It was tempting. Not because I needed the money. But to be in a position to be paid such an amount for what I did. Jason was my colleague, we worked equal to each other, which made him a competitor, even though we worked for the same company. If I got this deal, upper management wouldn’t deny a promotion and bigger team next year. And hell, maybe a corner office.

This one felt good. Almost as good as getting that last puck in the net last week.

“You know I’m no pleasure to work with,” I warned.

“I own a multi-million-dollar company and yet I waited for you for twenty-five minutes last week only to be told you won’t see me.” He raised a brow as if to say “yet here I am.”

“I’ll start Wednesday.”

He leaned over my desk. “You’ll start tomorrow.”

I would have started today. It was my competitive nature to get such an account. In fact, I planned on starting as soon as he left my office. I may have made it appear effortless, but I was no miracle worker. This shit took time.

Time I’d been consuming with thoughts of Harper and her pouty mouth. And the unsolicited feelings of possession that took over when I kissed her.

I stood. “Timing will be set by me, not the other way around, do we have a deal?”

He grinned and pushed off the chair. “We do.”

I pressed a line and speaker on my office phone. “Debbie, transfer Mr. Jones’s account to my folder. And make sure Jason is aware.”

“Will do sir,” her voice responded, and I walked him out letting him know Debbie will reach out for our next meeting.

As soon as he was gone, she called me back. “It’s a big account sir, how soon do you need the transfers done? I’d need to get some help from outside Counsel.”

“As soon as possible. Get them working on it tonight. Call me back when it’s done.” I hung up, anxiety creeping up. I had loads of other accounts I could have worked on. But I needed to focus on something that was big enough to cloud my mind over Harper.

An hour later, my desk phone rang, assuming it was Debbie with an update, I answered on the first ring. “That was quick.”

But the voice that responded wasn’t one that belonged to my assistant. “Where the fuck you been?”

Troy. I lowered the phone and put it back to my ear. “You want to try that again?”

A breath on the other side. “Why haven’t you been home?”

“Catching up on work all weekend. Something you should be fucking doing.”

“Yeah, Simon stopped by yesterday after I missed practice. He said if it happens again, I’m suspended.”

“For how many games?”

“One.”

I shook my head. “They’re too easy on you fuckers.”