Reid leaned his muscled body back against the chair. “Why are you the best? Really? You don’t look the part—no offense.”
Rejection slammed into me as I lifted my chin in defiance. “I’m the best because none of my clients can charm their way into my pants. I’m the best because I take my job seriously. I’m the best because I have an obsession with expensive shoes and purses and really need a paycheck in order to get them. I’m the best because I am. It’s as simple as that. If you have a problem with me, then there’s the door.” I slammed the contract back on the table and leaned forward, chest heaving. I hadn’t meant the all-out verbal attack, but by his stunned expression it must have worked.
Reid gulped. “Okay. I can work with that.”
Relieved, I almost collapsed against the chair. I really did need him to sign with me. I wanted that promotion so bad I could taste it. I deserved something after spending countless hours answering three a.m. phone calls and working fourteen-hour days. I loved my job, but getting a promotion meant I could finally relax rather than bust my ass like I had been since getting hired. I needed to prove myself one last time. “Fine, I’ll get your information from Ren and meet you on set later this afternoon.”
Reid stood and shoved his hands in his suit pockets. I had a brief fantasy of doing the same. Not to be weird, but he had nice hands and the pants were getting all the touching. “Maybe fix your shoes before then.”
“Fine.”
“And your hair.” He pointed.
I huffed.
“A little makeup . . .” He eyed me up and down. “Or a hat, a hat might work.”
I gritted my teeth and let out a growl. “Anything else?”
“Yeah.” He flashed a beautiful, heart-stopping grin that I was 99 percent convinced would be plastered all over teen girls’ walls six months from now. “I’ll take a grande latte, two raw sugars.”
“I’m not your personal assistant.”
He shrugged and made his way toward the door. “I figured you’d want another coffee since yours spilled, and you’d want to be polite, right? Isn’t that what a good publicist teaches? Manners?”
Manners, my ass. Steam was probably billowing out of my ears. I’d fought hard to climb my way to the top and I didn’t need a spoiled Hollywood actor making the last rung on the ladder difficult.
“Fine,” I snapped. “Anything else, Reid?”
“Shouldn’t it be ‘sir’?”
“Ask me to call you ‘sir’ and see what happens.”
“Tsk, tsk.” He frowned. “So violent. Oh, and also.” He moved back into the room and touched my face. His finger came back with a dollop of whipped cream. With evilly seductive eyes, he dipped his finger into his mouth and moaned. “You’ve had this on you since the beginning of the meeting.”
“That was mine.” Right. That’s what I was going with. The whipped cream he’d just tasted off my face was mine. At least I was semi owning the situation, right?
Reid smirked, biting down on his lower lip. What was with him and his plump lips! “Oh, sorry, I can always give it back.” He leaned forward.
My body rejoiced while my mind went on complete lockdown.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” I pushed against his chest. “This relationship is professional. No seduction allowed. Besides, it doesn’t work on me.”
He shrugged. “Really? Are you saying you’re immune to my charms?”
“Yup.” Was he flexing? The “Hallelujah” chorus really needed to stop chiming in my ears.
“I always love a good challenge.”
“I’m not waving a red flag in front of you, Reid. I’m just being honest. Now get back to set before you get fired.”
“See ya later.” He stepped back and winked.
I didn’t react.
I stayed immune to his charms while I watched him walk all the way down the hall and out of sight.
And when I was positive he was gone . . .
I sank into my chair and let out a little whimper.
CHAPTER FIVE
REID
Theater camp had been forced on me at a young age. Both my brother and I had no choice but to spend the entire summer spouting Shakespeare while normal kids got to go to actual camps where things like s’mores and campfires were allowed. Theater camp was all about the competition, about being better than everyone else. Agents attended our summer finale, and that’s how I ended up on Broadway.
It was fun.
Until the schedule started stressing me out.
And then the movie offers very slowly started rolling in. I rejected most of them until this one caught my eye. I was always a sucker for contemporary Shakespeare remakes.
And this one was a personal favorite.
The Taming of the Shrew.