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“Ella,” I say softly since her eyes are closed.
She flinches and stares up at me with a hand covering her chest. “Mother shit. Don’t do that.”
I smirk. “What? Don’t say your name?”
She glares, shaking her head while sitting up and I hear the click of her tongue again. I wonder if she realizes when she makes the noise.
“I meant don’t sneak up on me, jerk.” She reaches for her towel and squeezes the ends of her hair that are dripping with water now that she’s sitting up.
I kneel so we’re eye level. “I do like your choice of words, though. Mother shit is a new combination I haven’t heard.”
“Did you need something, Owen?” she asks with exasperation in her tone.
And here goes nothing.
“In fact, I do. I’m calling in the favor you owe me.”
She laughs in my face. “I did not agree to return any favors to you. What you did earlier was all on you.”
“The way you willingly nestled against my body said otherwise,” I counter and smirk.
Her legs swing off the chair, and I’m nearly kicked in the face. “Listen, Owen. I’ve had a shitty fucking week, and I don’t need you to make it worse. I appreciate what you did with Blake earlier, but I didn’t ask for that. I don’t want to swap favors. I can pay you if you want, but money is all you’re getting out of me.”
I scoff. “Do I look like a prostitute to you?”
The heat in her eyes makes me desperate for her answer, but one never comes. She only continues to glower at me.
“Okay, in all seriousness, I need your help. I don’t want to bother you or ruin your vacation. In fact, I only want to make it better, and I feel like this proposal can be a win-win for both of us.”
Ella gulps hard. “You want to actually propose?”
The panic in her voice makes me almost feel sorry for her, but I have an inkling that she wouldn’t want pity from me.
“Wrong choice in words. I have a proposition for you,” I say.
She raises a brow, and one side of her plump lips raises. “I’m not sure that’s any better, Owen.”
“Some would disagree, but let’s not get off topic here. At least one of us is bound to run into that ex of yours. Do you really want to be alone every time you see him or chance him seeing me with another woman that I will undoubtedly be forced to have as a date for my work function if you don’t agree to help me?”
Ella bites her lip while contemplating what I said. I don’t know anything about this Blake guy, but I can already tell she doesn’t want to be made a fool in front of him. I hate taking advantage of her when she seems so fragile already, but I truly believe this can be a mutually beneficial proposal.
Her light-green eyes stare at me, likely calculating whether she can trust me or not. “Why me? You don’t even know me.”
I place my hand over hers and ignore the way she stiffens from my touch. “Because you, Ella Danes, seem like a good person, and there aren’t too many of us left in this world. We have to stick together when we can. I’m not looking to take advantage of you. I’m trying to avoid my boss getting me involved in whatever he’s got going on and expecting me to be someone I’m not anymore.”
Her gaze lowers at me. “Not anymore? What does that mean?”
I want to lie to her and tell her that’s not what I meant, but something inside me says to be honest even if it makes me sound like an asshole.
“My boss hired me because he was impressed with the way I could get the number of any woman at the bar, even if they’d just seen me hitting on another. He said he wanted someone at his side who wouldn’t blink at hurting another when he had something to gain. After working for Jack Harrington for the last five years, I’ve begun to see the man he wanted me to be isn’t one I can be proud of.”
“Then, why do you still work for him?” she asks.
“That’s a very valid question that you can have the answer to if you agree to my proposition. For now, let’s just say I’m working to rectify that, but until I do, I could use your help to keep me out of whatever Jack has going on. Plus, while you’re hanging out with me, I’m happy to show Blake what he’s lost, if that would make you feel better.”
I see the tension rising in her shoulders, and I’m worried I’ve gone too far with my request, but there’s a softening in her eyes that says I haven’t completely lost. It doesn’t allow me to shut up and wait for her response.
“There’s a welcome mixer I’d like for you to join me at tonight. Be my date and decide about the rest of the week after the night is over.” I glance at my watch, then grimace. “Oh, and the party starts at six.”
