Almost as if he’d conjured her from his thoughts, the object of his ire strolled into his office like she owned the place. He shook his head, thinking he was still in his apartment talking to Rosa that morning, but no . . . she was standing in front of his desk with her hands on her hips and a smug expression on her plump lips. This ain’t good, he thought before gathering his wits and leveling a sarcastic smile her way. “You here to take me up on that offer to help you dress for your . . . size?” He’d made references to her lack of height and her stocky frame on his last round of taunts. Then offered to take her to Build-A-Bear for a new outfit. Yeah, it had been an asshole thing to say, but it was better than her discovering that she actually turned him on more than anyone had in years. He couldn’t give her that kind of power. When did I turn into such a drama queen? He liked tall, leggy women with long, flowing locks. Not petite spitfires with short hair and a bad attitude. She was not his type at all and he’d never been with a woman like her . . . Well, there had been one woman, but that had ended badly years ago. They stared at each other for a long moment, and he felt sweat begin to gather on his brow when she showed no outward indication that his words had struck a nerve. Instead, she moved forward as if she didn’t have a care in the world and placed a white bag carefully in front of him.
“Here’s your lunch, Mr. Jackson. I’m sorry about the wait. The shop has been really busy this morning and we’re short staffed. I added a few of those chocolate chip cookies that you like so much to make up for it.”
What in the hell is her play here? Cookies? What a bitch! Okay, so maybe that last part was a bit irrational, but how dare she come up to his office—his sanctuary—and be all nice to him? That wasn’t the unspoken dynamic that they’d agreed on. Being civil to each other had no place in their relationship. Dammit, he knew he was staring at her with a confused expression on his face. He needed to come up with a clever retort, but he was drawing a blank. The fact that she continued to smile at him sweetly wasn’t making it any easier. Think, man. Say something, anything. “Um . . . thanks, Dana.” Shit, he’d called her by her actual name and been courteous. He was really making a mess of the whole situation.
“Of course, Mr. Jackson.” Then she further freaked him out by winking at him before adding, “There’s plenty more cookies where those came from. I’ll bring you some by soon.” She turned for the door, giving him a perfect view of her delectable ass in the snug black slacks she was wearing. I like big butts and I can not lie. Then she busted him staring at her gorgeous backside when she looked over her shoulder suddenly. “Have a great day.” With a twitch of her lips that let him know she’d caught him eyeing the goods, she left as quickly as she’d arrived. What in the fuck just happened? Ash slumped back into his chair feeling drained from the bizarre encounter. Truthfully, he’d have thought nothing of the exchange with one of the other ladies that usually delivered his food, but from Dana, it was off-the-charts weird. He had no idea what had changed, but he was uncomfortably aware that she’d somehow turned the tables on him. For if he wasn’t mistaken, she’d declared war on him with—niceness. Who in the hell did something that awful? He eyed the bag on his desk as if it were a snake before grabbing it and tossing it in his trash can. There was no way he could risk eating that now. Okay, well, maybe the cookies were okay. He’d just get those out and have them for lunch. Then he’d do his best to figure out what had gone wrong. He needed to be prepared for the next attack. Hell, she’d probably do something horrifying like hug him, and that was simply unacceptable.
Dana walked out of Ash’s office and almost collided with Dylan’s assistant, Lisa Merck. The other woman threw her hands up in the air as she asked, “What was that? I thought you were really going to give it to him. But you were so pleasant it made me gag.”
Patting Lisa’s shoulder, Dana winked before saying, “I came up with a better plan. He gets off on being a bully and arguing with me. I decided to take that option away and see how he handled it.”
“And?” Lisa asked impatiently. “It sounded as if you are best friends now. Not that I was listening or anything. Just guessing.”
