Chapter 4
BEN
Ididn’t need a crystal ball to tell me that working with Sarah would be a challenge.
Before they went to London for an engagement party, Theo had pulled me aside and warned me to tread carefully with her. But as Jess left the office and I took in the sight of Sarah again, I wasn’t so sure I’d be able to.
It wasn’t just the way that fitted pink dress clung to her curves and how glossy and kissable her lips looked. It was also that delicious scowl.
If there was one thing that I found attractive, it was a woman that liked to insult me.
Masochistic, I know.
It was hard to say this without sounding big-headed, but women liked me. Sometimes all I had to do was smile or say hello and they literally fell at my feet.
Okay, I just heard myself and I definitely sounded like an arrogant dick, but it was true. The same went for my brothers. What could I say? We had good genes.
Anyway, the point was that when a woman instantly fawned over me, it was boring.
Sarah wasn’t like that. She’d made it crystal clear that she thought I was a prick, so getting her to change her mind enough to sleep with me wouldn’t be easy.
The fact that she’d heard me slagging off romance novels (admittedly not my finest moment) had put me on the back foot a tad, but I loved a challenge. It’d make the reward of winning her over all the more satisfying.
I gave it twenty-four hours. Forty-eight, tops. Two days of working together and I’d have Sarah eating out of my hand and in my bed.
Well, technically in her bed, considering the flat Theo had promised me upstairs wasn’t ready yet.
Since I’d come back to the UK after living in California, I’d been crashing at Theo and Jess’s place. But it was too cramped for all of us, and although they were happy for me to stay, I needed out.
Jess was great and I loved my brother dearly, but earplugs could only block out so much, and I was done listening to him fuck his fiancée through the paper-thin walls.
If anyone should be shagging regularly, it should be me.
But this wasn’t California or London, where there were rich pickings. In a small town like Sunshine Bay, the options were limited.
Yes, there were lots of pretty library members, and although I flirted with them, I’d never take it further.
Jess and Theo were trying to build a business, and fraternising with customers could get messy. As much as I liked to joke around, when it came to business, I was as serious as a tax bill, so there was no way I’d willingly do anything to harm the library’s reputation.
Plus, after reading millions of romance books, the members’ heads would be filled with finding their happily-ever-afters and I definitely wasn’t down for that.
I’d tried the whole relationship thing before.
Been there, worn the T-shirt, no interest in repeating the experience.
If I wanted to feel like I’d had my organs ripped out and trampled on, there were less painful ways to do it.
Never again.
I was much better off keeping things casual.
Celeste who worked in the bookshop had told me in no uncertain terms that she was keen to hook up if I wanted to, but like I said before, where was the challenge in that?
I was beginning to think that there was no hope of finding someone in this town who’d stimulate me enough to proposition them.
Until now.
I looked up at Sarah and when she caught me staring, she scowled again, sending a jolt of electricity straight to my cock.
See?
This was exactly what I was talking about.
Sarah hated my guts and I fucking loved it.
Time to start winning her over and seal the deal.
I tilted my head and subtly fluttered my lashes.
‘Look, about the whole romance book thing…’
‘I don’t want to hear it!’ she snapped before I even had a chance to finish my sentence. ‘You made your opinions perfectly clear on the train.’
‘I didn’t mean to offend. We all have different tastes.
Some people like cats, others love dogs.
Some people are night owls, some are early risers.
Some people love romance and other people, like me, prefer other genres.
Doesn’t mean we can’t get along. If lovey-dovey stuff is what you’re into, that’s cool. You do you, boo.’
Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and I really tried (and failed miserably) not to look.
‘I don’t need your permission to read whatever the fuck I want! And just to be clear, we will never get along. I could never be friends with someone that openly mocks my biggest passion.’
‘It doesn’t have to be that deep. There are other ways that we can get along and get passionate and none of them have to involve us being friends.’ I smirked. ‘In fact, angry sex can be kind of hot.’
‘Seriously?’ She put her hands on her hips. ‘I’m finding it hard enough to be in the same room as someone who detests romance books, so there’s no way in hell I’d sleep with one! If you were the last man on earth, I wouldn’t touch you with a hundred-foot bargepole.’
‘Ouch!’ I clutched my stomach like I’d been wounded. ‘That’s okay. I get it. You’re still upset about my romance comments. You need time to cool down. How about I take you for a drink tonight and after that I can make it up to you?’
‘Those lines might work on the other girls that are stupid enough to get involved with a guy like you, but they won’t work on me. Like I told you before, jog on, sunshine.’
‘We’ll see, Jeffries…’ I said, flashing her a devilish grin.
‘Stop calling me that!’ she shouted. ‘You’re so annoying.
Listen.’ She poked my chest. ‘This might be a big joke to you, but this library and this job mean a lot to me. And to Jess and Theo. I don’t know what the hell they were thinking forcing us to work together, but they’re the bosses and I want this job, so I have to do what they say.
But I’m warning you, I’m not going to let you screw up this opportunity for me!
Jess just told us what she needs us to do, so I need you to grow the fuck up, stop thinking with your dick and start thinking about how we’re going to make this readers’ retreat and the book bar a success. Got it?’
Fuck me.
Sarah had just chopped my balls off and handed them back to me on a platter.
And I loved it.
There was nothing sexier than a woman who spoke her mind.
But she was right.
This wasn’t a game.
This was Jess and Theo’s dream.
The livelihoods of the entire team were reliant on us pulling our weight just as much as they did.
The library had investors now too. And although they were Theo’s friends, they were still businessmen who were eager to see a return.
I had to think with the head on my shoulders, not the one in my pants, and do the job Theo had trusted me to do.
‘Forgive me,’ I said. ‘You’re absolutely right. We need to focus on making these projects a success. I’m sorry for making inappropriate comments. I’ll be on my best behaviour from now on, I promise.’
I hope my sincerity came across, because I really meant it.
All those years I’d spent partying and sleeping around had affected my judgement. It was like the sensible switch had just gone off in my head and now I saw everything so clearly again.
I was back in England, to work. I had to take this seriously.
And what was I thinking?
Getting involved with a colleague was a bad idea anyway. It had messy and disaster written all over it.
Like Theo said, I needed to be careful with Sarah. And anyone else that was associated with the library.
If I needed to blow off steam, there were millions of other women I could shag. Dipping my dick into one of the locals was a bad idea.
That’s settled.
Right there and then, I decided that all women in Sunshine Bay would be strictly off limits.
Zero exceptions.