Page 40 of The Ice Queen in the Corner Office

CHAPTER EIGHT

Alex

I stepped onto the porch and studied Jill’s outfit. She was wearing jeans that hugged her very fine ass, a heavy coat, hat, gloves, and boots with a three-inch heel.

“You planning to do a lot of walking in those boots?” I asked.

She scowled. An expression that should have been unattractive, but only made her sexier.

I loved it when her walls dropped, and I saw that fire in her eyes. I didn’t love to annoy her, I just loved to get through to her in any way at all.

“I’m planning to relax. That’s what people do on vacation.”

“What I have planned is going to require more comfortable shoes.”

She put a hand on her hip and glared. “I agreed to a day. I didn’t agree to let you make all the plans.”

I took my time walking down the stairs to her. I pretended way more confidence than I was feeling. “Just give it a chance. Let me take the reins on this adventure. If you hate it, I’ll leave tonight.”

She studied my face. I was surprised by how badly I wanted her to say yes, to trust me. “How can you be sure I won’t just claim to hate it, whatever it is?”

I stepped in closer. “The very fact that you asked that question, makes me think you don’t really want me to leave.”

She rolled her eyes.

“At the very least, it means you’re willing to play fair. You love to win, but you’re not a cheater.”

“Says the man who started our race this morning from his ass.”

I couldn’t help the grin that stretched my face. “Just give me this,” I said. “I want to surprise you, woo you. Let me do it.”

Her expression softened, and I wanted to jump up and down for joy. “Fine. I’ll go change. This better be good.”

She started away from me, but I quickly caught up to her.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’ll wait for you at the house. Aubrey and your mom wanted to talk to me about expanding their marketing campaign and making some changes to attract guests outside of the college parent crowd.”

Her shoulders tensed, but she didn’t say anything, just kept marching toward the house.

***

“This is your plan to impress me?” Jill asked, staring out the front window of my car at the forest. I’d parked at the trail head of a short three-mile hike.

“This is just the start. I’ve got a picnic lunch for the summit.”

“The summit? You want me to hike up that mountain?”

I shifted in my seat to look at her. “May suggested it. Said you loved the outdoors.”

She scowled. “You asked May for advice about what I’d like?”

“She is your sister.”

She pinched her lips together in a tight frown. “She’s my very much younger sister. She barely knows me.”

I stared at her, surprised. “She’s younger, but she told me how you used to take care of her. She looked up to you as a kid. I figured she’d paid enough attention to know what you liked.”

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