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“I’m sure you could get any guy you want, and the idea of being bothered by a virgin isn’t very tempting, but when you looked at me in the bathroom the other day, I was relieved. I thought, maybe…maybe he’s actually into me, too.”
“Too?” I croak. I know he threw out that attractive comment, but is he seriously admitting that he’s attracted to me?
“I…I guess I’ve kind of been watching you?” he hedges impishly, his mouth forming a cringe.
I’ve never gaped at anything for so long. What did I do to deserve this attention from someone I don’t even know? And why is he cringing?
If you’re honestly attracted to someone, you don’t cringe. Either this is a scare tactic because Randy knows I follow policies to a T and am not going to turn over my marketing plans, or Cameron Fairway doesn’t know shit about how the world works. Given what I know about the Fairways, Cameron must be showing his true colors by bringing up the bathroom incident. Of all the sleazy moves. Is he trying to see if I’ll hit on him, so it looks like I violated the company’s fraternization policy?
Movement on the work floor has me glancing to see who our audience is. Several of my staff members’ heads duck back behind their cubicles. Mark inches by, lips pressed together, brow arched. Does he ever work anymore? I can’t do this here, but I need to get to the bottom of what provoked this bizarre visit.
“I’ve offended you. Haven’t I?” He cringes again. “Shit. I’m sorry. Please don’t tell anyone.”
Is he kidding me? I’m not the one who marched in and propositioned someone.
“Sorry. Of course, you wouldn’t,” he rushes. “Randy said once that you’re not one to gossip. Sorry, I—”
“Stop apologizing,” I cut him off.
The mention of Randy tells me everything I need to know. There’s no way Randy says anything nice about anyone. What are they playing at? I need this kid out of here.
Grabbing one of my business cards out of its holder, I scribble down my address on the back. Now is neither the time nor the place to find out how far these two Fairway brothers would go with their scare tactics. I really don’t want Cameron at my house, but I’m not going to sit here and make fodder for office gossip.
If I meet him in a public place outside of work, I can only imagine the cronyism accusations that would fly should anyone from the office spot us together. I’m not about to let my staff think I’m rubbing elbows with the Fairways to move up. If Randy wants to blackmail me via help from his brother over not sharing my damn marketing strategies so he can open my position for another of his buddies, let’s see if Baby Fairway has the balls to come to my house and do it.
“Six o’clock,” I inform him, flicking the card across the desk.
It lofts into the air. He scrambles to catch it and then looks at me with confused doe eyes. Good. I hope he thinks he’s in for a night of sex that he never intended on. Let him sweat about how to act his way through that for the rest of the day or go off and squeal to his brother that I didn’t incriminate myself. Randy won’t be laughing when I file a harassment claim on Monday. I wonder if that’s Baby Fairway’s definition of a gentleman.
I don’t understand why his eyes are still on me. Maybe he’s shocked that his bluff worked, or so he thinks.
Turning back to my computer, I warn, “Now, unless you want to ruin my ‘reputation’, I suggest you get out of my office.”
“Oh, yeah. R-right. Thank you, Mr. Carver. Thank you.”
Thank me for what? For thinking I’m a fool? If I was interested in men, I certainly wouldn’t seek one who lacks so much integrity. What an insult, stooping so low as to blackmail someone over their sexual preferences. This family needs to be taught a damn lesson.
My pulse is still racing even after I hear Cameron slink out the door. How in the hell am I going to deal with this? I need proof that Cameron is the one trying to initiate something, not me, because that’s clearly what he’s up to. He set out bait to see if I’d bite.
“What the heck was that about? Did you join the Fairway Club?” Mark’s voice startles me from the doorway.
And so it begins.
“Nothing,” I grunt. Nothing that my home security system can’t record to play for an EO violation case if needed.
It feels like a plan that’s as slimy as the Fairways, but it’s all I’ve got. Only the damn Fairways could force a man who hates snot to become a slime fighter.
CHAPTER 6
Pete
I want out of this suit, but it seems necessary to keep a professional appearance for this… blackmail? Whatever the hell it is.
This kid better be punctual and not show up here ten minutes late, like his brother does at meetings. If you’re going to try scamming someone, you should at least have the decency to be on time.
I pace another lap around my living room and then cross the open floor plan into the kitchen, rounding the island counter. I should feel more satisfaction about replying to Preston’s email today with a note to review section 3A in the marketing non-disclosure agreement, but I’m too agitated. None of this still makes any sense.
From Cameron Fairway assuming I’m gay to his brother possibly urging him to get me to admit as much, none of the reasons I came up with seem plausible. Cameron showed up before I got that email from Preston. Maybe Randy didn’t put him up to it, after all. That shoots my theory out of the water that Randy wants me ousted to open another account manager position for one of his buddies.
