A Very Bossy Christmas - Kayley Loring Page 0,14
the fact that we’re both attractive, single individuals. In legal terms, we are what’s known as hot as fuck. This will be an isolated period of time in which we’ll be interacting with each other in more casual environments than we’re accustomed to. You might accidentally drink spiked eggnog and get a little frisky.”
“I hate eggnog,” she hisses.
“You also claim to hate me, and I’m not refuting that. But it’s the holidays. The holidays stir up feelings in everyone. It’s inevitable. To be clear—I am not saying this has to happen. I’m acknowledging the potential for these circumstances. There will be alcohol. You’ll be seeing me in a new context, and chances are good that you’ll want to have sex with me. And I, for one, do not wish for such circumstances to result in the end of our working relationship if they should occur once or several times.”
“Are you saying there’s no chance that you’ll want to have sex with me due to these hypothetical circumstances?”
“I am definitely not saying that. I wouldn’t say that. But until you sign this, I won’t say that I want to.”
She shakes her head, and there’s so much anger and adrenaline coursing through her veins that I’m pretty sure she could flip me and this table over right now. But I just want to bend her over it. “Fucking lawyers.”
“Fucking right. I like having you as my assistant, Cooper. But I need you to accompany me to these family events. And I want to minimize the potential impact on our ability to work together. That is why I require a signed agreement stating that we will not let this interfere with our fantastic work relationship. Come what may.”
“‘Come what may?’ Exactly how drunk are you right now?”
“I had a beer at McSorley’s on my way over.”
She barks out a laugh. “Sure you did.”
McSorley’s Old Ale House is an awesome old timey Irish pub just down the street from this building. It’s kind of a dive, a little touristy, and the exact opposite kind of a place that I usually go to when I’m in New York. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go there.
“I’m half Irish. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because your shoes cost more than the décor and furniture in that place.”
“Faulty logic, Coop. I can go anywhere in these shoes. And I suddenly felt the need for a dark ale before facing you.”
“Don’t call me Coop. It warms my heart that the prospect of seeing me would drive you to drink, but they only serve two mugs of beer at a time at McSorley’s.”
“I know. I gave one to the guy who was next to me at the counter. I clinked glasses with him, and I said…” I give her my best Irish accent and prepare to catch her when she swoons because it always brings the ladies to their knees. “‘May the winds of fortune sail you. May you sail a gentle sea. May it always be the other guy who says this drink’s on me.’ And then he said, ‘Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold beer and another one.’” And then I wink at her for good measure.
She narrows her eyes at me, and her fists go straight to her hips. “Don’t you try to brogue me into complying either, Cannavale. I wasn’t born yesterday.”
Fair play. Tough customer. “Maddie, I’m not drunk right now. And I’m not lying. And I need an answer.”
“Well then, my answer is no. No way. No way in hell.”
That’s my girl.
“Okay.” My work here is done. I stand up and put my jacket back on. “You still have time to think about it.” I slide the beanie back on, watching her watch my hands the whole time. Yeah. Get a good look at these hands and think long and hard about what you want me to do with them over the holidays.
“I will not be thinking about it.”
“Yeah you will.”
Do I actually think our working relationship would survive a few rounds of hot vacation sex? Yeah. I do. She may not know who she’s dealing with here, but I do. And she can handle it.
“Why would I agree to this?”
“Would you rather be at the office with me on Christmas Day than spend a couple of days and evenings with me in nonwork environments and get some much-needed time off?”
“If you’re going to these events, then it