Mr. CEO(29)

“He’s alright,” I lie, trying to keep my thoughts G-rated. Eva needs to stop bringing up how hot Logan is, especially when it’s hard enough to get the man out of my mind. “Nothing you can’t see in any GQ magazine.”

Eva gives me a look. “What? You’re crazy. On a scale of one to ten, that man is a hundred! Shit, if I weren’t in a relationship with Kevin…” Eva makes a sound and shakes her head.

I don’t know how I feel with Eva going crazy over Logan. On one hand, she’s in a happy relationship and I know that she’s just joking around, but on the other, I want to tell her about my predicament so she’ll stop bringing him up. I know it's not like he's mine or anything, but I don't like her talking about him like that.

When I don’t reply right away, Eva frowns. “Look, if you’re so worried about commuting, why don’t you sign up for the temporary housing the company’s offered? It'll help until you can find a place nearby to move to.”

I pick up a fry and take a small bite. It’s extra salty, like how I feel inside. After a few halfhearted nibbles, I put it down. It’s all my stomach can handle right now. “I thought about it, but I don’t know,” I say. If I take the housing offer it'll only be one more thing that Logan has over me, and I don’t know if I can abide by that.

Eva takes another sip of her shake, this time nearly draining it to the bottom. “Well you better decide before you end up knee-deep in work and don’t have time to get it done. You can’t fail your startup because you’re overworked and tired from working long hours and then having to commute long distances.”

I have to agree with Eva, and it makes me more upset at Logan.

This is a game for him. I don’t want to play a game.

This is my life. I start to get choked up, and I try to ignore it. I wish I wasn’t so emotional. I wish I could just be rational about all this, but how can I be?

I’m worried this could all be a play on his part so he can humiliate me for leaving him in Vegas. His endgame could be to set me up to fail, so he can fire me and make sure I never work in sales again.

At the thought, anger and desperation mix and churn in my stomach, and a surge of anxiety rolls through me. I need to stop being scared and confront him like an adult. If Logan’s plan is to humiliate me, there’s nothing I can do about it but prove to him that I can handle whatever the fuck he throws my way. Just because he’s my boss now doesn’t mean I have to let him treat me this way.

Well, I think to myself as I signal the waiter for a to-go box so I can put my untouched food away for later, if he wants me to play games, fuck it. I’ll play.





Chapter 16





Logan





“Mr. Parker?” Charlotte asks with an even voice and the door cracked. “You wanted to see me?” She doesn’t leave the doorway though, and it forces my lips into a straight line.

I tap my knuckles on the desk and stare pointedly at the door. “Close it.” My voice is low and she stares back at me with her chest rising and falling.

My command seems to trigger something in her. There’s an obvious shift in her demeanor. Her eyes narrow at me but she closes it, kicking it shut with her heel and making her way toward me.

“Logan,” she says in a harsh voice. She looks pissed as hell and for some reason it turns me the fuck on. My cock twitches in my two thousand dollar slacks, and my heart races in my chest. This isn’t why I called her in here. I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but I need to fix this.

“If I’m going to lose my job over this, so be it, but I am not some office slut.” She spits out the last part with venom. Is that what she thinks? Fuck! This was supposed to be enjoyable for her, and just as much as it is for me. I feel like an asshole. I should have explained things better to her.

“I am not some-”

I look her in the eyes and cut her off. “If you don’t want me, there’s nothing left to discuss. You still have your job, you earned it. You deserve that position.”

Her forehead pinches and she opens and closes her mouth taking deep angry breaths as though she’s ready to lay into me, but she’s lost her steam. She wasn’t expecting me to bow out of this argument so easily.

This is something she made up in her head. It’s my fault for toying with her, but I didn’t expect this reaction.

“If you don’t want to fuck me, then don’t,” I say easily. “It’s been two days since our discussion, and I couldn’t wait another hour to see you at the meeting.” I stand and walk my way around the desk to her. She eyes me warily as I lean back, both hands gripping the edge of the desk.