~I disclaim~
*************
Brady leaned forward, planting his palms on the laminated conference table. " She's not doing it, because I am not doing it." " You'll do it if I tell to." "There is no way in hell Chloe is going to participate in this stupid stunt of yours and there is not a damn thing you can do about it." Jack didn't even bat an eye. " I can think of several things, especially with your contract up for review next month."
Before either of them could say another word, Chloe leaped to her feet. " NO! Stop it. Both if you just stop it!" she shrieked.
Every head in the room swiveled in her direction. Eyes widened and mouths gaped. No one looked more shocked by her outburst than Brady. She couldn't have surprised him more if she yelled, " stop or I'll shoot!"
In fact, the only person more surprised by her outburst was herself. What had come over her? One minute Brady and Jack had been arguing. The next minute she felt five again, huddled in the corner while her adopted parents fought in the next room.
Now that she had everyone's attention, she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. As the expressions turned from shocked to expectant, she shifted nervously. " I"LL.." She took in a shuddering breath. " I'll read the letters. I'll pick the winners. I'll even go on the damn date." Jack's face split into a smile.
She narrowed her eyes, patently refusing to so much as glance at Brady. " One date, in a very public place, and that's it."
" DAMN IT, CHLOE, tell him him~" Brady demanded from the open door of the building's main entrance. His voice carried across the parking lot, so he stepped outside, following her down the front steps. The noon heat rolled off the asphalt in waves, pricking his skin as it washed over him.
She spun around, forcing him to stop short to keep from bumping into her. " Would you please keep it down?" she said in a whispered hiss. Her eyes narrowed. " I will not tell him and neither will you. Just stay out of this." She turned her back to him and stomped toward her car.
For a second he watched her walk away. Damn she was pissed-at him, as well as the ex-boyfriend, it seemed. Sometimes he just didn't get women. What the hell had he done? He was just trying to help. Trying to defend her when she was too good-natured to defend herself.
He jogged a few steps and caught up with her next to her car. She had her knee propped against the car door, her giant bag balanced there.
" Where are they?" she mumbled, ignoring him completely. " I just want to go home"
" Chloe, if you tell him, he won't make you do this." " Do what?" she demanded without looking up. " This ridiculous love letter thing. It's just marketing stunt. It's beneath you."
Now she looked up, but the withering glare she shot him made him wish she hadn't. " This coming form a man who judged a female mud-wrestling contest at Bob's Bar and Grill." " Barbie's Bar and Grill." " Right. And I am sure all those bikini-clad women were just there for the rejuvenative qualities of the mud." " Hey, men like women who aren't afraid to get a little dirty." He eyed her speculatively. Her royal blue pantsuit professional but still feminine completed her eyes. He couldn't resist adding, " you should try it sometime." " What? The mud wrestling or the judging of the stupid contests?" " Getting a little dirty."
" Right. Because the world needs more naked pregnant women covered in mud."
Chloe mud wrestling? No, He didn't want that. Chloe naked and ready to get a little dirty? That was something else entirely. A temptation he was smart enough to steer clear of.
Brady leaned forward, planting his palms on the laminated conference table. " She's not doing it, because I am not doing it." " You'll do it if I tell to." "There is no way in hell Chloe is going to participate in this stupid stunt of yours and there is not a damn thing you can do about it." Jack didn't even bat an eye. " I can think of several things, especially with your contract up for review next month."
Before either of them could say another word, Chloe leaped to her feet. " NO! Stop it. Both if you just stop it!" she shrieked.
Every head in the room swiveled in her direction. Eyes widened and mouths gaped. No one looked more shocked by her outburst than Brady. She couldn't have surprised him more if she yelled, " stop or I'll shoot!"
In fact, the only person more surprised by her outburst was herself. What had come over her? One minute Brady and Jack had been arguing. The next minute she felt five again, huddled in the corner while her adopted parents fought in the next room.
Now that she had everyone's attention, she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. As the expressions turned from shocked to expectant, she shifted nervously. " I"LL.." She took in a shuddering breath. " I'll read the letters. I'll pick the winners. I'll even go on the damn date." Jack's face split into a smile.
She narrowed her eyes, patently refusing to so much as glance at Brady. " One date, in a very public place, and that's it."
" DAMN IT, CHLOE, tell him him~" Brady demanded from the open door of the building's main entrance. His voice carried across the parking lot, so he stepped outside, following her down the front steps. The noon heat rolled off the asphalt in waves, pricking his skin as it washed over him.
She spun around, forcing him to stop short to keep from bumping into her. " Would you please keep it down?" she said in a whispered hiss. Her eyes narrowed. " I will not tell him and neither will you. Just stay out of this." She turned her back to him and stomped toward her car.
For a second he watched her walk away. Damn she was pissed-at him, as well as the ex-boyfriend, it seemed. Sometimes he just didn't get women. What the hell had he done? He was just trying to help. Trying to defend her when she was too good-natured to defend herself.
He jogged a few steps and caught up with her next to her car. She had her knee propped against the car door, her giant bag balanced there.
" Where are they?" she mumbled, ignoring him completely. " I just want to go home"
" Chloe, if you tell him, he won't make you do this." " Do what?" she demanded without looking up. " This ridiculous love letter thing. It's just marketing stunt. It's beneath you."
Now she looked up, but the withering glare she shot him made him wish she hadn't. " This coming form a man who judged a female mud-wrestling contest at Bob's Bar and Grill." " Barbie's Bar and Grill." " Right. And I am sure all those bikini-clad women were just there for the rejuvenative qualities of the mud." " Hey, men like women who aren't afraid to get a little dirty." He eyed her speculatively. Her royal blue pantsuit professional but still feminine completed her eyes. He couldn't resist adding, " you should try it sometime." " What? The mud wrestling or the judging of the stupid contests?" " Getting a little dirty."
" Right. Because the world needs more naked pregnant women covered in mud."
Chloe mud wrestling? No, He didn't want that. Chloe naked and ready to get a little dirty? That was something else entirely. A temptation he was smart enough to steer clear of.