Page 56 of Anti-Hero

I won’t be touching the edge in her tone. I know why it’s there.

“I told you, it’s not special treatment, Monty.”

She breaks eye contact when the nickname slips out—practically proving her point—and I curse internally.

I clear my throat. “I’m treating you the same I would any assistant, okay?”

Is that true? I’m not entirely sure. She’s theonlyassistant I’ve ever had, and I can’t imagine having a similar rapport with a random woman, no matter how competent she was. I’ve never had a similar rapport withanywoman, colleague or not.

“Okay,” Collins says, but the word lacks any real conviction.

“You’ve arrived early or worked late every day since you started,” I remind her. “So, I owe you about twenty hours of vacation time. The least I can do is let you leave early once.”

“I’ll add it to the calendar.”

I continue studying her, valiantly attempting to avoid the view of her cleavage that me standing and her sitting offers. “You sure you’re okay?”

She’s been acting off this whole week, but I assumed it was lingering awkwardness from Friday. Now I’m worried something else is going on. Did something happen on her date? If so, I’m probably the last person she’d confide in.

Her lips press into a tight, straight line. “Do I not look okay?”

Talk about a loaded question.

I attempt a diplomatic answer. “You look … a little tired.”

“Gee, thanks.” Her eyes roll above the dark circles shadowed beneath them.

“You look beautiful, Collins.”

She breaks eye contact when I compliment her. The tally of things I shouldn’t have said during this conversation is rapidly rising.

“I haven’t been sleeping well. My upstairs neighbor is a sex fiend. It’s like living in the dorms again.”

I smirk at that. “I didn’t realize Montgomery Hall was such a den of depravity. It seemed respectable when we dropped Lili off.”

“You mean,untilyou dropped Lili off.”

I laugh. “She raised hell from day one?”

I don’t remember much of Lili’s behavior on the day we dropped her off. I was distracted by her roommate.

“I’m talking aboutyou, Christopher Kensington.”

My focus sharpens. “What?”

“You swaggered in, all gorgeous and?—”

“You thought I was gorgeous?”

Collins presses her lips tight together again. “That was the general consensus.”

I guess we can both be diplomatic.

I rest my elbows on the edge of her desk and lean forward. “And did youagreewith the general consensus?”

She deliberately breaks eye contact to look at her computer screen. “Glenn just sent an email about the Beauté pitch. He’s suggesting setting up a follow-up meeting.”

I sigh. Of course he is.

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