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"It doesn’tcan happen" I send Ivy a stern look "And this conversation can never leave this office" Glancing over her shoulder, I try to see if Bryn is at her desk but the chair is eoes soleers "This conversation stays here Scout’s honor"

"You were never a scout," Ia promise on an untruth She’ll probably just blab to everyone Or specifically Archer and Gage I don’t need to hear their shit

And I aain "I won’t say a word, I pro, Matt" She leans in close, her voice dropping "She’s got a ht not see it but it’s there--sounding in her voice, shining in her eyes, every time she looks at you, talks about you The way her body turns into yours every tietherit’s pretty obvious A body language expert would have a field day with you two"

Body language expert? What the hell is Ivy talking about? "I have no idea what you’re referring to, but office crushes are just that Crushes Harmless attractions no one ever acts on Period End of story"

This is what I keep tellingwith Bryn, no matter how much I’m te my assistant, but we come from two different worlds She see but My life has been a circus sideshow for years

"I get it You’re trying to do the right thing, and I ad beyond an efficient assistant in Miss James"

Well Ivy’s not too far off the mark When I first met Bryn, she hardly said tords, kept her head bent when I spoke to her and offered lots of yes-sir and no-sir answers She had this way of al in with the walls, like she didn’t want anyone to notice her

So I didn’t

As we got co happened I’ Ivy had a hand in Bryn’s slow transformation She actually makes eye contact when she speaks to me, and she’s become somewhat ani h I keep es s--like the color of her eyes (blue), how her hair looks (like silk and I want to touch it), and the te spectacular)

Her gaze lingers when she looks at me and sometimes so does mine Her s ht before I kissed her? Took off her clothes? Took her to hts I almost prefer the old Miss Ja and nondescript Mean to say, but hell, the last thing I need is a distraction

And she’s beco The very last one I need

"She’s a great assistant That’s it Stop trying tolike an irritable old man

"Oh, come on You can admit you’re attracted to her You won the bet, Matt--fair and square" Her eyes sparkle "Give in now and Gage and Archer can’t give you any grief over it"

"I think you just like giving me shit," I tell her

Thefrom either of those assle friends of mine e me five hundred thousand each When ere at a friend’s wedding reception alestion, like fools I’d proposed that the last singlewould win one ured Archer and Gage would be the last guys to fall in love, especially Archer I never believed they’d take h, they did And I started to realize that I had theht after him They hadn’t been able to hold out for even six ht we made the bet and hooked up with Ivy

Crazy It’s like the bet spurred thehter pushes , snatching the invoice fro you shit And I should go It was lovely as ever to spend a few minutes in your company, Mr DeLuca Can’t wait to see you next e start putting everything together for the reopening"

"See ya," I toss out, but she’s already gone, escapingthe invoice off on Bryn’s desk before she disappears completely from view

I lean back in my chair, scrubvacation I’ve been doing nothing but work, work, work, since I picked up this winery on a whi different I’d been looking for so to do after ue

I’d spent my formative years on a baseball field I lived and breathed that shit and turned it into a career I’d planned on lastinga better career than he did too

That had all co backward on the field, ready to catch a fly ball and fking tripped On what, I can’t even reure it out