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Rea wraps her arms around herself like she did the night before. “What makes you think I need help financially? I do just fine on my own.”
“I have no doubt. You have a beautiful house, a nice car in the driveway, and you’re a shoo-in for the senior manager position at work.” Her eyes widen slightly, but it’s the only thing that gives her away. She obviously didn’t want me to know about that, but her boss went on and on about Rea and how great she was before she walked into the meeting yesterday.
“Oh good,” she says sweetly. “Here’s the deal then. I’ll accept the money and use it to build a ten-foot-high fence between your yard and mine.”
“Done.”
“I’m not finished yet. You can use my shower for a grand a pop, and you have to promise me you will give me that promotion. Tomorrow.”
“Using me to move up in the world. Nice. You always were a cutthroat negotiator, but I see your skills have improved.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant as one.” There’s no sarcasm there. Rea eyes me suspiciously as I pull out my phone. “If you want to give me your details, I’ll transfer the money into your account right now. I was forced to go to work this morning without a shower, meaning I had to vastly overcompensate with baby wipes and deodorant. It was quite uncomfortable.”
At this, she saws madly at her bottom lip, making me think she’s trying to hold in a laugh. “Fine,” she relents. “But only because I want that promotion. I’ve worked my butt off for it for years, and I shouldn’t have to suffer just because you showed up to ruin everything.”
“I guess this is just proof I didn’t come to mess anything up.”
“No, just to mess with me. And my head.”
“Is it working?”
“Look at you, trying to charm me in your usual way.”
“Is that working?”
“Money. In my account. Now. If you renege on that promotion tomorrow, you have no idea what kind of hell I’m going to make your life.”
“So that’s the game plan you came up with today? Bribe me into the promotion, and if you don’t get it, take me down with accusations of scandal or through some other foul measures?”
She nearly bites her bottom lip clean off. She’s very obviously struggling not to smile. Unfortunately for her, those lovely blue eyes of hers dance with merriment. “Yes, that’s exactly what I had planned, so you better watch yourself.” She’s even more adorable when she’s trying to be stern.
“Duly noted. Now, I can do the transfer if you’d like.”
“Please do. But if you try anything sketchy while you’re in here, you’re going down. I have a knife block in here, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
“Knives, hammers. You’ve grown significantly more violent since we last talked.”
“Just need you to know where I stand. Now, money or leave.”
As Rea gives me her banking details, I fill in the transfer and send it off right there while standing on her porch. It’s a good thing it’s somewhat shaded because Amarillo is a hot tamale in July. Honestly, it’s probably hot here all the time. She always wanted to go somewhere that didn’t snow or at least where it didn’t snow often. It makes sense that she ended up here.
After checking to satisfy herself that the money has been sent, she opens the door wider, steps back, and lets me in.
I want to drink in all the details of her home. All the things that make it hers. I want to revel in the unique little touches I know I’ll find all over the place because Rea isn’t like anyone else, but I manage to control myself and just notice that the couches and chairs are red while the rug is black and white. The curtains at the windows have a black damask pattern, and the floor is laminate, but they’re the nicer, more expensive kind. It’s a light grey, and it looks like it’s supposed to have come from some factory’s old floor. The kitchen opens up to the right, and further back, dividing the two, is a hallway. This is a bungalow with no upper level, so I know her bedroom must be back there, which makes my cock as hard as a boulder. Not just a rock, but a boulder.
“Bathroom’s down there, champ,” she mutters.
“Thanks.”
She nods and turns off toward the living room. I watch her sit down hard on the couch and eye me up like I’m about to plant some secret video device in an obscure corner of her house to keep tabs on her. Now that I think of it, it would have been a good idea. Kidding. Seriously. I know I crossed the line with the PI, but that’s as far as I would ever go, and I do feel guilty about it.
