Exposed by Fate (Serve #2)(14)

Now she’d have to start at square one. Something existed inside her, curiosity that needed to be explored. She wouldn’t let this, albeit disappointing, setback keep her from learning more about herself.

Starting tomorrow.

On her desk, the intercom buzzed. “Yes?”

“Delivery for you. Send them in?”

“’kay.”

She put her head back down, hoping the delivery guy would leave whatever box of fabric swatches or catalogues he’d brought by and scram. Communicating with the outside world didn’t appear to be in her wheelhouse today. She eyed the foot space under her desk. Could she curl up inside there and take a nap? Everyone might assume she was out for a meeting. As she pondered that idea, a young kid wearing a backwards baseball cap rounded the corner of her office. He had an object in his hands that was so heavy, he stumbled a little under the weight of it. It was covered in white butcher paper, though, so she couldn’t see beneath.

“Where you want it?” He said, in a winded Brooklyn accent.

“Depends what it is.” The kid made an impatient noise and set the delivery down on her desk. On top of everything. Then he held out his hand for a tip. Eliza sighed and reached into her pocket, drawing out a few singles. “You’re ballsy. I’ll give you that.”

He winked in reply and was gone from her office seconds later. Eliza eyed the package warily for a beat, then ripped a strip off the front. Was that…a giant cookie? She tore off the remaining paper to reveal a giant heart-shaped cookie with the words “I’m A Douchebag” written across the front in pink frosting. A reluctant smile tried to break out along her face, but she squashed it.

Her cell phone vibrated on her desk. She didn’t even need to glance at the screen to know who was calling. After the fourth ring, she picked it up. “Mr. Preston,” she said briskly. “What can I do for you? I’m busy.”

“Busy eating a delicious cookie, I hope?”

It did look delicious. And damn him, why did he have to sound so familiar and solid, that masculine voice traveling through the phone to harden her nipples. Before she’d kissed Oliver, let him touch her, there had been an attraction on her end. Now she didn’t stand a chance. Which is why she had to avoid him for a while. “They’ll love it in the mail room.”

“You’d give it away? I stayed up all night baking that cookie for you.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“I know.” He sighed. “Does it count that I had to call five bakeries before I found someone who would write the word ‘douchebag’ in frosting?”

“I would have called you a douchebag for free.”

He groaned. “Direct hit, bunny.” In the background, she could hear him pacing his office. She could picture him there, Manhattan skyline behind him, suave and drop-dead sexy in his perfectly-tailored work suit. What a douchebag. “Eliza, I’m sorry. I f*cked up. Making a decision like that for you was inexcusable.” He paused, completely oblivious that his rare moment of sincerity had sent Eliza’s eyebrows shooting toward her hairline. “I’m not going to pretend I like Porter for you, but it’s not up to me to decide. I still want to help you.” His voice deepened. “Please let me help you, babe.”

“Um,” was all she could manage, her mouth gone dry. Her pulse had started tripping all over itself, her brightly lit office suddenly transformed into a possible pleasure den. Oh, the things she could do with that voice talking to her. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea anymore.”

You don’t know? Before the cookie showed up, she’d been planning on avoiding him for the foreseeable future. One little apology and she’d lost her resolve. She opened her mouth to tell him thanks but no thanks, but he spoke before she could. “Look, if you agree to these lessons with me…at the end of them, I’ll call Porter myself and apologize. I’ll even arrange the date for you.”

Again, he’d shocked her. Never mind that he sounded like the words were being strangled from his throat. “I…that’s a nice offer, Oliver. I guess. But I’m still not sure.”

“Why don’t I tell you what I’d like to do with you this evening, then you decide?”

Bad idea. “Th-that sounds fair.”

He hummed in his throat, and Eliza’s breathing went shallow. “I want you to come to my gym after work. You won’t know me. And I won’t know you.” Eliza’s belly fluttered with anticipation she couldn’t deny. This didn’t even sound like the man she knew. It sounded like someone else entirely. Someone intense and commanding. “I’m not your friend’s brother. You’re not my sister’s friend. You’re just the woman I’m going to take one look at and want to f*ck in several positions.” The sound of pacing in the background stopped. “Have I made it clear what I want from you, Eliza?”

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, blurring the room around her into a kaleidoscope. The flesh between her legs dampened, clenching to such an extreme degree, she had to press her hand there to ease the throb. This. This was what she’d been waiting for. What she’d been needing. She could no more say no than she could avoid eating some of that taunting cookie.

“Yes, Oliver.”

“Good girl.” Did she hear a note of relief? “No panties under your gym clothes, Eliza. If you wear them, I’ll strip you down in front of the entire gym and tear them off.”