Page 224 of Labor of Love

He was literally sex on a stick, if one considered the sizable branch stuck up his ass.

And as usual, when faced with a bit of authoritative hostility, my mouth grew a mind of its own.

Sarcasm is my shield. Not a very strong defense, but it’s all I have.

I bluffed my way into the job, still not sure how Char didn’t throw me out on my ear. I sure would’ve if I were in his shiny wingtip shoes.

He was sort of adorable when he left me at my desk, his mouth hanging open, and that made my dick sit up and take notice.

No, actually, I’m lying. My dick noticed him the moment I walked into that office. When his scent tickled my nose, my leopard growled, a happy little rumble that thrummed in my balls.

He didn’t seem to notice beyond that open-mouthed stare, and seriously, that could’ve just been his reaction to my outrageous behavior.

Maybe he was mated already. That would explain his lack of interest in an omega who was entering heat.

Not that I could do anything about my attraction to him anyway. I might be sarcastic, but I’m an omega, and omegas don’t make the first moves.

But they aren’t above a wee bit of encouragement now and then.

I tried. I really did. I smiled. I flirted. I even winked, but got no more reaction than I would’ve gotten from one of the mannequins at the retail store where I last worked.

Nada. Zip.

It was infuriating, frustrating, and a little bit insulting. All he said to me was, “That’s your desk outside on the right. And go to HR to fill out whatever paperwork they need.”

Then he prattled on a bit about me taking money from petty cash to buy a jacket.

I sat at the desk and took a peek in the drawers. There was the lockbox he’d talked about. I hunted around in the desk until I found the tiny key that unlocked it. Twenty-five crisp hundred-dollar bills! That was petty cash to him? That was more than my rent.

I relocked the box and put the key back where I found it without indulging in petty theft. I wasn’t buying a jacket or anything else with his money. He’d need to put up with me in my holey jeans and t-shirts until I got a legitimate paycheck, paid my rent, and made a trip to the local thrift store.

A tiny noise caught my ear. My hearing, because of my leopard, was almost preternaturally keen. I turned my head only far enough to see the edge of the blinds in the office fractionally move.

He’d been looking at me. Peeking at me like a lovestruck schoolboy.

Suddenly, my day seemed a whole lot brighter.

And my leopard growled up a storm.

3

CHAR

My colossal mistake was sitting at his desk two weeks later when I arrived at work.

His hair was pulled up into a man bun, and I had the unreasonable urge to tell him I liked it down better. Flowing like a golden brown river down his back.

Gods. Get a grip.

“Good morning.” I nodded to him as I passed his desk.

He gave me that slanted smile, showing deep dimples in his cheeks. Green eyes sparkled with humor and intelligence. “Morning, Boss. You have a ten o’clock meeting with the president of Scheiser Industries. Lunch at twelve with the owner ofFalcone Enterprises. I made reservations for you at Le Bourgeux. Then your schedule is clear until your meeting with the CEOs at four.”

Great. Gorgeousandefficientandin heat. I was screwed.

It had been two long weeks of sly flirting on his part and stoic resistance on mine.

I was, I felt sure, on the losing side.

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