AllFreeNovel
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“I do not. I just don’t want to sell and there’s no law that says I have to.”
There isn’t, but given time I’m sure I can pay someone to make one up. But underhanded is one thing, downright illegality is another and doing that definitely plays with illegal and I pride myself on keeping things on the right side of the law. I don’t give a fuck about the nitty gritty of morality, but law, yeah.
Besides, I’m not sure she’s going to sell unless I can find a way to do that as Magnus Simpson.
“It’s not about the law, it’s about being smart. My boss is a hard man—”
“He’s the devil’s younger brother and twice as ugly,” she says, “and I really don’t care. He can try whatever. I’m not selling.”
“Do you know how much this place is worth?”
I stare at Georgio. He did not just say that. Next time, I may as well give him a gun so he can damn well shoot himself in the foot for real.
His eyes bug at the expression on my face and it’s a good thing sweet smelling, soft Zoey can’t see me. “I—I mean,” he says, “The project. You’ll be paid well.”
“You can offer me the Taj Mahal, but I’ll turn you down.”
“What she said,” I say. “Maybe you should go, talk to your boss. See what he has to say.”
“I’ll be back.”
And Georgio stumbles back, grabs the umbrella, and rushes out into the downpour. A huge crack of thunder accompanies his exit.
Zoey squeals out a delighted little sound and rushes round to stand in front of me, her eyes shining. Like that, smiling, she’s exceptionally lovely. And then she throws her arms about me, hugging me tight. “Thank you.”
I’m so shocked by this armful of warm female I wrap my arms about her. Fuck, she feels good. She has long legs and it’s like she fits. The heat of her melts down into me and there’s a flicker of arousal inside, a lick of flame.
“Oh my God.” She pulls free, breathing hard, her face red. “I’m sorry… I didn’t. I shouldn’t. I hugged you.”
Zoey says this like she tried to hump my leg.
“I noticed.”
She buries her face in her hands. “I’m the worst boss. I wasn’t harassing you sexually.”
“You can.”
She lifts her head and for a long beat neither of us says a word. But Zoey’s shock and confusion melts into humor and a smile and she laughs. “That’s a joke. Not that I thought it wasn’t. I shouldn’t have hugged you.”
I touch her shoulder, a little shocked I want to draw her back and hold her again, or trace the lines of her mouth to see if it’s as soft and inviting as it looks.
I definitely need to get laid.
“It’s fine,” I say. “And I don’t feel harassed, sexually or otherwise. I’m a grown ass man and I can tell the difference between a come on and a hug.”
She breathes out a sigh. “I could have handled that, but you were pretty spectacular.”
“I’m sure you have men falling all over themselves to white knight for you.”
Zoey looks about. “Maybe they’re hiding or shy. No, no one, just me. But that was nice of you. That one only comes in when he’s wielding big guns and offers. There are actual thugs who threaten to make things hard for me. And others, too. Normally, it takes forever to get rid of them.” She pauses. “Weird how he called you boss.”
Yeah, real weird. We’re gonna have words, big, hard, harsh words, me and Georgio. “He called you the same.”
“Chauvinism. That’s what it is.”
“Calling you boss?”
“He never has before.” She crosses her arms and taps her foot as the storm rages outside. “It’s because you’re here. He thought you were somehow in charge, even though he knows my name’s on it. Ooh, I wish that coward Sinclair would show his ugly, fat face. I’d give him a piece of my mind.”
