I Bet You'll Be Mine

Ali

I walkinto work practically glowing with confidence and dreaming about what I’m going to do with the one million dollars I’m going to win for not going out with my new boss.

All I have to do is hold out for one month. One month and I’ll have more money than most people make in a lifetime.

But not according to Zander, who thinks he’s going to seduce me like he’s probably done with so many other women.

Why? Because he’s tall, handsome, and has an incredible body that he obviously works hard for at the gym? And that means that he can just abuse his power as my boss and ruin my gap year prospects as an HR intern because he can’t handle having me upstairs in his office around his men?

I don’t think so, buddy.

I sit down at my new desk downstairs where I’ll be working now since Zander set eyes on me yesterday and spend about fifteen minutes getting my space just the way I want so I’ll feel at least a little more comfortable. Not like I have much to do yet anyway.

I wave hello as the men come in to work – those that aren’t on their phones, texting or talking. They toss me the occasional glance, but nothing crazy and distracting like Zander was insinuating last night.

Would I really be that big of a distraction to his men or just a distraction to him? And does he really think I’ll ever get with him after he completely ruined the actual job I wanted?

What an unbelievable asshole.

So what if he’s gorgeous? So what if he’s got the body of a Greek god? That means I’m going to just throw myself at his feet and submit to him?

Shaking my head, I pick up a pencil off the desk and start sharpening it, using one of those hand sharpeners from the drawer. I doubt I’ll ever even use it these days, considering the computer sitting beside me, but it gives me something to do while I think about how ridiculous my situation is. Then a gleam of light from the front door shines directly into my eye as Zander enters the building with a tall, blond bombshell walking beside him.

She’s dressed like a model – dressed like she’s on her way to a movie premiere or an afterparty, hardly anything remotely resembling office attire. Zander catches my eye, grins, and walks directly toward me. As they grow closer, he leans in and whispers something to the girl on his arm that causes her to giggle and lean all over him.

Who is she? I’m suddenly desperate to know.

He stops a few feet from the desk and looks down at me. “Hello, Ali,” he says. “This is Kendall.”

“Hello,” I manage to mutter.

“Can you call Winston’s Steakhouse and make reservations for two tonight at seven?”

Did he really just ask me to do that?

Thanks.”

“Seven—?” But before I can even fully clarify that I’ve heard him right, he’s already heading upstairs with Kendall on his arm, whispering something else funny in her ear.

I frickin’ knew it.

laugh to myself as I watch him go, both of them disappearing up onto the second floor.

“I knew it!” I blurt out, unable to contain myself. I’m on my feet a second later. “He’s asking me out one day, saying he likes me, and then the next day he’s showing up at work with a model on his arm!”

Men. All the same.

I was so right for denying him last night. Not only is he an asshole for what he did with my position at the company, but he’s also a player and not afraid to show it. If I’d gone to dinner with him last night and maybe fallen for him, where would that have gotten me?

Heartbreak.

Tossed aside by a smooth-talking player clearly accustomed to getting his way with women. Thank God I didn’t fall for that.

I take a breath and push aside my feelings of anger and frustration and sit back in my chair. Biting my lip, I nod to more of Zander’s men as they come in for work and focus on making sure my desk is perfectly straightened up and organized my way, but by the middle of the day when everyone is at work and there’s really nothing left for me to do but sit there, I start getting restless, and my mind starts to wander and fill with questions.

Why did Zander bring Kendall to work with him?

Why did he walk right past me with her?