Dana smirked, knowing damn well that Lisa had been eavesdropping. She’d practically fallen in the door when Dana had opened it. She didn’t blame her though. She’d have done the same thing. “I had an epiphany seconds before I planned to go on the attack. Ash likes being an asshole to me. If I had gone in there with guns blazing, then he would have risen to the occasion. Sure, I may have gotten in a few verbal slaps, but as always, he’d have won the battle. Then I would have been forced to slink away once again with my tail tucked between my legs. But by being the exact opposite of what he was expecting, it threw him off his game. He was rattled and didn’t have a clue as to how to respond, which is a first for him where I’m concerned.” Bouncing on her heels in excitement, Dana added, “I was the one in control from beginning to end and he knew it.”
Looking skeptical, Lisa asked, “So, what . . . you’re going to be nice from now on? You know he’ll be prepared for that next time. I don’t think it’ll work again.”
Shaking her head, Dana said, “No, that’s exactly what I won’t do. I learned something today. Ash is used to people being predictable. And I’ve been playing right into his hands by doing the same thing every time. I toss out a few insults, then stomp off in a huff. So from now on, I have to keep him guessing. I want him so twisted up in the game that he doesn’t know which end is up. That’s the only way to engage an enemy like Ash and come out victorious. He needs to be so rattled that he takes a deep breath before he walks into the shop. I want him as uncertain as I’ve felt every time he’s around. I took his power today and I’m keeping it. I’m no longer going to be pushed around by Asher Jackson. The king has been dethroned and I intend to make sure he stays that way.”
Pursing her lips, Lisa looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding her head in approval. “I like it. That’s the beauty of men. They never expect a woman to attack, especially when it’s not physical. You gotta love ’em, it’s so easy to play mind games with them. They take everything so literal. I have to admit, sometimes I do similar stuff to my poor husband when he’s made me mad. And even after all these years, he never sees it coming. It almost takes the fun out of it when I have to point it out to him. Men simply can’t think outside the box where we’re concerned. They constantly underestimate us. Unless you’re throwing a physical punch, it sails right over their head.”
Nodding, Dana grinned. “I personally hope that never changes. I swear, I almost lost it when I saw the look of utter confusion on Ash’s face before I left. He honestly had no clue what to do or say and the man has never been at a loss for words around me before.” Sniffling dramatically, she added, “It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.”
“Then you really need to get out more,” Lisa snorted. “But the man had it coming. I really have no clue why he treats you that way. He’s never said anything remotely insulting to me or any of the staff in the office. Half of the women are in love with him. He’s practically the golden boy. Dylan comments on it all the time. His brother is the Casanova of the Oceanix. But the man turns into Satan when he sees you, which is just bizarre. And from what I’ve gathered, it’s been that way from the beginning.”
Dana’s shoulders slumped as she admitted, “It has, and I’d give anything to understand it. Other than Dylan, I’ve never had this effect on a man. The difference with the brothers though is that Dylan and I both know it’s a game that we enjoy. But with Ash, it’s plain dislike. It’s as if I offended him before we ever met, which is impossible. We’d never crossed paths until the day we first met in the coffee shop. The times that he’d visited the resort previously, we had no interaction. Hell, considering how Dylan looks, I was excited to meet his brother. And drool was practically running down the corners of my mouth when he walked into the shop. Then he looked at me as if I was dirt beneath his feet before turnin
g and stalking away. That set the tone for our entire relationship. Well, actually I could have lived with the silent disdain, but when he opened his mouth on the next visit, I learned it was possible to despise a man who looks like sex on a stick.”
Quirking a brow, Lisa asked, “So do you think it would be easier to deal with if he were ugly as opposed to hot?”
“Hell yeah,” Dana hissed. “If he were some kind of troll, I wouldn’t get tongue-tied when he launches a verbal grenade. I mean, he’s telling me I have a haircut like a dude and I’m so caught up staring into those blue eyes that he has to repeat the insult a few times until it gets through. I’ve never let a man make me feel this self-conscious, dammit. Not bragging, but if they have a penis, then they usually act interested around me.”
Snapping her fingers, Lisa said, “Maybe he’s gay. That could be the answer to the whole mystery.”
