“It’s probably a good thing we have to go back to the city tonight for Kati’s show,” he said drowsily. “We’re running out of food. Then we’d really be roughing it.”
“The food I brought with me would have lasted two normal people over a week.”
“You know better than that.”
That she did. Akira ran her hand over his flat belly. The fact that it was flat was a miracle. “Glutton.”
“The only reason it lasted this long is because we had other things to occupy us.”
Many glorious things. Akira had only pushed Jacob off her occasionally, to check in with her office and make sure her business was functioning without her. Anderson had sent her multiple apologetic emails, and according to Tammy, had been calling nonstop, ready to finalize their deal.
Akira suspected someone had sent the pompous asshole a fat dossier of her father’s greatest moments, aside from his notorious sex tape. A hard smile crossed her face. On a related note, Tammy deserved a bonus.
However, Anderson, that old bastard, could sweat it out until Monday. She was busy. Delightfully busy.
Jacob was her match in bed, maybe more insatiable than she was, but it was their conversations that made her realize they were perfect for one another. Like last night, when she had announced that she would pay for Kati’s outstanding tuition as recompense for her grandmother’s box.
“The hell you will,” Jacob had calmly responded.
“I will.” Akira licked a stray crumb off his chest. The dangers of eating in bed, but they hadn’t managed to leave the lumpy king-sized mattress much.
“I told you I’m not taking your money, and you said—”
“I promised not to write you a check.”
“You’re splitting hairs.”
“If it makes you feel better, I’m also establishing a need-based scholarship in my grandmother’s name to go to another incoming freshman. That one will be a full ride.”
His lips had pursed. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. If and only if you let me pay for Kati.” She batted her eyes at him, loving the irritation on his face. “How do you feel about yanking a scholarship away from someone who might not be able to go to college otherwise, Mr. Softy?”
“You wouldn’t do that to some poor kid.”
“Of course I would. Like I care about some stranger I don’t even know.”
Irritation was replaced by craftiness, which should have warned her. “I’ll accept this deal, but I want you to pay for two additional incoming freshmen, not one.”
She snorted. “What do I look like, I’m made of money? We’re talking a private school.”
“I realize your shoe budget might take a hit, but you’ll manage,” he said ruthlessly. “One more thing. That second scholarship is offered underyourname.”
She recoiled. Her name on a scholarship? She donated plenty to charity, but never in ways that traced back to her. It would utterly ruin her image. “Ew. No.”
“Mmm-hmm.” He stacked his hands under his head. “Or no deal.”
She fumed for a brief moment. “I was a little too cartoon villainy, wasn’t I?”
“Yeah. Plus there’s the fact that you really, obviously want to pay my sister back. And you would never start negotiations at the number you were actually going to settle on. How many kid’s educations were you planning on funding?”
“At least three,” she admitted grudgingly.
“Hmm. Three it is, then. Two will be under your name.”
When she opened her mouth to protest—the name part, not the number—he raised a single eyebrow. “Or the deal’s off the table.”
She smiled now. Never would she have imagined she’d have to negotiate to get someone totakeher money.
