The Trouble with Sexy by Codi Gary Page A

knowing whether she should be amused or furious. “Um, yeah you were, but I think he just shrugged it off.”
    His scowl darkened. “I didn’t like the way he was looking at you. Maybe you should dress more conservatively at work.”
    Ryan froze and turned toward him, feeling rage bubble up inside. Amusement left the freaking building and her voice came out strained as she said, “Excuse me? I am covered from head to toe; there is nothing about my outfit that is inappropriate or revealing.”
    â€œIt fits you like a second skin.”
    His oblivious reaction to her tone told her that he either really believed what he was saying or was too upset to care. Either way, if he thought she was going to take a bunch of double standard crap, he was out of his ever lovin’ mind. “You didn’t seem to mind my new clothes over the weekend.”
    â€œYeah well, that was in your free time. When you’re here, you need to be professional.”
    Her eyes narrowed and she hissed, “Is that a suggestion or an order, boss?”
    His eyes met her fiery gaze and he tried to speak, “Ryan—”
    She waved her hand to cut him off. “I just can’t seem to get it right, can I? Either I’m a boring prude or I’m just asking for it, right? I can’t just do what makes me feel good, because people always want something else. I have been here, working with you, apparently giving you all kinds of signals, but you never picked up on anything until Gracie got ahold of me. Which begs the question Gregg . . . did you really have feelings for me or was it just Gracie’s influence that made me so desirable to you?”
    He reached out to her and she slapped at his hands. “Do not touch me. I’m so angry I can’t even see straight. I’m such an idiot! You have no idea who I am. You think just because I dress differently, that I’m not still me? If you knew me at all, you’d know that no matter who flirted with me or how cute a guy was I would never hurt you.”
    He tried to reach out to her again but she snatched her jacket and jerked away. “Be sure to lock up, boss.”
    I T WAS AMAZING how easy it was for her to avoid Gregg for the next two days. She’d gone about business as usual on Tuesday, and went straight home after her last appointment. She’d ignored his phone calls and curled up in front of the TV to watch Private Practice, a bowl of kettle corn in her lap. She finally turned her phone off after he sent her a text that said, We need to talk.
    Thank God she hadn’t done something stupid like tell him she loved him. Well, at least not when he was awake. She might have said the words quietly while she watched him sleeping next to her. He’d looked so relaxed and handsome, and she’d just needed to say the words. And then she’d proceeded to wake him up in the naughtiest way she could think of. Her stomach hurt thinking how awful it was that you could go from blissfully happy one day to crawl-in-a-hole miserable the next.
    Wednesday morning, Ryan drove by The Local Bean and saw him sitting inside waiting for her, so she just kept going out to her first appointment. She tried not to think about him, but throughout the day flashes of his smile or the image of him naked under her as they made love had her stomach in knots. She hadn’t meant to lose her temper with him, but he’d deserved a set-down after insinuating she was dressed unprofessionally. That she was somehow asking men to flirt with her. She had just wanted to feel good about herself, and yes, to be more appealing to the opposite sex, but the minute he kissed her outside Buck’s, no one else had even crossed her mind. But she knew needed to talk to him, and no matter what he said, she needed to just get past it and be professional. She could work next to him even if they weren’t together.
    After driving back to the studio, Ryan went