Page 22 of My Ex's Best Friend

She folds her arms in front of herself. “Is that right?”

“I don’t know what to tell you.” I shrug. “If you think it was an evil plan of mine to trick you into coming to work for me, I assure you, it wasn’t.”

“Sure,” she says drily.

Kiera's eyes wander around my office, taking in the curated chaos of art and paperwork that defines my workspace.

"Impressed by the organized chaos, or are you just mentally redecorating?"

I expect an equally sarcastic reply, but she says, “Do you overlook much of the restoration?”

“Yes, I do, personally,” I say. “Of course, the logistics of running a company consumes most of my time, but I try to be there for my clients, and a hands-on approach is the best way to go about it.”

Kiera’s face screws up a little, almost like she has smelled something unpleasant. “Okay,” she finally says. “And just for the record, I had no idea it was your firm. I would never—”

“I know.” I nod.

“It’s just that I never saw you doing this kind of thing.”

“I come from a long line of artists,” I remind her.

Kiera has gone very quiet. Maybe she’s mentally thinking of ways to make her escape.

"Look, I'm not sure if you can stomach working with me, but they hired you because you're the best, and the best is what we do here. If we can put the past behind us, act like we just met, I think we could make a killer team for this project."

Her eyes hold a mix of wariness and consideration.

"It would be a huge resume booster for you," I say. "Your expertise combined with the projects we handle here could elevate your profile significantly. What do you say?"

As she considers my words, she bites her lip, a gesture that sends a ripple of awareness through me. A flicker of desire courses through me.

The action, so innocent yet captivating, momentarily fixates my attention.

She looks beautiful, and my thoughts veer into dangerous territory.

I imagine that it is my finger tracing her mouth, seeing how wet it is. I have to shake my head, mentally admonishing myself to stay focused.

She’s not my Kiera anymore. She’s practically a stranger. She only looks like the girl that I grew up with.

"Alright, Jake. Let's make it work."

Her agreement comes with a note of caution, and I can sense the unspoken reservations. A surge of satisfaction courses through me, almost bordering on ecstasy. It's as if she's given me a second chance. Giving us a second chance.

“We’re going to be a formidable force,” I tell her.

She raises a brow. “Formidable force, huh? I sure hope so.”

7

KIERA

Did I just decide to work with Jake freaking Bennett? Yes, I did.

The relief on his face is so palpable. He tries to hide it, but it shows up anyway, so it looks like a cross between a grimace and a half smile. “Great. Would you like to get started right away?”

Does he think I will run away or change my mind if he doesn’t act fast enough?

It’s true that I’m a good fit for the position, but I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have a problem replacing me.

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