Page 5 of Scoring Eden

My nose scrunches. “Are you hitting on me?”

His eyes flare with mirth as he stands and approaches my desk. “Would it be okay if I was?”

My mouth opens before my brain can process his words. “No.”

A smile tugs at his lips—so pink they’re as if he’s been sucking on cherries. Not that I’m focusing on the exact shade of his mouth, and I certainly don’t mean to compare them to my favorite fruit, but I’m a woman of keen observation. Nothing deeper than that.

“I get it.” He leans against the wall beside my desk with the confidence of a tiger stalking a buffalo. “You’ve got a boyfriend, huh?”

“Because that’s the only reason why a woman wouldn’t be interested in you?”

He holds out his hands with a lift of one shoulder. “I mean, it’s never happened before, so…”

“Wow,” I breathe. “You certainly think a lot of yourself.”

“I have confidence, if that’s what you mean.”

“It isn’t,” I snap. “And no, I don’t have a boyfriend—or a girlfriend, for that matter.”

“Huh.” His brow knits. “Well, there’s a first time for everything, I suppose.”

What a life it must be to have never faced rejection. To his credit, though, he shakes it off quickly and changes the subject.

“Your boss is an asshole, by the way.”

“I’m surprised. I’d have thought you’d enjoy a man panting after you like a horny Chihuahua."

“Oh, certainly.” He flashes me a wide grin, all white teeth and sharp canines. “But he was an asshole to you. And I know a misogynistic, egotistical prick when I see one.”

I tilt my head. “Like in the mirror?”

He laughs. “Touché.”

He pivots from me at that, striding to the door with more confidence than a man should ever possess. “And Eden?” He looks at me over his shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“You’ve got ink on your face.”

"THE BROTHERHOOD" GROUP CHAT

Alex: Something unusual happened today…

Roman: Tell us more.

Alex: I was rejected by a woman.

Leo: Who is she? I’d like to meet her and shake her hand.

Alex: Keep your hands to yourself. You’re a married man now.

Alex: To my sister, no less.

Roman: This is the best day of my life.

TWO

Eden