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“There is something about falling in love with a beautiful mind ...”
“He knows about Banner.” The air chills around me and a queasy feeling grips my stomach at the mention of Banner Morales.
I wasn’t raised with the luxuries these guys took for granted growing up. But I will have them. Unlike these spoiled brats, I’ll earn them.
I stand so abruptly my chair falls behind me and crashes to the floor. His words have barely polluted the air before I’m at his side and have one of his arms twisted behind his back and his face pressed to the table.
When he protects her even when she’s not around (bare minimum ik but it gets me every time !!)
“Not only do I officially withdraw my bid for admission to this foolishness you’re masquerading as brotherhood,” I bend to say in his ear, “but if I hear you bothered or hurt Banner in any way, I’ll beat you with your own belt and knock the teeth down your throat.”
Period
If there’s one thing you should have learned about me over the course of these last few months it’s that I’m a resourceful motherfucker and will do whatever is necessary to achieve my goal. I hear you’re bothering Banner Morales, I’ll put you down.” I hold his stare for an extra beat so he feels the weight, the truth of my words. “That’s a promise, Prescott.”
All of it gone. Poof. For nothing. Not for nothing. For Banner. A girl who doesn’t even know I like her. Who I’ve never even kissed.
But Banner has an algorithm I haven’t solved yet. Maybe tonight I will.
I’m used to girls noticing me, but Banner’s eyes never left Professor Albright standing down front, even though I stared up at her for a good minute. I wanted her to see me watching her, but she didn’t acknowledge me. I’ve been trying to get her to see me ever since.
She looks from our hands still pressed together to my face then shakes her head like she’s imagining something. The moment is elastic,
“Two completely different schools of thought.” “Yes, but both predictive of human behavior.” She leans toward me, warming to the subject. “Darwin used evolution, our most base biology, and Maslow used psychology, but both sought to understand why humans do what they do and how we end up with the best of the best.”
I can’t look away. Don’t want to. She’s usually so pulled together. Seeing her literally let her hair down is a privilege I’ve only had a few times this semester.
“I sat right beside you,” I tell him. “And you asked to borrow a pencil.” “I don’t remember any of this, but I do remember the first day I noticed you in Albright’s class.”
I hate that someone made her doubt herself, the only person out of hundreds to answer our asshole professor in Russian from the very back of a crowded lecture hall. Who challenged and stretched the greatest minds at Kerrington with her curiosity and keen intellect.
“I think you’re beautiful, Ban.” “You do?” she asks, her voice hushed. My words surprise me as much as they seem to surprise her, because I don’t say shit like that to girls. The prettiest ones usually seem to already know, which makes any admiration I’d express redundant. But Banner . . . she’s so beautiful, and I’m not sure she knows. “I do.” I push the hair away from her face. “Uh . . . thank you.” Her laugh isn’t much more than a breath. “The lights are out, so I’m not sure that compliment counts.” “I know your face by heart. You have seven freckles here.” I swipe a finger over the
...more
“I will sign with Bagley,” he says in Spanish. “Oh my God!” I turn a wide smile to Cal. “He says he will sign with Bagley.” “Yes.” Cal rubs his hands together. “We just need you to—” “Con una condición,” Alonzo interrupts. “Um, on one condition,” I say. “I’ll sign with Bagley,” he repeats. “He’ll sign with Bagley,” I translate. “If Banner Morales is my agent.” “If Banner Morales . . .” My eyes saucer and my mouth drops open. “Oh, shit.”
Let them have their Pride of Lions and their alpha male cliques and the parties and connections they don’t want me privy to. I’ll do this my way. Represent clients my way. Lead my way. Fight my way. Survival of the fittest, my ass. Who needs The Pride?
“There will be men who fall in love with your skin and others who drown themselves in everything that lies beneath.”
Iris works in marketing with us, but wanted to stay with August in San Diego. “You’re her boss,” August says. “Shouldn’t you know?” “You’re her husband. Shouldn’t you?”
“Two reasons marriage is not even on my radar,” I continue. “One, I have a low tolerance for people.”
I’ve never talked to August about Banner and what happened senior year. Even after ten years, something still pinches in my chest when I hear her name. Not my heart. I traded that useless organ in long ago to get where I am now. It’s in the vicinity, though, of where my heart used to be. And that pisses me off.
Banner can be the killer with the heart. I’m just the killer. It has served me well.
