“That’s not a yes.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve never been very good at doing the things I should do.”
His lip twitched once again. Why did I love that so much? “I’m sure you’re good at anything you set your mind to.”
I sighed. “You scare people, you know.”
“Who?”
“People who work here.”
“Do I scare you?”
I thought about it and shook my head. “Scare me? No.”
He shifted in his chair, leaning forward until our knees touched. When they did, his eyes stayed firmly focused onthe contact for a long time before lifting to meet my gaze. A wicked smile spread across his face. “Are you sure about that?”
Electricity zapped from my knee to…other places. I swallowed. “Yes.”
I thought he was going to delve further into the subject. Even if he bought that he didn’t scare me, it was clear he didsomethingto me. Instead he adjusted in his seat, breaking the connection, and cleared his throat. “One o’clock today.”
Had I zoned out and missed part of our conversation? I felt my brows draw close. “One o’clock?”
“For our mentor lunch, the one we were supposed to have yesterday. Meet me downstairs in the lobby.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Jagger got up and walked around his desk. It was the equivalent to what he’d done to Jack in the elevator without saying “Youmay go.” Still, I took the hint, stood, and walked to the door.
I turned back to look at him. “You’re sort of rude, you know that?”
Ilovedthe surprised look on his face. Jagger’s eyebrows nearly reached his hairline. “Is that so?”
“You asked if I was afraid of you. I’m not, but you’re dismissive, and it makes people feel disregarded.”
He stared at me for a full five seconds before shifting his attention to his desk. “I’ll take that under advisement.”
***
Miles: How are things going with Daddy Discipline?
I was sitting in a conference room with all the other interns, watching some mandatory HR videos on a big screen. I lowered my phone under the table and typed back.
Sutton: I decided to keep him as my mentor.
Miles: I already knew that.
Sutton: How?
Miles: Because Iknowyou. This guy is like the Rubik’s Cube your mom brought home in fourth grade.
Sutton: I’m not following…
Miles: When something intrigues you, you can’t stop playing with it until you figure it out. You pretended to have a stomach virus so you could stay home from school and solve it.
Sutton: Well, hopefully this puzzle is as easily solved, because I got bored with the Rubik’s Cube after I made all six sides into solid colors.
Miles: Something tells me that man is neither easily solvable nor a toy you’ll get bored with.
