Devyn pulled away from him and opened the door to his truck. She climbed onto the pavement that was already covered in snow. He mimicked her actions, slipping out of his truck before she could protest.
“Why did you do that?” His breaths came in ragged strides.
Devyn shrugged her shoulders. “Because you don’t own me and you won’t control me.”
“You’re so hard to please.” Chad walked closer to her, shoving his hand against the side of his truck. Their bodies were pressed against each other and his arm was blocking her escape. Normally, she would have already told him to fuck off, but he had some kind of hold on her. She couldn’t just tell him no. She couldn’t get enough of his bad attitude or the way he wrapped his body around her own. Chad pressed his body closer against her and she felt his body react to her. She looked up to him from under her lashes.
“I just don't appreciate being controlled.”
He groaned.
“You are making my job here impossible.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Devyn, you’re being a brat.” His words were cold and too familiar. “I’ve done nothing but try to make things easier for you and show an interest in you and you won’t let me. Why can’t you just let loose for once in your life and let someone do something fucking nice for you? Why does everything have to be so serious with you?”
“How am I supposed to let loose?” She threw her hands in the air, waving them around in his direction. “I can’t let loose when my job is on the line and especially not with someone who has been nothing but an asshole to me since I met him. I barely know you outside of you fucking hating me and then making out with me in my office. I don’t know what to make of any of this.”
Devyn froze, realizing she let too much come out. The words had just tumbled out of her mouth without any care of who she was spilling them too. Chad didn’t react. Instead, he pushed off the side of his truck and started toward the small townhouse she shared with her sister. Devyn’s brain struggled to keep up. The situation between them had moved so fast she didn’t know what to say to him.
“Where are you going?” She called to him from the street.
He turned to look at her. His hands were shoved into his pockets and his expression was unreadable.
“I’m going inside.”
“What makes you think I’m inviting you in?”
“I’m going to make you let loose whether you like it or not,” he said turning back toward the door. “We are going in your house and you are going to forget about work. So shut the hell up and stop fighting me. Now, come on,” he threw the words over his shoulder, loud enough for every neighbor she had to hear.
“You aren’t the boss of me.”
“Keep saying that, Boss Lady.” He turned back to her, “You coming or am I packing you?”
SHE LED CHAD INTO HER house. The entryway sparkled in the dimly lit room. Devyn was waiting for the smart remark about the way her house was glowing. She tugged her jacket off and threw it onto the coat rack in the corner of the room. She watched Chad do the same thing from the corner of her eye. She wouldn’t dare let him see her watching him. The white button up shirt fit snugly against his thick arms.
Her lips parted, itching to make a comment. He turned toward her, stretching around her to place the black jacket on the same coat hanger she used.
Devyn snapped her head around, focusing on the ground under her. She kicked the shoes off her feet trying to compose herself.
“I don’t normally have company.” She looked up at him. “So I hope you’re ready for a boring night.”
A smirk formed on his lips and he fought off a laugh. His lips parted, but he didn’t make a sound. His eyes burrowed into her. Devyn watched him and noted the way his eyes studied her face and trailed down the rest of her. Devyn had never been looked at the way Chad looked at her. A few days ago she would have laughed at the attraction she felt for him.
“That’s fine. I’m not socially awkward, so I actually do have company.” His eyes met hers again. “You can start by offering me your cheapest, strongest drink. Since we’re stuck, together we should at least tolerate each other.”
“Bold of you to assume I could tolerate you even when drinking.”
“I think you do more than tolerate me now, but I’m going to need a drink to put up with that fucking mouth of yours.”
Devyn wrinkled her nose at him before walking into the kitchen. She heard his soft footsteps from behind her. She opened the fridge, pulling a half full bottle of Jack Daniels out of the door. The heavy bottle hadn’t been touched since her birthday a few months earlier. Her sister didn’t drink much, and neither did she. She hated the taste of alcohol unless it was wine. Devyn pulled two glasses out of the cabinet. She wrapped her fingers around the glass and steadied herself to pour the liquid.
She turned to him, handing him a glass. He raised an eyebrow before taking it.
“Jack Daniels is your cheapest drink?”
His tone wavered. It was strange coming from his lips. It seemed more like respect than judgement.
“Only drink,” she corrected before twisting the cap back onto the open container.
“Aren’t you going to have any?”
Devyn looked at the bottle and the single glass left sitting on her counter.
“No,” she said quickly, unsure of why she had pulled an extra glass from the cabinet. “It doesn’t sit well on my stomach.”
He nodded. Devyn prepared herself for the insult about being a lightweight, but it never came.
“So what’s with the Christmas decorations?”
Chad lifted the
