She firmed her lips against a smile.
Objective: To win back the woman I don’t deserve or die trying.
Too. Cute.
“These things tend to be padded or a bunch of lies,” she muttered through quivering lips. He needed to know exactly how much weight she was giving this frivolous, yet highly romantic gesture.
“Speaking from experience, Ms. Strickland?”
Ignoring him, she read on, each word ratcheting up her pulse to triple-time levels.
Core Competencies:
Novelty socks wearer. God in the sack. Doctor Who and Star Wars trivia that wows at parties. Not insane (unless sexually provoked). Excellent singing voice (bonus: can make those with terrible singing voices sound good). Keurig button presser extraordinaire. At least twelve words of Spanish. Hot in glasses. f*ck
-hot in a suit. Adored by cats named Kevin.
Education:
Extensive jacking off to Victoria’s Secret catalogs between the ages of 13 and 14 (okay, 15)
Bachelor’s degree in sex against the wall, on the bedroom floor, and in the shower, with a minor in safe sex on a balcony lounger at sixty floors up*
Graduate work in cunnilingus. Still need to produce an oral defense to get my PhD
* Unafraid of heights, but have deep-seated trust issues
Work Experience:
Jessica Benson, about two hours in the 4th grade—demonstrated innovation and early romance skills when I kissed the little pixie during art class. Showcased my ability to “take it on the chin” when she punched me on the chin.
Gillian Unger, freshman to junior year of college—gained experience as “boyfriend material” when singled out by the “cool girl.” Learned that women don’t like when you throw them over for a night of drunken debauchery with your friends in the math club. Exhibited incredible maturity* when she dumped me for a dick on the hockey team.
*Only slept with one of her roommates during payback plan.
Emma Strickland, since I met her to the day I die—gained cohabitation experience for an unforgettable five days that changed my life. Worked side by side with a woman who showed me the meaning of strength, bravery, humor, compassion, and love. Learned that no one is an island and that I am a better person for having known her.
This man. How the hell was she supposed to resist him? Widening her eyes to stave off the threatening tears, she tried to quell the rush of love in her chest. He didn’t deserve to get off so easily just because he’d pulled the über-romance card.
“Looks like gaps in your work experience,” she said on a sniff. “Nothing between college and this Emma person.”
She lifted her gaze and found him riveted to her, those gray eyes eating her up. She’d missed being the subject of such intense regard. Brody’s gaze had always flayed her alive, even when he hadn’t seemed to notice her.
“No one of note happened,” he said thoughtfully, “and I didn’t learn a thing in the intervening years.”
“That’s very honest. Most people would try to gloss over such a clear deficit.”
“Let’s just say that everyone up until this Emma person has been a rehearsal. Now it’s the big time, no more f*ck
ing around, opening night at the Broadway show—”
“Are you going to sing?”
“Would it help me get the job?”
The job. Her gaze dipped to the résumé. “You’re interviewing for a job?”
He nodded, his eyes shining with deep emotion. “The most important job of my life, Emma. The job of being your man.”
Her heart thrashed around her chest. It wasn’t fair of him to do this to her. To make her hope.
“But you don’t…” She motioned at the résumé in her lap. “You have deep-seated trust issues. You said it yourself. You even put it in here.” She waved the paper in her hand. “You don’t trust me, Brody. You thought I was going to betray you. From the first moment, you’ve been trying to control everything. Paying off Ray behind my back. Not consulting me on the really important decisions. And this résumé business might be a cute romantic gesture but it sure as hell doesn’t whitewash the things you’ve said and done.”
On legs shaking like reeds, she stood and thrust out the résumé. When he just stared at her and refused to take it, she let it drop to the floor. Trembling, she withdrew a copy of her own résumé on her precious 100-bond vellum. Scrawled a line across the top. Barely able to keep her body from doubling over with the pain, she flattened the paper against his chest and turned her back on the man it would take a lifetime to get over.
…
Brody blinked at the résumé Emma had foisted on him. Her address had been struck through and replaced with: The Corner of Bite Me and Get Lost.