Finally, I just snap. “Do you really want to hear my pitch or not? Because I really have a ton of other things to be doing right now and can’t afford to waste my time.”
Cole smiles, and fuck me, it’s a beautiful smile. He could be on the cover of magazines. I’m sure he has been. He looks like one of those models on the cover of GQ, but with amazing tattoos and biceps, and damn it, focus!
“I really want to hear. Dexter says you’re incredible.”
The compliment simultaneously makes me feel on top of the world and makes my heart sink, knowing how my cousins would not approve of me lusting after this prick. What’s worse is there’s something more at play here than I can even put my finger on. Yes, I want to ride Cole Miller every time I even catch a glimpse of him, but there’s something beyond that and it’s driving me insane. I want to know more about him, but I shouldn’t care at all.
The waiter comes over and we order drinks. I tell Cole the non-sexual things I can do for him and his business, and, surprisingly, he’s all ears. It’s strictly professional, like we’re two different people than the ones who had hot sex in a hotel room after a romantic wedding, and it might be even worse than the back and forth shit-talking. It makes me respect him even more, because he’s obviously intelligent when he wants to be.
But by the time I’m done, it’s almost like I miss him getting on my nerves, saying things to get under my skin. How is that even possible? There’s no way in hell I would ever let him know that, but I can’t help how I feel inside. It’s like I want him to be a dick to me so I have a reason to give it right back to him and have a reason to leave.
“So, what do you think?”
Cole steeples his fingers on the table. “It’s… a lot to take in all at once.”
Why is he being apprehensive now? He just leaned in the whole time I was talking, fidgeting with his hands like he was excited as hell. This man is a goddamn enigma.
“Okay.” I shuffle my papers up and shove them back in my bag. “Well, enjoy doing things the old way then. I did what I said I’d do.”
He reaches for my hand again and damn it, I wish he’d both stop touching me and never let go. I glare down at his hand, but I just can’t tell him to move it. It’s like my brain wants to say it, but the electrical signals won’t fire to my mouth and move my damn lips for me, because fuck, it feels so—right.
“Why do you do that?”
My eyes roll up to his. “Do what?”
He leans back and huffs out a sigh. “Why are you so combative? I say one thing and you fly off the handle like it’s the end of the world.”
My eyes widen. “Are you saying I’m being emotional? Is that what you meant?”
“See?” He points at me. “You’re doing it again.”
Fuck this, I’m done playing on his terms. I lean over the table, so my cleavage is right in his line of sight. “You know there has been more than business between us. If this was a normal business exchange, where you had called and said, ‘Hey, I’m interested in your services, do you have time for a consultation?’ I would have said, ‘Yes, let’s make an appointment.’ But you broke into my phone and scheduled your own meeting the morning after we banged like rabbits.” I look up and crane my head around, because the words come out before I can stop them. Fortunately, I didn’t scar any young children’s ears and it’s relatively empty in the diner.
Cole stares straight at my breasts, his eyes wide for a long moment, not even bothering to hide the fact he’s ogling me, then finally he looks up at me and grins. “I didn’t break into your phone.”
I grab my bag. “That’s what you took from that?” I grind my teeth. “Asshole.” I start to get out of the booth, and he does the damn arm grab thing again. Fuck my life.
“Sorry, that joke was in poor taste.”
“Damn right it was. Do you want to work with me or not?”
He flops back and rests his head against the booth, like he’s contemplating his whole life. He looks out the window and it’s like he can’t even look at me while he’s thinking it through. Finally, he nods and says, “Yeah, let’s do it.”
My eyes widen. “Seriously?”
Our stares lock, and he nods slowly. “Yeah, I think you can do good things for me with the expansion.”
Fireworks should be going off inside me right now. This is a huge new client, bigger than The Hunter Group even. Instead, there’s nothing but dread in the pit of my stomach. Anxiety courses through me. I’m in a spot I can’t get out of now. I should’ve never come to this goddamn meeting.
“Okay then.” I agree because I have no other choice. The loans are nearly due, I need to pay my employees. This could put my company in the black in my first year. It still feels dirty, though, like I’m only getting this opportunity because I slept with him, or because he wants to sleep with me again.
I gather all my stuff together because if I stay any longer, I’ll want to shoot myself in the head because my body wants to make out with him in the booth to celebrate.
“Great. The expansion happens in the next few months, but you can go ahead and start testing things on my existing gyms.” He slides a card across. “Here’s my assistant’s name, you can coordinate everything through her.”
I feel like I should say something, be grateful, but it’s so hard to do. I finally just look across at him and say, “Thank you. I won’t let you down.”
He shrugs and smirks. “No problem. If you let me down, I’ll just fire you.”
I can’t tell if he’s joking or not, but this asshole knows how to push my buttons and part of me respects that. He knows I’ll go out and kill it for him, just so he can’t fire me.
Ugh! Cole Miller is the worst! And the best.
Chapter Nine
Cole Miller
I keep a punching bag in my office at all times in case I need to take out some frustration. Right now, I’m putting it to use. Sweat droplets start to break out along my forehead when my assistant’s voice blasts out of my phone speaker.
“Mr. Miller, Dexter Collins and Paisley Williams are here to see you.”
I inhale a couple deep breaths and wipe my forehead. “Okay, just bring them back here.”
I’m not done hitting this bag. The fact Dexter’s here makes me want to hit it even harder. I have a feeling if I wasn’t so close to him, I wouldn’t even have this issue with Harlow. At the same time, I’m not going to blow up a friendship if she isn’t even willing to go on a date with me. I can’t help the way I feel about her, though. It’s that goddamn spark that’s coming from somewhere; something I never thought I’d feel, especially with her.
I need to get her onboard, then I can drop the news to Dexter and his brothers and let the chips fall where they may. I don’t know what it is, but this thing with her, it’s real. I don’t think I can erase it from my memory or make it go away. I want her, and I will have her.
Paisley and Dex walk through the door just as I throw a huge front kick into the bag and send it spiraling off toward the wall. Dex’s eyes go wide. Good. He needs that psychological message to know he doesn’t want any part of me. Not that I’d ever want to fight him, but one day, when he finds out about Harlow and me, he might just remember that kick. In fact, I know he will.