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I laughed, but it was dry and humorless. “I’m not really his girlfriend. After the shareholders’ meeting, I will get theatrically broken up with, and we will both move on with our lives.”
Cici waited a moment. “Talk to me like I’m your family, not your boss. Please, Ash.”
Why did my chest ache so badly? I opened my mouth once, an easy denial on my lips. But nothing came out. I tried again.
Cici nodded, a small smile on her lips. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Anybody could see that you are exactly what he needs. There’s a reason I knew you’d work well together. I just wasn’t sure it would go past the professional level.”
“It hasn’t. Not really.”
Cici cocked her head at me. “Remember, I’m the one who picked you up that first night.”
My head hit the dresser I rolled my eyes so hard. “But nothing happened. I told you that a hundred times.”
“I know. But I also know you, Ashlyn, and you weren’t all hot and bothered by sleeping beside another person. But I think you were shaken up because of who that person was.”
“Yeah, my client. You made that pretty clear that it was a giant no-no.”
“It goes further than that, and you know that. I’m just trying to protect you. At least while this contract is all in play, while Grove is fighting so hard to be relevant again. You need to keep him at a distance. Playboys don’t change that fast. Even for someone as special as you.” Cici finished with a smile, a warm, delicate hand tucking one of the strands of my braid behind my ear.
I huffed a long breath out. “I get it. And I will keep him at arm’s length. Literally and figuratively until all of this pans out.”
As soon as I said that, I started thinking about all the ways I could wrap around him. Arms. Leg. Mouth.
Shoot.
Cici grinned, unaware of my mental tangent into a realm filled with Liam at an arm’s length. “Perfect.”
I smacked my lips, praying my cheeks weren’t betraying my thought pattern. “Now, what had you so fired up? I told you about mooning my client. You have to fess up now.”
Cici wrinkled her nose, more reminiscent of a five-year-old than a thirty-year-old professional. “It wasn’t as bad as that. But I had my first meeting with Leden’s head of marketing. And he was horrible.” The last word was almost indistinguishable as she crammed another piece of candy in her mouth. Caramel this time.
“Wait… Isn’t Brady his name? I think I met him once.”
Cici swallowed quickly. “Well, I pity you. I marched in there ready to get down to business. After all he’d asked me to come in on a weekend, but he literally stared into space or texted on his phone the entire time. I doubt he even noticed when I left.” Cici angrily chomped into her next bit of candy.
“Dang, that sucks,” I commiserated. “I’m sorry.”
“Nothing I can’t handle, but I need to revamp my approach for our next meeting.”
I grinned. “He better be ready, eh? Should I warn him if I see him?”
She nodded, pretty face focused. “Absolutely. Brady Martinez has not seen the last of me.”
“And on that note. Let’s find food. Real food. And pants that cover my butt.” I dragged Cici up off the ground and headed to the kitchen. There had to be something more than peas and peanut butter in this place.
