Jake leaned back on his hands beside me. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. I couldn’t help but admire the sharp line of his stubbled jaw. “And what’s that?”
“If you do one thing with me on Saturday that’s out of your comfort zone, I’ll come back to work for you.”
His eyes fluttered open, and his torso twisted so he could face me. “What? Really?”
I nodded. “I hate my job, and I miss working for you. I don’t want to not know you, Jake. But you have to do something for me first. You have to come with me to my favorite place in the world.”
He arched a skeptical eyebrow. “And where is that?”
I beamed. “The beach.”
He leaned away from me. “The beach? All that sand everywhere? Sticky sunscreen? Kids? Messy food? The heat? Really? Those are your terms?”
I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I wanted to see Jake out of his element, and it didn’t get more opposite from a climate-controlled luxurious office than the beach. “I’ll pack our lunches and we’ll make a day of it.”
“What does this have to do with you taking your job back?”
It doesn’t, but it’s free entertainment for me, and after everything, I want to see you squirm.
“They’re unrelated,” I admitted. “But those are my terms. Take it or leave it.”
He searched my eyes, looking for a crack in my resolve. He wouldn’t find it. Finally, he succumbed. “Fine! The beach it is.”
I grinned.
Entertainment, suntan lines, and Jake Cassidy shirtless. What could be better?