Page 48 of Battery Operated

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“You’re welcome. And there’s one more thing,” he said as I started for the door.

Shit. Maybe he did know about Brady and me.

But all he did was hand me a brown paper bag. “I picked this up when I was in town this morning.”

“What is it?”

Cole leaned back in his massive desk chair and rubbed his hand against his chin. “Aren’t you the queen of those, what do you call them, unboxing videos? Seems like you should be able to handle a paper bag.”

“Good point.” I opened the small bag. Even before I could see inside, the scent hit me—lavender. I pulled out a round purple bath bomb.

“Lavender’s supposed to help you sleep, if you take a bath before bed,” Cole said. “I thought it might help.”

“Thank you.” It was a kind gesture even though I didn’t currently have a bathtub.

But Cole seemed to have thought of that. “I asked the lady at the store. She says you can set it at the bottom of a shower, and as long as the water hits it, you’ll get the same effect. But my room’s got a bathtub, and you’re welcome to use it anytime. Just give me a heads-up and I’ll come in here and get some work done.”

“Thanks,” I said again. “That was really thoughtful of you.”

He nodded nonchalantly, but he looked pleased. “Save some of those thanks for after you try my pizza. I’m going to start on the dough in a few.”

“Looking forward to it.”

19

GIDEON

I was completely focused on the screen in front of me when an online influencer burst into the little office. “I thought you said you were starting on the dough—oh.” She sputtered to a halt when she saw it was me.

“You were expecting someone else?”

“Yes, Cole, since this is his study.” Her glare was designed to kill.

“And yet, he usually doesn’t usually make pizza in here.”

Rather than concede my point, she continued to shoot daggers at me. “Why are you here?” Her voice was accusatory, as if she wasn’t asking why I was in this office but more like why I existed in the first place.

“Just trying to balance the books.”

Her eyes fell on my laptop. “I’m surprised you don’t use an abacus.”

“It broke.” I picked up my phone. “My Blackberry did, too, so I have to use one of these new-fangled contraptions.”

“Why are you working on the books? I thought Cole did that.”

“Is it a problem if I help out a friend, Ms. James?”

She bounced on the balls of her feet, causing a fascinating jiggle in the camisole she wore. The spaghetti straps strained as she continued her impatient bouncing. “I’ve been called Ms. James more often this week than the rest of my life put together.”

“What do your fans call you?”

“Lila.”

She was wearing yoga pants, too. What kind of woman dressed so skimpily in a house full of strange men? But then again, the things she posted online proved that she was shameless.

“Was there something you needed?”

Rather than answer, she countered with a question of her own. “Do you work in finance?”


Tags: Stephanie Brother Erotic