Love the One You're With(36)

“My pleasure.”

“Why?”

Cole glanced down at her, and normally she would have felt a little jolt at the sheer attractiveness of this man. Instead she couldn’t help but notice that his eyes weren’t nearly dark enough. And the hair was the wrong color. He was too tall—she didn’t like having to crane her neck. And …

Grace 2.0 cleared her throat. Since when has Jake Malone been the guy to whom all others are compared?

Shit.

“Why what?” Cole was asking.

“Why are you helping us with this? It’s my magazine against yours. Isn’t this … treason?”

“Ah. Well, actually, I’m a contractor with Oxford, not a full-time employee, so technically I don’t work for them unless they ask for a specific article or want my opinion on something.”

Grace readjusted her grip on the coffees, trying to ignore the condensation that was now starting to drip down her wrist. “So you’re not going to get in trouble for this?”

“Nah. Cassidy won’t care as long as we sell magazines.”

“I meant with Jake.”

Cole let out a little snicker. “Oh, I’ll definitely get in trouble with him. Why do you think I’m doing it?”

“You don’t like him?”

Cole gave her an exasperated look. “I forget how differently you women operate. Liking has nothing to do with it. It’s just … never mind. Are you going to go in there or not?”

“I am,” she said, straightening her shoulders and praying to God this would play out like she hoped.

“You’ve got the login for the website?” she asked Cole.

“Yup. Ready and willing to go on record stating that Mr. Oxford isn’t nearly in control of the situation as he’d like to think.”

“Perfect,” Grace said with false confidence.

Because Ms. Stiletto wasn’t nearly as in control of the situation as she’d like to think either.





Chapter Twelve


Jake did a double-take at the woman in his doorway, and went on instant alert.

“Grace?”

She gave him a shy little smile and faltered, as though fearing he’d send her right back to the seventh floor where she belonged.

“Can I come in?”

She was wearing a royal blue dress that should have been demure and boring, but did fantastic things to her hair and complexion and …

Pull it together, man.

Jake stood and rounded his new desk. “Of course. Let me just close the door …”

“Oh, you can leave it open,” she said, looking increasingly nervous. “I’m just here for a second.”

He narrowed his eyes as he scanned her body. “And the hidden camera is …?”

Grace gave a guilty laugh. “I’m not a one-trick pony. The video camera portion of the show has been played out.”

He gave her a wicked smile. “You sure? Because I’ve found that some women really get off on—”

“Nice digs,” she interrupted, looking around and appearing genuinely impressed. He had to admit, the office did beat the sterile cubicle environment of the rest of the floor. The “bullpen,” as it was affectionately known, was a lot of dull textured walls covered with sports and cologne posters. It was rowdy, often smelled like coffee and Thai takeout, and had more four-letter words flying around than a truck stop.

His new office was a little more fit for … well, grown-ups. He even had a new potted plant from his sisters.

But the truth was? He missed the bullpen. Just a little.

Then again, no woman looking and smelling like Grace Brighton had ever visited when he’d been out there with the boys, so this whole executive vibe clearly had its perks.

She thrust one of the elaborate-looking coffee drinks at his chest. “I brought you this.”

He stared down at the whipped-cream concoction in surprise. “You brought me coffee?”

And then, damn it, he melted just a little, because she looked embarrassed.

“Yeah. I, um, I just …”

“Thanks,” he said, meaning it. Jake was normally a skim latte kind of guy, but he’d take caffeine any way that he could get it.

Although that wasn’t what had his insides feeling a little jump. It was her. And the fact that she’d thought about him.

“I thought maybe you’d written me off after I posted our text message conversation online,” he said, gesturing for her to sit down.

“Well, I can’t say I loved that,” she said. Her lips closed around the green straw of her drink, and Jake’s fingers tightened reflexively as he watched her mouth. Damn this woman.

“But,” she continued, “I get that I had it coming.”