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“Fuck,” I hissed. He had me, and he knew it. “You can guarantee this?”
Phil nodded. “I wouldn’t have offered it if I couldn’t.”
“Prove it.”
He laughed, throwing his head back. “Oh, come on, Drake. You know you’re the best at this, and that class of rookies is going to be full of better agents because of you.” He paused. “And I know you want this account. Who wouldn’t?”
I shrugged, closing my eyes and groaning. “You’re a piece of work.” I pressed my fingers to my temple.
“But you’re tempted now, aren’t you?”
I was. “Fucking hell. Fine.”
“That’s what I thought,” Phil said with a smirk, turning to face his computer. “If you help me bring on the new group of rookies, you get guaranteed success handed to you on a silver platter.”
“When do they start?”
Phil grinned, the smile beaming on his face. “A week from today.”
Chapter three
Amanda
“I’m bored,” I whined, listening to the quiet, even sound of our feet on the sidewalk. The sun warmed my cheeks, but I shivered anyway. It was spring in Grand Rapids, which meant it could be warm or chilly depending on if you were in the shade or the direct sunlight. When we stepped into the shade, I tightened my hold on Dallas’s arm.
He sighed. “How can you possibly be bored? We’re at the botanical garden!” He waved his arms around, gesturing at the variety of flowers that grew.
When he came to a stop, he tightened his hold on my arm and forced me to stop with him. His hands on my shoulders were firm, and when he turned me towards him, I didn’t fight the control. I stared into his intense eyes, trying to avoid guilt at the look of disappointment there.
“You said you wanted to go to the botanical gardens. So here we are.” He dipped his head to meet my gaze. “Why are you bored?”
I giggled, lifting onto my toes and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “I didn’t mean here. The garden is lovely. Thank you for bringing me.”
Dallas grinned. “Then what do you mean, bored? What are you bored with?”
“I’m just… bored.” I shrugged in an attempt to dismiss his concern. I didn’t know how to explain it. I didn’t hate my job, but I didn’t love it. I was just an administrative assistant for a company I had no desire to have a full career with. My best friend was engaged to my brother and planning her dream wedding. There wasn’t a lot happening in my life, and I needed change.
He wiggled his eyebrows. “I can help make you less bored.”
I swatted at his chest, pulling back from his grasp and continuing our walk. He caught up, wrapping his arm around my waist and stopping me. I looked at him, cocking my head. “That’s not what I meant. I just feel like I’m bored in my life.”
Tears I hadn’t expected prickled in my eyes, and I clenched them shut before opening them again. I had hoped they would be gone when I did. They weren’t, and one slipped past my eyelid and rolled down my cheek. His smile dropped, replaced with a sympathetic look that he’d only given me a few times since we had started seeing each other.
Before he could respond I turned away. “I know exactly what you mean,” he said. I whipped back around, surprised by the sympathy in his voice. It lacked the normal sarcasm and humor that tinted everything he did.
“What do you mean—” I asked before my question came to a sudden halt. Dallas was on one knee. “Oh, god no. Dallas, no. We’re not even technically together. I’m definitely not marrying you!”
I couldn’t help but notice the groups that stopped to look in our direction, likely suspecting the same thing I did. Dallas looked at me funny, lifting his eyebrows and then squinting. His mouth dropped open. Then he started to laugh, quickly tightening the lace on his shoe and standing up.
I was so stupid.
“Did you think I was proposing to you?” he asked between roars of laughter.
I threw my head back, frustrated with myself for assuming and rushing to answer before he had said what he was thinking. He wasn’t even proposing to me. When a group of teenagers next to us laughed, my stomach sank.
“Can you blame me? You were on one knee!” My voice shook, thick with embarrassment. My warm cheeks were definitely red, and suddenly, I was ready to leave. I didn’t want to be anywhere near a crowd right now.
Dallas pulled me to him, hugging me. “Oh babe, babe, babe. That’s adorable. I was definitely not proposing to you.”
