"Why is it such a big deal? Yes, I'm serious. She can have it. It's not a kidney."
"It's a big deal to her—and to me."
"Not everyone is like Brandy,” Khloe reiterated.
"Not everyone is like you, either."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Eleven
The Talk
* * * *
After lunch and another salon visit later, Khloe was sporting a new haircut. She no longer had romance novel hair, but that was okay. She'd been tired of sitting on it anyway and in a few weeks, Claire would have a wig.
It felt so strange not to have that weight tugging on her neck. She had to resist the urge to swing her hair around like a Pantene commercial.
"So, I guess we need to talk,” Reed said as he had the car drop them at Central Park.
Khloe's stomach sank like a dead mobster in the East River. “I don't want to talk."
"Why not? We're talking now and it's not killing you.” He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. “Nope, you're not dying of a fever. I think it will be okay."
"So, what is it you want to talk about?"
"Let's do this right."
"Oh God,” she cried.
He led her out of the car to a waiting horse-drawn carriage.
"It must be a doozy if we're doing the carriage ride.” She wrinkled her nose.
"Don't you like the carriage ride? I believe Heyer would insist."
"You're correct. I suppose she would.” Khloe sighed.
She allowed him to help her up into the carriage and Reed produced a bottle of champagne. Something like a snake drunk on fear and anticipation coiled in her gut.
"I like you—” Reed began as soon as they were underway.
"Good. I like you, too. Great talk, I think I'm hungry again. Or I need to wash my hair... Wait. No! My arm is caught in the microwave at home and I've got to run.” Khloe looked around, but realised she had nowhere to run since they were in the carriage and he had his arm securely around her.
"You can't get out of the carriage while it's moving,” Reed said with a smirk.
"Try me. It's not going that fast."
"Damn it, Khloe. It's just a conversation.” He was silent for a long moment and she looked up at the trees and the landscape of the park, anywhere but at him. “You don't even know what I want to talk about."
"Oh yes, I do. You want to have the ‘I'm having a really good time with you’ discussion that ends with ‘I don't want a relationship'. That's fine. That's what the deal was at the outset. It's not a big deal.” Khloe wasn't even sure if he understood—her words came out in a big jumble.
"That's fine?” He was incredulous. “What do you mean ‘that's fine'?"
"I mean, I knew what you expected and wanted from the first. I'm not stupid enough to go and get attached.” Her conscience screamed at her to stop lying. “It's only been a few days. It's not a big deal."
But it was a big deal. She was already somehow head over heels for Reed Rothington. She hadn't constructed any picket fences, picked out their Royal Doulton Old Country Roses china or named their two-point-five kids and the dog or anything. Though, she'd always been partial to poodles. She wasn't expecting him to be head over tail for her too, but it would have been nice if maybe they could've actually dated. He was the best orgasm she'd ever had and the most interesting conversationalist, aside from Bree. No, maybe more than Bree. He talked about the same things she liked to talk about and wasn't just witty but smart, too. Witty and smart weren't mutually exclusive.
Of course, ideas of dating led to ideas of dresses and veils and honeymoons in Venice. At least for her. That's how she'd been raised and that's what she wanted for herself.
Eventually.
"What if I got attached?” Reed said this in her ear like a confession.
"Don't tease me. Not right now, okay?” Khloe turned to look out at the landscape again. She wanted to look anywhere but at Reed Rothington. For as handsome as he was, there had been several times in the last few days she couldn't bring herself to even look at him.
"Khloe, you're fired.” He said this with a kind of glee. Was this where he put on his bastard hat?
"What?” she cried.
"You're fired. I can't date you if you work for me.” He looked so damn pleased with himself. “I want more from you than paying you to go away. I want you to be with me. All the time."
As if that confession was supposed to make it all better? What was he thinking? Khloe needed this job, she had bills to pay. What he wanted? Well, bully for him. She was seething.
"But you could screw me while I work for you? So, while I could pay my own bills it was okay for you to fuck me and be my boss, but suddenly you can't do that so now I'm screwed again and in a bad way because your conscience won't let you let me earn a living if I'm your girlfriend?"
"That's not—"
"Isn't it?” Khloe interrupted.
"Look, I'll pay for—"
She cut him off again. “I don't want your money."
"Will you let me finish a sentence?"
"No. I know what you're going to say and it's unacceptable. We've only known each other for a short time. If I let you pay for essential things now, things other than standard dating expectations, you'll never know if I want you or your money."
"I don't care."
"What?” Her jaw dropped.
"It doesn't matter which one you want. I'll take it.” Reed said. “Look, Khloe. You're brilliant, beautiful, and kind. You've also got a voodoo punani that could kill a man, but I'm willing to die with a smile on my face."
She giggled. “Stop trying to make me laugh. You do that every time you think I'm angry or I won't do what you want me to do."
"It works, doesn't it? Why mess with a good thing? You have better ammo than I do anyway. All you have to do is flash that gorgeous body and I'm your slave."
"Stop it, Reed. Seriously.” Maybe not so seriously. That really was part of his charm, like Claire had said. He never wanted her to be unhappy. How could she argue with that? “I like you, too, but I don't know if this is going to work. Relationships scare me. I don't even fill my freezer because that's too long-term for me."
"Frozen food is boring and old. We're not. And commitment-wise, I'm not such an expert myself. No one knows if a relationship is going to work. We just have to give it a shot."
"You're not firing me,” she stated.
"Khloe, I can't..."
"Reed, I know your history of secretary shagging. No one else is going to be filing your paperwork, making your coffee, or hiding under your desk petting the anaconda during a morning meeting, besides me. Those are my terms. Take them or leave them."
"You drive a hard bargain. Maybe I should promote you to VP of something?"
"Nope. Like I said, no one else is going to be filing your paperwork."
"See, this wasn't painful at all.” He took her hand. “Well, all but the part where you kept interrupting me."
"I think there are some papers that need filing back at my apartment.” Khloe raised a brow at Reed in blatant invitation.
"Yes, Miss Bell. We should see to those straight away,” he said before pulling her into his arms like every romance novel hero has done to every heroine since quill was put to paper.
* * * *
[Back to Table of Contents]
About the Author
* * * *
Saranna DeWylde is a former corrections officer and full time Amazon Goddess who decided her pen was meant for Happily Ever Afters instead of disciplinary reports.
Email: [email protected]
* * * *
Saranna loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at www.total-e-bound.com
.
* * * *
[Back to Table of Contents]
Total-E-Bound Publishing
* * * *
* * * *
www.total-e-bound.com
erotic romance titles and discover pure quality
at Total-E-Bound.
* * * *
* * *
Visit www.total-e-bound.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
About the Author
[Back to Table of Contents]
Temporary Tricks Page 7