Page 91 of Flirting with 40

She snorts. It’s her immature way of saying she isn’t sure how to refute me but wants to do it on principle anyway.

“I’m sure you’re every bit as talented and skilled in your own way, but having it and knowing how to use it to motivate people are two different things.”

“You’re out of line—”

“I beg to differ.” I turn to look at her. “My telling you to figure out how to accept Blakely’s experience is a whole hell of a lot better than letting you get sued for age discrimination and harassment after you force her out.” My smile is quick and the shake of my head subtle. “I’m pretty sure I know who the board would side with on that one. I mean, they offered your job to her before you, right?”

If looks could kill, I’d be dead right now from the glare she’s leveling at me, but I meet it with a half-cocked smirk.

“Slade!” Blakely is out of the water and walking toward us. Her clothes are clinging to her body, and she’s leaving a trail of wet footprints behind her as she heads my way.

But it’s the smile on her face that has me moving toward her without giving Heather and our conversation a second thought.

Because that smile is the most alive it’s been since I’ve met her.

“Inciting a riot, I see?” I ask before picking her up, soaking clothes and all, and holding her against me.

Yep, her eyes are even better this close.

She laughs. “I was being spontaneous.”

“Look out world, Blakely Foxx just might have found herself.”

“And I’m not finished quite yet,” she whispers.

“A full-fledged rebel.” I press my lips to hers, not caring who’s around to see the kiss I give her. “It’s such a turn on,” I murmur against her mouth.

“At your service.”

I slowly let her slide down the length of my body, soaking my own clothes as she goes, but I don’t care. I kiss her one more time as if we’re the only two people here despite the sounds of laughter in the water.

“What’s that for?” she asks.

“No reason,” I say even though it’s exactly what I needed after my call from Dr. Schultz.

A little bit of Blakely to kiss it and make it all better.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Blakely

Exhaustion settles deep in my bones and all I want to do is snuggle with Slade back on the dock and enjoy the moment. I don’t want to be here, about to do who knows what.

Sure, team bonding is why we are on this retreat, but my priorities have shifted a tad in the past few days.

He owns my mind. My body. And I’m not going to talk about the flutters I feel in my heart.

“Is this thing almost over yet,” Gemma groans to my right.

“Almost.” I slump back in my seat, close my eyes, and raise my face to the sun. At least the weather’s nice. At least there’s that.

“Christ,” she mutters, “how much more can we do today? Relay races, which this body did not want to do, and then archery? I mean, if she wants us to go Hunger Games on each other, she better watch her back. And now we have to go off into the woods and conquer some obstacle courses? How ‘bout I conquer a bottle of tequila behind the bar over there instead?”

I laugh loudly. “Just one more and then we’re done with the team-building crap.”

“Ah, you’re forgetting the game of He Said, She Said we have slated for later tonight.”

“Am I bad for wanting to say I’m sick so I can sneak away with Slade?” I ask teasingly when I’m very serious about it.