Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
"Thanks..." I wrinkle my nose in distaste. “But I don’t want to just be a pretty face, Tanner.”
Of course, he’s dismissive of me. He always is. "Yeah, yeah. You're a boss babe. Whatever you need to hear, Blair. Anyway, I was thinking, since you have to work tomorrow, we should go out tonight."
Absolutely not. "Oh, um, I don't know. I'm kind of tired."
"Come on, baby. It'll be fun. Let's go get some drinks and celebrate. I'll pick you up at seven."
"Okay." There’s nothing that could possibly be worse than going out with Tanner tonight after spending the entire day lusting after his dad, but I’m not one to argue and Tanner always complains until I give in anyway.
He’s smug when he says, "Good. See you then, baby."
Crap. I can't do this. Tanner might be an asshole, but he's still a person. "Tanner, wait. Actually, I think we need to talk..."
"What's wrong, babe?"
Am I really about to break up with him over the phone on the same day he got me a job? I feel ungrateful, but not enough to stay. Thinking about Tanner trying to paw all over me after a few drinks makes me feel physically ill. I’ve always hated how he liked to grab me even if I told him to stop. "Um...I'm sorry. I think we should break up."
"What? Why?" he snaps, incredulous and almost yelling.
"It's just not working out."
Shock morphs to anger quickly enough. "Seriously? Are you fucking kidding me right now?"
"No, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
He guffaws, the laughter cruel. "Yeah, whatever. You're just using me so you can go fuck my dad. Don't think I didn't notice."
Uh oh. I jump up from the couch and start to pace, full of nervous energy. I feel like a deer in the headlights. Surely I haven’t been caught this fast? "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. You're a bitch, and I saw you making eyes at him. You in that tight, little skirt. I should have known what you were really after.”
He hangs up, and the phone is dead. Well, shit. That went about as well as I expected. And he's probably going to tell his dad. Double shit. I'm not worried about Brian firing me...but I am worried about how Tanner will react if his dad tells him not to bother me.
I sigh and put my phone down.
This is such a mess.
4
BRIAN
She's everywhere.
I've avoided her for three days now, but somehow, Blair is fucking everywhere. I swear I smell her scent, honey, and daisies each time I turn a corner. She works on a totally different floor than my office, but we keep running into each other. On the elevator, in the cafeteria when I go down for a coffee...everywhere.
And she's more beautiful each time.
It seems like my interest in Blair hasn't gone unnoticed by Tanner if the barrage of complaining text messages he sent me is any indication. He never explicitly says he knows there's a connection, but he's been demanding I fire her, complaining like a pathetic boy about how she dumped him for no good reason.
The idea makes me snort. Why is he even surprised? There are endless reasons for Blair to have dumped Tanner. The fact that there’s something hot and secret between us is just one of a million. But his insecurity over her being in the office has caused him to become more and more aggressive, and I can tell Blair's feeling the strain. Besides, he’s not above calling her names, so what did he expect really?
I have a feeling I'll have to put a stop to this soon.
My phone vibrates and Tanner's name lights up the screen.
Dad, please. Blair doesn't belong in an office. She's inexperienced, and she's been such an ice queen. Please get rid of her.
The words are like gasoline on the embers burning within me. My son thinks he can come here to my office and tell me who should work and who shouldn't. That he's trying to use me, his father, to control a situation where he clearly fucked up, is a slap in the face. And now he's going to start telling me who belongs and who doesn't?
Oh, hell no.
My son may be older than Blair, 24 to her 19, but he's a boy. He has no fucking idea what the world is really like, and he has no place dictating terms. And that goes double for his girlfriend.
Well, no. Not his girlfriend. My Blair. MINE.
I text back, Get your ass in my office, NOW.
No, Dad. I'm not coming to the office if you're just going to bitch at me about this.
I'm done playing around. The boy is in his twenties, and it's high time he learned some goddamn respect.
That's the third time you've disrespected me today, Tanner. Now, do I need to come down there and drag your ass up here, or are you going to walk like a man?