Shaking her head, Dana sighed, “No, I already thought of that. According to Zoe, who got the information directly from Dylan, Ash has plenty of bed buddies and they’re all female. I have to accept that it’s simply me that he loathes.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, I think you’re on to something with the whole niceness thing. If you can manage to continue doing it without puking, then you might be able to even the playing field.”
Perking back up, Dana gave Lisa a high five and then hurried back toward the shop. When she got there, Zoe was sitting at a nearby table with her husband. Normally Dana would have walked over and traded a few barbs with him, but her heart wasn’t in it today. So, instead, she waved in their direction and walked behind the counter to help out with the lunch crowd. Despite the activity around her, a certain dark-haired, blue-eyed jerk remained on her mind for the rest of the afternoon. She vowed that, no matter what, she’d find out why the man detested her so much. After all, she had plenty of time on her hands; the opposite side of her bed had been vacant so long there were practically tumbleweeds sitting atop the sheets. I need to get laid, she decided. That’s the only way I’ll get him out of my head.
Two
Dana carefully juggled a pizza in one hand and her keys in the other as she finally managed to get the door to her apartment open without dropping everything. After a long day, she hadn’t been in the mood to cook so she’d opted for takeout instead. Of course, she had a hard time enjoying calorie-laden meals with Ash’s pointed insults always fresh in her head. And for someone who loved food as much as she did, that seriously pissed her off. She knew she wasn’t overweight. But at just a few inches over five feet, she had to be careful about her indulgences. As long as she exercised on a regular basis, she could enjoy her food in moderation without having to feel too deprived. She wasn’t skinny by any means. She had curves and she’d learned to embrace them. This wasn’t a one-size world. As long as you were healthy and comfortable in your own skin, that was all that mattered. She’d certainly never had a man complain before. Hell, self-confidence hadn’t been something she’d had an issue with since high school when she’d been the victim of bullying by a group of mean girls. But Ash had brought all of those old fears back with some well-placed barbs. Damn him for that. It had taken her ages to build her self-esteem back after those difficult teenage years.
As close as she was to Zoe, even her friend didn’t know about that time in her life. It was too humiliating to admit that she’d let that happen without sticking up for herself more. And with Ash, she appeared to be allowing the pattern to repeat. It seemed so different this time though. They were adults, for God’s sake. From all indications, he was normally a nice, well-regarded man. Certainly not the type to indulge in such hateful behavior. Although his insults weren’t as malicious as those of her former tormentors, they struck a tender nerve just the same. She’d been at a loss as to how to deal with it since the beginning. She knew that arguing with him wasn’t the answer. It only made things worse when you lowered yourself to someone else’s level, but she couldn’t seem to find the high road. Add in the fact that she was attracted to him and it was just a freaking disaster. She felt like a hormonal mess more often than not now. Even on the days he didn’t say anything biting to her, she was so tense from the anticipation that it was almost as bad. She was utterly confused by the fact that she wanted him regardless of how cruel he could be. He was the most confident man that she’d ever met and she was strangely drawn to him. She had always longed for a close-knit family like the Jacksons, and she grudgingly admired that Ash had uprooted his life in Charleston to move to Florida to help his brother out. That unselfish act had allowed Dylan and Zoe the time to finally have a life together that didn’t revolve around the hotel. Ash might pretend it was purely a business decision, but everyone involved knew it was brotherly love and loyalty, pure and simple.
