I watch him take the first sip, wicked glee unfurling in my stomach as I wait for him to sputter in disgust.
His eyes flick up to mine over the rim, but he never even grimaces as he lowers the cup from his lips and stares at me for a long moment before he lifts it again and takes an even longer chug of the brew this time.
I fight to keep my mouth from falling open. With as much salt as I poured in his cup, I know it's got to taste like shit. The man’s taste buds must be completely dead. Either that or he's toying with me. And I believe it's the latter, especially when he raises a mocking eyebrow at me. “Is something wrong, Sharon?”
I shake my head and smile at him sweetly. “No, sir. How's your coffee?”
“Memorable,” he replies with a smirk.
I grit my teeth before I give him another sickly sweet smile. “Is there anything else I can get you before I do some actual work?”
He eyes me over the rim of the cup as he takes another long gulp. His eyes land on the papers in front of him before he sighs wearily. “As much as I love playing with you, kitten, I suppose I really should let you get to work.”
He nods toward the door. “Mary will show you the filing system and get you admin access to the computer. If I need anything else, I'll call you.”
I relax now that it seems he's finally going to take me seriously. He might be the biggest asshole of a stepbrother I've ever had, but he's obviously a good businessman too or he wouldn't be the CEO of the biggest financial corporation in the city. There's a lot I could learn from him if we can simply put our differences aside and get along.
“Okay. Thanks, Charlie.” His eyes flick up to mine in surprise when I say his name as a peace offering. His hand balls into a fist on his desk, and his nostrils flare.
Why does that make my heart flutter wildly like a baby bird beating against its cage?
His eyes darken as they flick to my lips. He licks his own lips, and I feel that baby bird in my chest flutter even more wildly.
“You better leave now, Sharon, before I think of other games we can play.” His voice comes out as a dark growl that skitters across my skin sensuously and leaves goosebumps in its wake.