Page 47 of In Love and Revenge

I twist my head to see what’s got her so animated. The tube of crisps sits like a proud trophy on my desk. I meant to throw the stupid thing away after the meeting this morning.

Turning back, she’s still smiling. And it’s the first time it’s ever been directed at me. Unease bubbles in my gut.

Two hundred and forty million. I’m not a fool, Beauty. A nice smile isn’t going to make me forget about that.

‘If your idea of “good” is processed starch coated in artificial powder and salt,’ I reply.

She snorts. ‘Of course. Your body’s a temple. Did you not eat anything fun when you were younger?’

‘When I was younger?’

She shrugs. ‘Yeah?’

I hold her gaze. There’s no fire in it. None of her usual defiance. She’s genuinely curious. She thinks I’m goddamn old. That I choose to watch what I eat because of the threat of middle-aged spread looming over me. I purse my lips. I was thirty-nine two months ago. Yet, judging by Aurora’s face, that makes me a fossil.

I swipe the tube from the desk and flip the cap off. Holding her eyes, I decant a couple of crisps into my waiting hand, then open my mouth and put them in.

Her eyes widen as she watches me.

The things are vile and taste worse than the sludge disguised as coffee in the staff lounge. I force myself to swallow, then look at her pointedly.

Her lips twist in amusement. ‘You need to eat at least five to really appreciate the flavour.’

My jaw clenches and I suck in a breath through my nose. She looks at me, waiting, and all I can see in her eyes is that she thinks I’m goddamn old. But with age comes experience. And fuck, if she knew the ways I could ruin her until she begged me to stop because she couldn’t take any more.

I glance at my fingers. They’re covered in a fine orange, bacon-flavoured dust. I clench my teeth to stop myself from grimacing in disgust.

‘Fine,’ I grit, tilting the tube again. ‘I hope you paid for these,’ I mutter under my breath, hating that she’s got me eating shit to prove some kind of point.

‘Pardon?’

She flies to her feet and marches over to me like a blond tornado. Her cheeks are pink as she glares at me.

‘Listen. I know what you think about my father. And what you no doubt think about me as well. But what I don’t understand is why you have to make these snide remarks. For a successful man,you behave like a child. How about, instead of muttering things, you say them to my face?’

I stare at her. ‘You think I behave like a child?’

‘Everything I just said, and that’s the part you focus on. You’re ...’ She huffs, glaring at me, her eyes on fire and her chest heaving in her silky blouse.

And if it isn’t the hottest bloody thing I’ve ever seen.

Blood floods my dick at an alarming rate, pumping the bastard up until my zipper digs into the hardening length.

‘I’m what?’ I lick my lips, and her eyes drop to my mouth.

‘You’re angry with the world. At least, it sure seems that way.’

‘Go on,’ I urge, my veins coursing with heated blood as she wrinkles her little nose up and scowls at me.

‘You’re ... you’re uptight. Look at you. You can’t even eat a bloody crisp without complaining.’

Uptight and old.Her words make me puff out my chest.

I stuff my hand inside the tube. ‘I can eat one. I’ll bloody eat ten!’

She stares at me, a mix of hatred tinged with interest swirling in her light blue irises, like she doesn’t want to give me her attention, but at the same time can’t tear herself away.

I lean closer, unable to resist riling her further. ‘Contrary to what you think, Aurora, I’m a man who loves to eat.’