Opening the box of pizza, she took out a slice of the pepperoni-laden heaven and bit into it. The flavors exploded on her tongue and she rolled her eyes in bliss. Then she froze. What if Ash could see her now? She could only imagine the comments he’d make. And just like that, one of her favorite foods tasted like cardboard. She found she could barely swallow the one bite. Shit! She was angrier at herself than at him. She’d let him in her head, which meant that despite her earlier feelings of elation at turning the tables, he was still winning. Stiffening her shoulders, she picked up the abandoned piece and forced herself to finish it. She was not going to let this happen. She wouldn’t turn into one of those stick figure women who survived on croutons and water to make a man happy. If it was the last thing she did, Asher Jackson would pay for the damage he’d inflicted on her self-confidence. She’d strike a blow for women everywhere who’d been made to feel like they didn’t measure up to someone’s standards. Maybe he thought he could get away with that shit because he was so damned hot, but he’d soon discover that he was wrong. Whereas her ultimate game had been a little muddled earlier, it was now crystal clear. She was going to make Ash fall for her, big butt and all. Women could be beautiful in all shapes and sizes, and it was high time someone made him realize it. Then she’d show him how it felt when someone made you feel as if you weren’t good enough according to their ridiculous standards. She could only hope he wasn’t so egotistical that he didn’t feel the sting. Because he deserved to suffer.
Ash looked around the crowded local pub and felt absolutely nothing. There were scores of attractive women there, many of whom were looking his way with blatant appreciation, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to care about the female attention he’d drawn. As he sat on his barstool nursing his second beer of the evening, his thoughts constantly returned to the bizarre encounter in his office earlier that day.
Dana had gotten to him. She’d scored a direct hit and had done it in the most unusual way. He knew she didn’t bear any kind feelings toward him. Being sweet to your enemy was the equivalent of taking fairy dust to a biker bar. It just simply wasn’t done. But damn, it had been effective. If he’d felt guilty before about the way he had been treating her, he was drowning in it now. She’d made him fucking cookies and had remembered they were his favorite. He’d essentially called her a fat munchkin and she’d brought him to his knees with kindness. Why hadn’t she attacked him as he did her? She always gave almost as good as she got, so this extreme change in behavior made no sense. You didn’t reward a bully, but she had done exactly that. He wouldn’t have been surprised to find a thank-you card in his bag of discarded food.
You’re a fucking asshole. There was no escaping that fact. He was punishing a woman that he barely knew for the sins of another. He recognized that, but he couldn’t seem to stop no matter how many times he vowed that he would. If he was any kind of a man, he would confess the whole thing to her and then beg to be forgiven. But he’d never been able to admit just how much damage Fiona had dealt him. More than his pride had taken a hit there. He didn’t like acknowledging even to himself how scarred he still was by the whole failed relationship. It had been years and he was no closer t
o moving on and putting the past behind him than he had been. Instead, he’d been torturing Dana. Even Dylan, who enjoyed sparring with Dana in good fun, disapproved of Ash’s behavior. When your brother couldn’t defend your actions, things were bad. And Zoe had taken to sending him glaring looks of disapproval whenever he was at their place. He felt like shit on a shoe, yet he continued to commit the same offense almost every day. Maybe he needed to find some kind of support group before he alienated everyone around him.
Or you could take a page from Dana’s book and try being pleasant for a change. Damn, that was a hard option to consider. He’d turned her into someone else in his head, a punching bag for his emotional wounds, and he didn’t know how to undo it. He could simply avoid the shop during the hours she normally worked. But he found that as much as she infuriated him, he was also equally drawn to her in some unfathomable way. He could no more stay away from her than he could keep his big mouth shut. Which left things at an impasse.
When a hand landed on his thigh, he jerked so hard he splashed beer on his shirt and his jeans. “Shit,” he grumbled. Then the hand was in his lap left before returning with a stack of napkins.
The as yet unidentified annoyance began wiping furiously at his crotch. “Sorry about that, Ashey. Let me take care of this wittle ol’ accident for you.”
Oh hell no. Please not Baby Talk Brittany. God, I know I deserve this, but please not her . . . Slowly turning his head to confirm his suspicion, Ash could barely contain his wince. Men always had women they regretted sleeping with, and Brittany was at the top of his list. Damn, that had been a mistake that continued to haunt him. Carefully shifting in his seat to get her away from his dick, he said, “I think I can handle it from here.”
She rolled her bottom lip out in an elaborate pout that would have been impressive had it not been so irritating instead. “Ashey, I’ve been calling you. Have you been out of town or something?”