amazing resort and doing some fishing and probably all sorts of exciting wilderness activities, all for free?”
“I’ll have to find someone to feed my cats while I’m gone,” I mutter. “Wonder if they’ll pay for that too.”
“Drop them off at your dad’s. He’d probably be happy to take them.”
“Not likely. My dad hates my cats. Pudding goes nuts when she has to go into a carrier, and she won’t forgive me for weeks after. She’d probably pee on everything he owns.”
“Great. Nothing like the fresh smell of cat piss in the morning to get you up and going.”
“Gross.” Despite myself, a small smile crawls over my lips.
“There it is,” Bonnie grins. Then, because she’s Bonnie, and she’s not like anyone else I know, which is why I like her a lot, she fist-pumps the air and lets out a whoop of excitement. “Colorado, bitches! Bring it on!”
I can’t say I’m as excited as she is. Honestly, I can say I’m downright dreading this. I know this was all Raiden’s doing, and I know it’s his way to get to me. I’d say to get back at me, but I’m not sure what he’d be getting back at me for. I haven’t technically given my notice, so I haven’t broken my word. I can’t even remember what the deal was when we played our rock, paper, scissors game.
Raiden said he wouldn’t blackmail me, but he probably spent all weekend organizing this—or paying someone else to put it all together—just to prove to me that he can. He’s flexing his muscles—his impressive, manly, tanned, striated, and veiny muscles interlaced with the dark tattoo designs. Yes, I noticed. He was wearing a t-shirt. The damn things were practically in my face.
Whatever. I still know all about the incident that never happened and shall never be spoken of again. I still have that on him even though bringing it up again would nearly kill me. I might die of embarrassment, and it would mean I’d have to admit to getting frisky with him.
Frisky with my ex-stepbrother who is now my boss. Great.
So, I will never admit it because it’s unadmittable. It’s wrong. Gross. Bad. Just…just…seriously effed up.
Colorado can’t be a good thing.
Because I know, without a doubt, Raiden will be there.
CHAPTER 9
Raiden
When I slide into the first-class seat right beside Zoe, she bites down hard on her rosy, full bottom lip, lets out an annoyed groan, and rolls her eyes heavenward.
“Just when I thought this couldn’t possibly get any better,” she snaps. “I should have known.” She gives me the cold shoulder, literally, as she turns to stare out the window, even though she has her little shutter thing closed. Apparently, it beats looking at me.
As she probably guessed, I made sure to book Zoe’s and my seat together in a private little corner of the plane. The seats are huge since it’s first-class, with lots of legroom. I booked as much of the company into first-class as I could, and then for those I couldn’t, I placed them in first-class on the flight back. I didn’t want it to appear like I was playing favorites.
I made sure it was stressed that this is a wilderness trip, so no one had to be in suits and dresses. As a result, Zoe is dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a lightweight sweater that hangs off one shoulder, exposing her creamy, flawless skin, which made my dick harder than a tree trunk the second I saw her. Her hair is pulled back into a messy bun, and she has just a touch of mascara and a bit of pink lip gloss on. Or maybe it’s tinted lip balm. I’m not sure, but I like it because it makes her already pink lips even rosier.
I went for jeans too. And no, not faded ones. It’s dark wash jeans this time. Had to play it safe. I couldn’t bring myself to dress too casually, so I went with a black dress shirt and rolled up the sleeves. I’ve been complimented on how muscly my forearms are before, and it obviously went straight to my head—not that head. I meant the head that makes all the decisions—the one on top of my shoulders.
I might have treated myself to a haircut and a shave at my favorite barbershop yesterday, and this morning, I might have dabbed on just one tiny dab of my most expensive cologne. I can barely smell it because it was indeed expensive, and that