Page 25 of Crazy Thing

“Look—I just need someone to keep me organized and to take things off my plate so I can focus on what I need to get done. But I have some conditions.”

I refrain from jumping up and down. “Okay, name them.”

“For starters, I’ll take care of any legal bills related to the waterfall lawsuit. And all decisions will pass through me.”

I nod. “I can’t really argue with that.”

“You’ll need to sign an NDA before you can start and you’ll get paid bi-weekly. You’re going to work in person, here with me in the office from Monday to Thursday. You can work remotely on Fridays, and you must remain on call over the weekend, in case I have anything urgent that comes up.”

“The weekend? I agreed to work part time, not every minute of—”

“I’m not budging, Ziggy.”

Grr!

I’m ready to protest, but when he announces the salary he’s going to pay me, I fall mute. A salary?! When I already owe him money?! We both know I’m clearly getting the better end of this deal.

“Okay…” I say, somewhat reluctantly. “So, besides organizing your calendar and watering this plant, what will I be doing all day?”

“A little of everything. Scheduling meetings, managing my inbox, screening calls, coordinating travel arrangements, picking up my dry cleaning. Whatever I need you to handle at any given time. Two days are rarely the same.”

My nose scrunches. “Well that seems purposely vague,” I grumble.

Darius glances up at the ugly ceiling tiles. “Why am I even going along with this?” he mutters.

I bat my eyelashes and smirk. “Because I’m charming and persuasive?”

His gaze falls to my smirking lips. It lingers.

Then his eyes return to mine with a wary look. “Oh, and one more important rule.”

“What’s that?” I ask eagerly.

“Don’t go working any witchcraft on me,” he says, his eyebrows furrowed deeply.

“Huh?”

“Stop playing innocent,” he bites, sounding mega defensive. “You know what I mean. I don’t want you putting any spells on me.”

I scrunch up my nose at him. “Why the heck would I put a spell on you?”

Darius just shrugs. “To make me fall in love with you or something.”

I cackle uproariously. “Uh. No offense, Money Man, but I can’t even stand you. Why the hell would I want you in love with me?!”

“Never mind,” he growls, looking nervous and unsure of himself as he rearranges the pens in the penholder on the desk.

“Okay. Whatever. So, do we have a deal?”

He gives one quick nod. “Deal.”

I reach out my hand, and he hesitates. I roll my eyes again. Reluctantly, he slides his palm against mine.

We shake hands to seal our deal. And I swear, something ignites between us.

His skin sizzles against mine. The firestorm of this simple contact takes me by surprise.

I don’t know what the heck that means. But it’s too late to turn back now.

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