“Why wouldn’t I be serious about this? I want to make sure you don’t fuck up my charity with your lack of experience. This means a lot to me.”

“I know it does, but just because I’m not all that experienced doesn’t mean I won’t do a great job for you, Noel. Dyslexia isn’t something to be ashamed of. Lots of people have it now-a-days. You should let other people know that you have it. It may inspire some kids not to give up. But making me go on the road with you because you think I’m the only person who will understand why this literacy program means so much to you, it’s…absurd.”

He flinches. “Absurd? You know what’s absurd? Calling the owner of a marketing company and demanding she give you a job, even though you aren’t qualified because I feel like an asshole. The least you can do is come on the road with me so I can personally oversee this project and make sure I’ll be happy with the finished campaign.”

“I’m sorry, Noel. I didn’t mean any disrespect, but you can’t expect me to leave my life and ride on a cramped bus with you and a bunch of sweaty guys.”

“Technically, there’s only four of us on the bus, so I don’t think that qualifies as ‘a bunch’, besides I was hoping you’d spend most of your nights with me in my room”—I raise my eyebrows and he smiles—“working on the project. The bus is the only place we’ll be able to meet without interruption.”

I shake my head. “I can’t. Besides, Mrs. Swagger will never agree to that.”

Noel traces his lower lip with his index finger and then winks at me. “You leave her to me. That old broad loves me.”

“Even if I protest?”

He shrugs. “It’s up to you whether you come with me or not. Guess we’ll see how much you want this job.”

“This is blackmail!” I seethe.

“No, see that’s where you are wrong. If it were blackmail, I would get something I want out of the deal, and from what I can tell, that’s not going to be an option with you. Come on, Lane. I’m not asking you to fuck me, unless you want to, that is. All I’m trying to do is help an old friend out and make sure my shit gets done right.”

When he puts it that way, I do feel like an uppity jerk. Noel did get me this job. Is it really so far fetched that he wants to make sure I do a good job? I’m sure Diana told him I have zero real world experience because she told me herself she tried to talk him out of using me for the position.

But the Noel I know looks at all the angles, and I’m curious as to what his ultimate goal in this situation is. “I’m calling bullshit, Noel. Tell me, exactly what you hope to get by dragging me along on your bus?”

His lips quirk and I know I’m right. “I forgot how well you know me, Lane. You’re right. There is something I hope to accomplish with this little venture.”

I raise my eyebrow, curious as to what he’ll say next. “And what’s that?” Judging by the sexy twinkle in his eye, I have the uneasy feeling I already know.

My hand trembles as I sip my water, ruining the unfazed-by-you-Noel-Falcon look, I’m trying my best to project.

He leans across the small dinning table. His nearness causes a chemical reaction inside of me and I’m suddenly hot all over. I take another sip of water just as he says, “The chance to get back inside that tight, little body of yours.”

I nearly spit the contents of my drink in his face. “Are you out of your fucking mind? How dare you say something like that to me?”

Noel’s smile widens. “Because you and I both know this is going to happen. It’s only a matter of time before you give into me. It isn’t like I don’t already know every inch of your body and what it likes. You want it just as much as I do. I can see it in your eyes.”

Heat burns between my legs, and I squirm in my seat. I hate that he’s having this effect on me. If I lose the upper hand in this situation, I could lose more than my job. I have to keep control here. I shake my head and try to keep images of his naked body and what it might feel like with him deep inside me out of my mind. “No. Been there, done that, not happening again.”

He leans back in his chair with a smug look on his face. “We’ll see.”

CHAPTER SIX

I knock once on Diana Swagger’s open door before stepping through. She motions me to have a seat in one of the two brown, leather chairs facing her desk. The New York City skyline makes an impressive backdrop as she sits behind her large mahogany desk talking on her cell. Diana’s red hair is styled in loose waves framing her heart-shaped face.

Sinking down in the chair across from her and chills shoot down my back as I press against the cool leather. My hands fold in my lap and I cross my ankles together while I wait on Diana to finish her call. There’s no doubt what she wants to talk about. Noel is the only reason someone like Diana Swagger would grace me with so much of her time.

She presses the red button on the phone, tosses it to her desk, and sets her green eyes on me. “Ms. Vance, I heard you met with Mr. Falcon for dinner last night. I suspect that went rather well?”

I stiffen. If there was some information I can give her about the charity without revealing Noel’s problem with dyslexia, talking with her would be a breeze. Instead, I sit here dumbstruck. I’ve met with Noel twice now and haven’t learned jack-crap from him about his vision for his project other than he’s going to force me to spend time with him.