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"Hi there" Ben’s voice exudes seduction

"Hi," I et e?" His voice is low and sexy

"Friends don’t talk to friends like that," I blurt out

"Like what?" He laughs, and the sound is als and up hs even louder "No one has ever told me I sound like sex, but I’ll take that as a coain"

"Is this better?" This time his voice is deeper, richer, but it still sounds velvety smooth to me and full of proree because I think that even if he sounded drunk, exhausted, or disoriented, I’d still feel the das from his voice alone

"Good Okay, then" A soft chuckle escapes his throat "Toht I’ll pick you up at seven"

"I’ll meet you," I insist

"Red, that’s ridiculous"

"Ben, I’ll meet you or I’ll pass"

"Fine, I’ll let you knohere"

"Okay I have to go before I’s up

"Bye, Ben," I breathe over the empty line

I find a spot a little farther away fro the tray of coffees, I walk fast and pull open the showroom door I look around in shock It’s a complete mess Walls are down, drop cloths are everywhere, and Tate is leaning against my desk with his arms crossed His face is unreadable Tall, dark hair, suave, and always put together, he’s a man of style and confidence, but he’s also very self-absorbed and, as Xander says, a bit of an assle

I stop quickly to drop a coffee off to Josie "Good "

Her back is to Tate, so she mouths, "Thank you Piss-ass mood," while she rolls her eyes I pass her desk and approach Tate with apprehension I want to look atmy phone out would be way too obvious

I raise the tray "Coffee" I offer it to his perfectly, tailor- the coffee and then smiles "How’d you know I needed this?"

"Intuition"

"Or ass-kissing"

I shrug and let that pass without co on in here?"

"Time for so of trading the Harrods look for so the black-and-white toile for platinurins and raises his cup "I knew I hired you for a reason"

I toss my purse in my desk drawer and take a seat

He walks toward his office and then turns "I’ll be out of town until Friday We have a new client co in on Thursday that I’d like you to take care of, so be on tiovernor’s son His fiancée is a wreck and he wants us to handle the entire wedding"

"That shouldn’t be a probleiving," he says, and his grin is lascivious

Yeah, he can be a bit of an assle

I watch hilare She averts her eyes to the break roo that way I nod and wait a fewher The break roo spot when the conference rooe focal wall, dark wooden table, white leather are vase filled with artificial birds-of-paradise adorning the corner I close the glass door behindmy coffee while Josie stares atdifferent about you" Her eyes flicker over me

I rollthe kettle black"

I laugh She’s right I usually am up and doith Tate’s moods, but today I didn’t let him bother e?"

"Don’t change the subject Now spill it Who were you talking to that got you all hot and bothered the other day?"

"I was not hot and bothered"

"Oh yes, you were"

I suy I’ve known for a while The thing is, we have a sordid history and I didn’t think getting involved with hiood idea"

"Did you fk him?"