I Flipping Love You (Shacking Up #3)(40)

She uncrosses her arms and stalks over, jabbing her finger into my chest. “Don’t play with me, Pierce.”

Her eyes are fiery, hot with unwarranted and misplaced anger, but behind that wicked front is hunger and longing, and a little bit of fear. I get it. I feel it echoing around in my cells. Pushing this woman’s buttons turns me on in ways that defy logic and rationality. “I enjoyed playing with you last night.”

Her jaw clenches and she exhales through her nose. Her cheeks heat, a burst of pink against her creamy, peachy skin.

“Did you enjoy being played with?” I nod, more to myself than her. “I think you did.”

“You are unbelievable. Did you convince your brother to take the house off the market? Is this because I didn’t invite you to stay the night?”

I bark out a laugh. “Seriously? You think my ego is that easily bruised?” I lean down so I’m only inches away from her face. Close enough to see the green flecks in her amber eyes. Close enough to watch her pupils dilate and feel the warmth of her breath pass over my lips. “I know why you sent me home, and it has nothing to do with not wanting me in your bed all night long.”

She blinks a few times as if she’s been slapped. Her expression shutters. Oh yes, I’m familiar with this kind of emotional guarding. I do it all the time. But there’s something different about her, about this connection we share. I’m not willing to back down entirely, but I’ll back off for now. I straighten, giving her the space she seems to need.

“To answer your question, no, I didn’t know. I’m as shocked to see you this morning as you are to see me. I thought you were an accountant.”

“I never said I was an accountant, just that I’m good with numbers.” Rian paces the small space. “How is this even happening?”

“Maybe it’s kismet.” I grin at her incredulous expression and lift a shoulder in a slight shrug. “You have to admit, it’s pretty wild.”

“It’s crazypants is what it is.” She stops her pacing and props her hand on her hips. “Okay, so here’s how this is going to go: What happened between us last night isn’t going to have any bearing on the deal we’re making today.” She purses her lips and points a finger in my face. “And just because I came more than once, doesn’t negate the fact that you and your brother are pulling a house off the market hours before an open house.”

“I can get on board with that. Does this mean that once this deal is done, we’re going to celebrate with more orgasms?” I wink.

“You’re incorrigible.” She flips the lock on the door. Before she can open it, I flatten my palm against it and lean in, crowding her. She tenses. “What’re you doing?”

That’s a good question. I’m not actually sure. I’m being an asshole again, maybe because that seems to be the version of me she responds to the best, which begs the question, what the hell happened to make her so jaded and angry? So I antagonize her, just to see how far I can push. “You sure you’re calm enough to be rational out there?”

“I’m perfectly calm,” she says to the door. The tremor in her voice gives away her lie.

“You’re sure about that?”

“Yes.”

“As long as you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

I duck down and whisper in her ear, “Say that when you’re looking at me.”

She spins, hair whipping me in the face. We’re nose to nose. Her expression in no way reflects her rigid stance. She’s the picture of serenity as her eyes meet mine and stay locked there in the gentlest of challenges. They say go ahead and fuck with me; see who wins. They say keep pushing my buttons.

“I’m perfectly calm. Are you?” Her voice is jazz-club smoky.

“Not even a little bit.”

Her brow furrows in confusion.

“I need to tell you something.” I’m too close for her to be comfortable, but I don’t want to leave the bubble of her space. I feel that same pull, the one I felt when I confronted her in the grocery store. The same pull that had me messaging and calling her the week that followed. The very feeling that was missing when I watched her sister scratch my car.

“What’s that?” Her voice is all breathy and soft.

“I really love this dress on you.”

She smooths her hands over her hips. “Oh.”

“I thought you should know.”

We stare at each other for what seems like forever, both of us leaning closer until the tips of our noses touch. We jump at the rapping on the other side of the door. “You two coming out anytime in the next millennium?” It’s her sister.

I push away and Rian shakes her head, but she’s still smiling as she puts her hand on the doorknob and twists. Looking over her shoulder, she says, “Business is still business.”





CHAPTER 13

NEGOTIATIONS: ROUND TWO





RIAN


I clap my hands together and feign calm. I am not calm. I am not okay. This whole thing could blow up in my face and I would really like to keep my face. It’s the only one I’ve got. “Let’s get down to business.”

“I think you did that last night,” Marley quips.