“Is she gonna come work for us?” Iris’ eyes light up like a Christmas tree. “No,” I say decisively. “Maybe,” August replies at the same time. “You don’t think she would even be interested? Cal Bagley’s a jerk.” “So’s Jared,” Iris says with a straight face because it’s true. “I want to go on record that I approve of recruiting Banner to come work at Elevation.”
Still. There is that occasional inexplicable pinch when I hear her name.
“Banner and Zo Vidale,” August says. “You hadn’t heard?” “Dammit, Gus. Heard what?” “They’re dating.” Pinch.
Laundromat Banner’s cheeks would be flushed pink by now. This new Banner doesn’t even blink but stares at me like she’s waiting for me to come harder.
My relationship with food is more complicated than any relationship I’ve had with a man.
“Imagine seeing you here,” Jared drawls, standing still so I can’t move forward either. His closely cropped hair glints golden in the bright morning sun. “It is my gym,” I answer caustically. “Your gym,” Jared says, arms folded across his chest. “Your city. I don’t remember you being this possessive.” “I’m surprised you remember me at all.”
“Pretty Pastel,” he murmurs, his deep voice and his damn seductive scent suffusing the tight glass-encased space, making it a hothouse. “What?” My mind blanks because he couldn’t be saying . . . “You still use the same dryer sheets.”
I dwell less on the why things happen and more on how I should respond when they do.
I may be a ruthless son of a bitch, but I don’t lie. Especially not to myself. I’m not here for Iris. I’m here for Banner.
I literally stole her breath with that kiss. She stole mine, too.
“Our field is male-dominated,” she says. “We are a minority, some of us a few times over, but we have a voice. You have your talent. You have determination. I was doubted in every boardroom I walked into, but I never doubted myself because I knew what I was capable of. Do you know what you’re capable of? Because if you don’t, they’ll never know either. You are your greatest natural resource and don’t let anyone strip you of that or tell you it’s not enough. We are making the
“We can be fierce and feminine. Tenderhearted and tough as nails. Life is seldom binary. And I’ve talked a lot about patriarchy and living, working in a male-dominated culture, but men are not our enemies. Any force that would diminish us, pigeonhole us, would make us one thing instead of all that we are, that’s the enemy . . . even if it’s inside of you.
“But the daughter of a lion is still a lion, and this is your domain.”
Only when the room starts spinning am I still enough to understand. My boyfriend is a good man. You should be careful before you insult me or my boyfriend. Banner praising Zo. Banner protecting Zo. Banner being with Zo. That emotion that has been choking me since I heard Banner speak today—hell, maybe since August told me about Banner dating Zo—that emotion is the one that makes you do and say petty things. That emotion has a name. It’s jealousy.
“Oh. I almost forgot. Knock, knock.” I’m piecing this together, and I’m not sure how one of her infamous knock-knock jokes fits in, but it’s a blast from the past I’ve been mentally revisiting all day. “Huh?” I ask. “Knock. Knock.” She quirks her mouth so that damn dimple dents one cheek. “Humor me.” “Okay. Who’s there?” All signs of humor fall off her face. “Lamont Christopher’s new agent.” A few quick steps bring her back immediately in front of me and she pokes her sharp little nail into my chest. “Block that, motherfucker.” She blocked my shot.
Banner my girl!!!
Her anger, her indignation hit me with a blast of heat that burns through all my reasons and rationale and excuses to cover up what I have known deep down since senior year. This woman is my match.
She is day and I am night. When day and night are absolutely equal, it’s equinox. Banner is my equinox. My equal. The revelation rattles around inside me, but my face, my surface remains smooth. The game we’re playing just changed, and she doesn’t even know it.
Killer with a heart. Jared again. It’s like the universe keeps bumping me into him, even inside my own head.
After I get my borderline hysterical laughter under control, he’s staring at me, a small smile teasing his lips. “What?” I ask, smiling back involuntarily. “Your laugh,” he says. “I want to make you laugh like that every day.”
We were working so well together, it was easy to forget how dangerous being around him is.
“You have to respect my relationship.” “No, I don’t.” Jared runs an agitated hand through his hair. “It’s your relationship, so you can respect it, but I don’t. You’re not married to him.”
Excuse me what?? What is going on why is this part of the PLOT 😭
“Don’t you feel bad, though?” I ask, pressing the back of my hand to my forehead like I might have a fever. “If you’re serious about not cheating on him, one of us has to care, and it’s not me,” he says flatly.
LITERALLY WHAT
“I saw you first,” he whispers, kissing the bridge of my nose where my freckles are. “I had you first.” He kisses my face where the dimple dents my cheek when I smile. “I want you back,”
