The Play Mate (Roommates, #2)

The raspberry would look so good on her golden skin. An image of her bent over the desk in front of me wearing only a pair of raspberry lace panties sent a pulse of electricity straight to my dick.

She looked so triumphant, there was no need to wonder if she knew how deftly she’d scored.

Evie-one. Smith-zero.

“I’m really glad to hear you guys are so into the business talk. Because that’s actually why I asked you both here today. I have some amazing news,” Cullen said, giving each of us a meaningful look.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Evie shot me a worried glance and I shrugged, equally as confused as she was. I had no clue what the big news was, unless he hadn’t told her about my investing and taking on a temporary position in the company yet?

“We are officially going to be a team. The three amigos!” Cullen beamed at us both, waiting for us to join in on the excitement, but we sat there frozen in stony silence.

I found my voice first and straightened my tie, trying to act casual. “When you say ‘team,’ what exactly do you mean?”

Evie didn’t work at the company. Sure, she had a stake like all of her family did, but she didn’t have any dealings in the day-to-day running of the company. She’d just graduated from college and was supposed to be traveling to find herself, or whatever recent college grads did.

“Evie decided to take the position I offered her in marketing. She’ll be handling our social media presence. You yourself said it was a soft point for us, Smith.”

I squeezed my eyes closed for a moment, wishing I had a fucking time machine to go back and punch my past self in the face for saying that.

“And I’ve got new office space that will accommodate us all back in Chicago, ready and waiting,” Cullen continued.

“I’m sorry, but doesn’t Smith already have a job?” Evie’s voice was shrill and slightly panicked as she drummed her fingers restlessly against her thigh.

“He does. But mostly consulting work now, and investments. He offered me six months of his time and expertise, and I’d be a fool not to take it.” Cullen sat back in his chair with a satisfied smile. “It’s going to be great. The three of us together are going to take this business from the red back into the black in no time.”

The room went quiet as the ramifications of what he was saying sank in.

“What’s wrong? Why are you two acting so weird?” Cullen asked with a frown.

No matter how much I’d teased Evie, the last thing I wanted was for Cullen to sense what had happened between us and that things had shifted.

I pasted on a smile and shook my head. “Nothing wrong here. Just took me by surprise, is all. When we crunched the numbers last night, I didn’t see her salary as a line item.”

“Yeah, I was still working through that, so I just plugged in a marketing consultant with a flat rate, remember?”

Now that he mentioned it, I did remember. Damn me for not asking more questions.

“Evie, this cool with you?” Cullen asked, turning toward his sister.

“Of course,” she said with a snort. “Super cool. Like, so cool, the coolest.”

She was babbling. And Evie never babbled.

Cullen let out a confused chuckle and rubbed his hands together. “Glad to hear it. So, I just got a call about the new line from the distributor. What say we get to work?”

My mind was still reeling as he chattered on, pulling out swatches and advertising mock-ups from his bag. I’d managed to keep my cool about what happened in my hotel room and joke around with her about it because it was fleeting. A moment in time. One I’d look back on and fondly remember. And sure, I’d have to see her for a few days while we were in Paris, but then? It would be back to seeing her at the occasional holiday party.

Now? Seeing Evie all day, every day?

I sure as hell wasn’t laughing anymore. This woman was going to be the death of me.