Page 28 of The Revenge Agenda

“Why are you staring at me?” he asks like he doesn’t want to ask.

“You’re very clean.”

He chokes on a laugh. “What?”

I wave a hand over him. “You’ve shaved, your hair is parted neatly, I’m pretty sure you wax your eyebrows and have some kind of skincare routine, and I can’t see a single wrinkle on your clothes.”

When he talks again, it’s a deep rumble, and I find Hunter’s voice unexpectedly soothing. “And those things make me clean?”

“Make you look clean. I have no idea about your hygiene. I can confirm I’m a regular showerer and brush my teeth every morning and night even though …” I point to my hair. “I am not someone who ever looks clean and put together as much as I might try.”

One of his dark eyebrows rises a fraction. “Do you actually try?”

“On occasion. I have been known to try. But then I never end up looking the way you do, so at some point, I realized it was wasted effort and my time was better spent elsewhere.”

“Like picking out rude plants for your new boss?”

The teasing in his tone lights me up inside. “You’re joking around.”

“Am not.”

“That was definitely joking.”

He huffs and turns back to his computer. “Favorite thing about working here?” he asks stiffly.

“Making my boss like me.”

His fingers still on his keyboard. “Rush …”

“Do you not want an honest answer?”

I’m ninety percent sure he’s trying not to laugh as he drags his big hand through his neat black hair. “Least favorite thing about working here?”

“My boss not liking me.”

Hunter groans and drops his head forward onto his desk. “I’m trying really hard to be professional here.”

“Might want to work on that. Looks more exasperated to me.”

“Can’t imagine why that would be …”

“Generally, when someone looks exasperated, it means they are exasperated.”

Hunter swings his seat back around so he can pin me with a look. “I think I have everything I need from you.”

“Well, that was painless.”

“Not the word I’d use.”

Whatever word he’d use doesn’t matter because it’s over. I convinced him to stay, and I didn’t get torn a new asshole for being an hour late. That’s what I call a successful morning.

I’m up and almost out the door when Hunter calls out.

“Forgetting something?”

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I am, but I’ve got my bag, my phone, dropped off Ted’s coffee … “Oh! My belt.” I drop my backpack onto the ground and hurry to do it up. “Thanks for that. We might have started some uncomfortable office rumors.”

Hunter’s eyes are locked onto my bag, scowl back in place. “Not hiding any more elf costumes in there, are you?”

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