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“You don’t have to be sorry. I’m the fool who keeps dating highly unsuitable men.”
Am I highly unsuitable? I laugh on the inside. Without doubt. “You’re not a fool. I’d say they’re the fools.” I look into her eyes as she slowly turns her full body toward me, her head tilted in silent contemplation, her smile reserved. She’s trying to suss me out, and for reasons unbeknown to me, that makes me feel extremely vulnerable. Why? Every woman I encounter tries to suss me out. It’s never bothered me before, but this woman seems to be sending my usual cool self into chaos. My control is slipping. I want to kiss her. More than I’ve ever wanted to kiss a woman before.
“You think?” she asks quietly.
“I know,” I reply, my body slowly starting to turn, too, bringing our fronts closer, my nose immediately invaded by her distinct scent. Oh shit, what the hell am I doing? I don’t know, but I know I can’t stop myself. “So you won’t be seeing him again?”
“No.”
“Shame.”
“Is it?”
“I don’t know, is it?” Walk away, Christianson!
“I’ve had no better offers.”
I want to fuck you. How does that sound for a better offer? “Maybe something better will come along when you least expect it.”
She nods mildly, chewing her lip as she stares right into my eyes. “Could have already.”
My head tilts, and I stare right back, feeling like I’m being hypnotized. Could have already?
A door slams, snapping me out of my trance, and I shoot back like I’ve been electrocuted, my coffee sloshing over my hand. “Bollocks,” I hiss.
Gina’s standing on the threshold of the kitchen, eyebrows high, taking in the scene. I feel my cheeks heat, and my cock shrinks at the sight of my PA studying me accusingly. Lainey coughs and turns toward the coffee machine.
“Nice talking,” I say, striding away, ignoring Gina’s face following my path as I hurry back to my office, my mind racing. Fucking hell, that was close, and our conversations are way too inappropriate. And the way she looks at me . . .
So not only do I need to avoid looking at her, I also need to avoid talking to her. Lainey, Lainey, Lainey.
No sooner have I swung the door closed behind me, it’s swinging open again. I cringe, not needing to look to see who’s in my office with me.
“Well that explains everything,” Gina says, slamming the door.
I sit down, forcing a blasé façade, and take a casual sip of my coffee. “What are you talking about?”
“You.” She stomps over and dumps herself in the chair, making her boobs jump beneath her red silk shirt. “You’ve not been yourself all week, hiding away in here, avoiding meetings, calling everyone here instead of venturing to anyone else’s office. And now I know why. You’re hiding. Because you want to fuck Sal’s new PA, and you can’t. And it’s driving you mad.”
My nostrils flare. She’s too bloody smart. I should fire her. I can’t fire her. She’s too bloody smart. “That’s not true.”
Gina scoffs, justifiably. “What was that, then?” She thumbs over her shoulder to the door.
“What?”
“That little moment I saw.”
“She was helping me figure out that stupid fucking machine.” I point at the door too, unable to rein in my frustration. “Because my assistant was nowhere in sight to get my coffee.”
“I was on my lunch break.”
I growl, pushing myself up from my chair aggressively and stalking over to the couch, snatching up my drawings for Pyra Lingerie. Work. Bury myself in work.
“Ty, I don’t need to remind you about Sal’s and your rule, do I?”
“No, Gina, you don’t, because we all know things like that can only end badly.” I breathe in some patience. “I never cross the line with staff, you know that. I’m a professional.” I laugh at myself on the inside, because I’ve crossed the line constantly in my head since I met Lainey Summer. “And before you say it, my fondness of your breasts doesn’t count.”
Silence falls for a few uncomfortable moments while I wait for Gina to agree, and after a significant length of time has passed and she hasn’t, I glance up and find her watching me. “Okay,” she relents, getting up from her chair and smoothing her skirt down before tucking her short blonde hair behind her ears. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“I’m glad you’re glad.” This is a silent, mutual agreement. We won’t be having this conversation again. I’m relieved. I feel all hot and bothered. But above everything else, this little confrontation with my eagle-eyed assistant has knocked me back on track. Lainey is off limits.
“I’m glad you’re glad I’m glad.” Gina smiles sarcastically and my lip curls in response. “Besides, she’s taken,” she says flippantly as she waltzes off. “I just saw her on my lunch break with a guy.”
