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“What the hell do you want, Miss Lancaster? You’re here for a reason,” he snarls.
“I need more time.”
The lines on his face loosen.
He doesn’t shake off the anger entirely, and he doesn’t smile, but it’s something.
He clasps his hands together and leans forward.
“If you can’t do the work, you’re welcome to give up now. You’ll still collect your donation to a conservation charity of your choice. I didn’t say that up front, but why prolong this torture for both of us if you won’t pretend to do the job? Take your money and run.”
Bastard.
Just keeping my expression neutral hurts my face.
He won’t win.
He won’t bait me into losing my shit, even as he insults my intelligence, my work ethic, and my person in a single quip.
“Because. I have the chance to do way more good than a one-time donation here. That much is clear from working fifteen-hour days on this proposal,” I explain. I squeeze my fingers together until my knuckles threaten to pop. “It’s not that I don’t have it ready. I’m basically done.”
He raises an eyebrow but says nothing.
God, would it kill him to show some surprise?
“I could turn it in and present it to the board right now if you want. It’s just that I need more time becauseyouneed more time.”
“Excuse me?” He frowns. “More time for what?”
“To go to the Olympic Forest with me.”
His chair spins slightly as he jolts back with a snort. “And why the hell would I go tromping through the woods with you, of all people?”
Ouch. Would that really be so atrocious?
“Sea otters,” I throw back simply.
Foster stares at me like I’ve lost my mind.
I’m hard-pressed not to start laughing my head off.
Weirdly, it’s almost cute to see this grouch look so gobsmacked.
Don’t get me wrong, I expected him to be surprised.
No way did he see this coming, though.
Not a chance.
But I never expected his blank look, clearing the harsh scorn he’s been beaming my way from the second I walked through his door.
And holy shit, I didn’t need to notice how blue his eyes are with curiosity.
They’re practically gems set against the sunset spilling in, glowing like sapphires, glinting and transforming his face from Ice King to Judgmental God.
I can’t help it.
I’m staring helplessly as I press my lips together, fighting not to laugh—and failing.
