harder, considering my words in a way that makes it seem like he maybe doesn’t hear them often—or ever—and purses his lips. “Okay. How about boss and assistant?”
I narrow my eyes suspiciously. With the way this conversation was going previously, it seems naïve to assume he’s actually being serious now. “No adjectives this time?”
“Nope. Just a regular boring boss and, hopefully, a something other than a flighty assistant who leaves work early for margs in SoHo.”
My nose scrunches up of its own accord. “Margs in SoHo? Should I know what you’re talking about?”
He grins. “No, but you should say yes to working with me.”
My jaw goes unhinged. “Are you really offering me a job right now?”
“Sure seems like it.”
“Five seconds after propositioning me for kinky sex…repeatedly.”
He shrugs, his well-fitted suit jacket pulling just a hint at the thick muscles of his shoulders. “Seems as good a time as any.”
I cross my arms over my chest and settle into one hip. He believes so staunchly in his wonky logic that I have to challenge physically as well as rationally. “Does it really, though? Because I can think of an awful lot of better times.”
His smile stays firm even as he shakes his head. “Do you want the job or not?”
I pause to gather my thoughts, despite having already made a decision. Working for this guy has trouble and a half written all over it. Still, he’s just got something about him that makes it more difficult than usual to say no. “I don’t…I don’t really think I have time.”
“If you think you’re busy during law school, you’re in for a rude awakening when you start practicing law.”
I scowl. “It’s not just school. I have a job too.”
“Where?” he asks, challenging me. “Because I know you don’t really work at the library now.”
I balk. There’s a reason I use a pseudonym for the voice-over work I do narrating romance novels. I’m not ashamed of it, but it conflicts with the other part of my life—the lawyer part. Keeping the two separate from each other has always been imperative. But telling Caplin Hawkins about all of that seems like a major conflict of interest.
“I’d rather not say.”
“A job you’d like to keep secret?” he hems. “Are you a high-priced escort?”
“Yes. This conversation alone will cost you one billion dollars.”
He smirks, and my panties dissolve in a comedic poof. “A steep price, doll. But I have a sneaking suspicion you’d actually be worth it.”
Unexpectedly, I find myself reconsidering the possibility of working for him. It would look good on my resume, that’s for sure. I mean, even Professor Hullum was waxing poetic about Caplin’s career achievements, and that man doesn’t wax poetic about anything but the actual law.
I hold my breath for a second and a half, but just when I’m ready to let it out—ready to take a dive and give this reckless idea a chance—a woman steps up beside me and starts talking to Caplin like I’m not even there.
“Oh my God, Cap! I haven’t seen you in forever.”
He takes a minute to move his eyes from me to her, but when he does, and she latches on to the eye contact like a leech, his reaction is almost comical. I don’t imagine he ever finds himself out of sorts, but right now, he looks about as prepared to deal with the two of us as a chicken with its head cut off.
“You said you’d call, but I never heard from you,” she purrs. Like a flipping kitten. “Maybe it’s fate that I’m seeing you now. We should get together again. Maybe go to that beach house we did last time. Remember how we didn’t come up for air?”
I roll my eyes and turn away, ready to head for my apartment again when he reaches out and grabs my arm. “Ruby, wait.”
I sigh, but the other chick doesn’t even fucking register that he’s talking to me. “Ruby? My name’s not Ruby…”
His patience waning, he turns back to her and holds up a finger, but he doesn’t let go of my arm. “I know, Tess. Just give me a minute, okay?”
She smiles and bats her lashes, completely unfazed by me now that he’s proven he remembers her name.
I sigh again, this time heavily, but he steps toward me and lowers his voice. “Just think about it, okay? You’re obviously smart, and I’m in real need of some brains around the office. I’d write it up like an internship, and I can promise, an