Ego Maniac(42)

“Oh my God, Baldwin!” Without thinking, I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a giant hug. “Thank you so much. That’s the—” I was about to say best gift I could have asked for this year, but then I remembered what Drew had given me and corrected myself. “That’s amazing. Thank you so much.”

The hostess came and sat us, and we spent the next hour chatting about work and the professor I’d be interviewing with. It was nice to catch up with Baldwin—I really did enjoy his company. I realized that over the last month, my frustration because of the feelings I had for him had begun to interfere with our friendship. It was time I moved past it and enjoyed what we had for what it was.

After we finished eating, the waiter cleared our lunch plates, and Baldwin ordered an espresso. He folded his hands on the table and moved the topic of conversation away from work.

“So you’re seeing the attorney you share space with?”

“No. That kiss you saw was the result of too many margaritas.”

Baldwin frowned, but nodded. “Well, that’s good. I’m not sure he’s the type of person you should be getting too involved with.”

“What does that mean?”

Yes, I was currently pissed off at Drew, and I planned to kick his ass when I returned to the office, but Baldwin wasn’t going to put him down when he didn’t even know him.

“He seems…I don’t know. Gauche.”

“He’s direct. Yes. And sometimes even a little crass. But he’s actually quite thoughtful once you get to know him.”

Baldwin studied my face. “Well, I’m glad there’s nothing between you. I’m protective of you. You know that.”

Funny, in the little time I’d known Drew, I actually felt like he was the one who was protective of me.





Drew’s door was closed when I returned to the office. I listened to make sure he wasn’t on a call and then flung it wide open.

“You are such an asshole!”

“I’ve been told that. How was your lunch with Professor Pompous?”

“Delicious,” I lied. My fancy hamburger wasn’t even that good.

“Baldwin read what you wrote on my whiteboard. You need to stop screwing with me.”

He grinned. “But it’s so much fun to screw with you. And you won’t let me screw you. So I have to get my rocks off somehow.”

“I’m sure he thinks I’m not being professional with my clients now.”

Drew shrugged. “Why didn’t you tell him I wrote it?”

“He doesn’t like you much already. I didn’t want to make it worse.”

“I don’t give a shit what he thinks of me. Why do you care what he thinks of me?”

That was a very good question. One I didn’t have the answer for. “I just do.”

He stared at me. And then he began to rub that damn plump bottom lip with his thumb. “Wanna know what I think?”

“Do I have a choice?”

Drew walked around from behind his desk and leaned one hip against the front. “I think you like me. That’s why you care what that asshole thinks.”

“Right now I’m not liking you very much at all.”

His eyes dropped to my chest. “Part of you is liking me.” I looked down to find my nipples hard and erect. The damn things were practically poking through the silk of my blouse. Traitors.

I folded my arms across my chest. “It’s cold in here.”

Drew pushed off the desk and took a few steps closer to me. “It’s not cold at all. I actually think it’s warm.” He grabbed at the knot on his tie and loosened it.

Damn, why do I think that’s sexy?

My heart hammered inside of my chest.

He took another step closer. Maybe two feet separated us now. “I think your body likes me, and your head is fighting it. The two should fight it out like adults—naked in the bedroom with me.”

“I think you’re insane. And I’m a psychologist, so my diagnosis is probably the more accurate one.”

He took another step. “So if I pulled up that skirt of yours and reached between your legs, you wouldn’t be wet?”

My skin heated, and I wasn’t sure if it was hearing Drew say he wanted to reach between my legs or the need I felt to have him actually do it. I couldn’t look up and face him anymore, yet I also couldn’t walk away. I stared at him from my eye level—he was so much taller that I watched the rise and fall of his chest. Each breath grew deeper, and mine joined his rhythm.

“Look at me, Emerie.” His voice was deep and confident. Drew waited until my eyes met his before closing the gap between us with one small step. “You have three seconds to get out of my office. Otherwise you’re giving me permission to do whatever I want to you.”

I swallowed. My voice broke as I held his gaze. “I came in here to yell at you.”

“I like it when you’re angry.” He paused. “One.”

“You like it when I’m angry?”

“I find it turns me on. Two.”

“You won’t do anything at three if I tell you to stop.”

He inched even closer. “Of course not. You trust me. But you won’t tell me to stop.” He paused. “Last chance.”