23
BODI
“Iknow,butyou know KPI is the right publisher for it right now.”
“I don’t know, Bodi. KPI has never had a non-fiction bestseller. I’m worried you don’t have the marketing experience to make this happen.” Kent’s voice sounds hesitant, and I sigh, rubbing my face. I really want this deal, but so far, he’s been giving me more restraint than I’m used to.
I drop my hand on my lap when my door slowly opens and my favorite brunette peeks her head through. She gives me a short wave and I shake my head, pointing at the phone on my desk. It should be enough for her to understand this is not a good time, but sometimes she and I speak a different language. Which has more to do with her ability to listen than the words I speak.
“That doesn’t mean we’re not qualified, Kent.” I keep my eyes trained on Kayla, who ignores my rejection and quietly locks the door behind her with a mischievous grin. I close my eyes with a clenched jaw, a little irritated. She’s interrupting me, but as soon as a whiff of her sweet shampoo fills my nose, all aggravation simmers away, vanishing into thin air.
She’s wearing a cute skater dress, her denim jacket covering up her arms. She looks so damn pretty every day. It’s getting harder and harder for me to not touch her at work, and the playful grin that splits her face tells me she knows. There is nothing but intent in every single one of her actions.
“I have a non-fiction team that has great results with our publications.” Kayla slowly saunters toward me, clearly unaffected by the scowl that’s sitting on my face. Or at least that’s the look I’m aiming for. Considering she’s still smiling, I’m doing a shit job.
“Great results are not bestsellers, Bodi. You know that.” Kent counters at the same time Kayla pushes my chair back, then gets on top of the desk with her legs wide enough for me to glance at her bare thighs.
“What are you doing?” I mouth with wide eyes and a ticking jaw, then clear my throat, staring at the ceiling. “What do you suggest, Kent?”
Kayla puts the tip of her white sneaker beside my leg, resting it on the edge of my chair.
“Give me a plan to show my client. A good marketing plan.”
I snatch Kayla’s ankle, holding her still with an angry expression, but she looks right through me. Her cheeks are flustered in the softest pink, her eyes flashing with hunger. I know she’s not going to stop, simply because I can’t hide my own craving while she’s partially spread out on my desk. Giving in to the temptation, my hands move up, brushing my fingers along her skin while keeping the phone pressed between the side of my head and my shoulder. She throws her head back, enjoying my touch as she lifts up the hem of her skirt a little more with a daring look.
“I can do that,” I say, with a little more husk and impatience than I intended. “Anything else?”
I wrap my arms around Kayla’s hips, yanking her into my lap, and she quickly covers her mouth to silence the shriek that’s coming from her lips.
“Yeah,” Kent replies. “A damn good advance.”
I narrow my eyes at the minx who’s silently giggling on my lap, now straddling me.
“Fine, I’ll get back to you in two days.”
“Sure thing.” Before he can say anything else, I reach out to hang up the phone, then softly bite her neck as I put my focus back on the little devil.
“Ouch!” She chuckles. “I didn’t know you were a biter.”
“I didn’t know you didn’t have ears.”
“I have ears!” she cries incredulously, pressing her hands against them.
“Then why didn’t you listen when I told you no?”
“Because I wanted to show off my new shoes.” At a weird angle, I twist my head to see how she brings her feet up, looking at the brand-new pearl white sneakers on her feet.
“You wanted to show me your new sneakers?”
“Well, yeah?” She gives me an expression that says duh. “They just came in the mail. You like sneakers, and I needed a reason to get into your office. Besides, loophole.” She smirks.
“Loophole?” I parrot.
“Yeah, you didn’t actually say no. No words came from your mouth.” I take the back of her neck in a reprimanding grip, but it only amuses her more.
“Loophole.” I scowl with pursed lips. “You’re the worst.”
“I know.” She takes my face in her hands, pressing a sweet kiss to my lips.
“You can’t barge into my office like that, Kayla.” I speak the words while my mouth never disconnects from hers, each word growing fainter as they come from my throat. She’s a witch. The kind that is able to put a spell on people because she sure as hell got me enchanted as fuck. While her lips press against mine, the leftover annoyance disappears as quickly as it arrived.
“I know,” she whispers, then glides her tongue against mine. I pull her closer to my chest, loving how she’s wrapped around my waist with her legs. She fits me like a glove. Her curves melt with my body, making me believe she’s made for me.
“You know, but you don’t care,” I state, nibbling her lip while my hands move under the fabric of her dress to feel the silky skin of her thighs underneath my palm.
“I don’t give a shit.” She giggles.
“What the fuck am I going to do with you?”
“What you’ve been doing for weeks?” she answers in a matter-of-fact tone. “Feeding me, cuddling me, kissing me, fucking me.”
“You sound like I’m your butler.”
“You are, a little.” The amused tone in her voice has me laughing out loud with my head thrown back.
“You’re crazy, babe.”
“I’m crazy about you.” The words make my eyes lock with hers, my head titling. The light blue of her eyes is sparkling with affection, and I love it. I want to take a picture of her face, right now, forever cherishing this look.
“I’m crazy about you too, babe.” It might not be very friend-like, but I mean every word. I’m crazy about her. She’s the only one that makes me laugh and the one who’s responsible for the lighthearted feeling that’s been around for a while now. “But I have another meeting in five minutes.”
I grab her hips, lifting her from my lap before putting her back on the desk.
“We can do a lot in five minutes.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
My hands run up her legs one more time, getting closer to press another kiss against her pink lips.
“We both know we’ll take longer than five minutes, and I can’t be late.”
“You’re no fun.” She pouts like the innocent girl she isn’t, and I drag her lip down with my thumb.
“I know, but the day is over in two hours and we can go home.” I brush my nose against hers. “We can order food and watch a movie.” I pause. “After I strip you naked on the kitchen counter. Here.” I point at the two books sitting on my desk behind her, and she picks one up.