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Yesterday, after his knee brought her to heights she’d never seen, she’d been a quivering mess. Benjamin had stepped back, watching her with cool detachment. That had been the worst part about that mind-numbing kiss. Sure, he’d said all those things about them being a good team, and working together was a pleasure, blah blah blah, but his tone had been cool. Aloof. Uninterested.
Completely unreadable.
Just like him.
After taking a long, deep breath, she paid the cabbie and opened the door. She’d go in there, they would plot their strategy just like they did in a normal business meeting, and she would treat it like any other day in the office. That was the secret. It would be fine. Everything would be fine. As soon as she—
She stepped out and landed her best pair of heels in a big, dirty puddle of questionable origins. “Oh, come on.”
The cabbie turned in his seat. “There a problem?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
As she climbed from the cab, she smacked her head on the top of the car. This time she didn’t even bother to cry out, because she wasn’t even in the least bit surprised. It was just the way the day had been going. And would continue to go, from all appearances. She shut the cab door, and it pulled away…
Two seconds after she realized she’d left her purse in the backseat.
“Wait!” she screamed, raising her arm and chasing after him.
He stopped, and she managed to retrieve her purse in the nick of time. Hugging it to her chest, she closed her eyes and took a second.
Because, God, she needed a second.
“Come on, Maggie. You can do this. You’re not cursed, and it’s not an omen. Go in there, and it’ll be fine. It’s just another job.”
“You weren’t kidding, were you?” a slightly amused voice asked. “You really do like talking to yourself.”
She shook her head and wished the sidewalk would just open up and swallow her, since that freaking meteorite had been a no-show last night. It would be better than whatever was coming next. “Sir?”
“Benjamin. You have to call me Benjamin.” He walked up to her, and his woodsy, male scent washed over her. She breathed it in like it had healing properties. “Look at me, Maggie.”
She did.
But she immediately wished she hadn’t.
His blue eyes were locked on her, and his five o’clock shadow begged to be touched. His wavy hair curled to perfection next to sharp cheekbones that belonged on a statue of a Greek god, not a mere man. And his eyes…they were cold. Rock hard. “Everything will be fine. We’re a good team, remember?”
“Yeah.” She took a deep breath. “I know.”
“I’m glad.” Funny, he didn’t look glad. “In this relationship, you’re the boss, not me. It’s only fair, since I’m the boss in the office. What you want, you get. What you don’t want, you don’t get. I want you to be one hundred percent happy. I don’t want you to feel trapped, or taken advantage of. Not with me.”
She just stared at him.
He kept saying nice things, but never seemed to actually care.
And she didn’t think that was an act. Did he feel anything around her? Okay, he felt something, because she’d gotten up close and personal with his impressive erection last night, but how could he just shut it off like that? How did he remain so cold, all the time?
When she remained silent, he cleared his throat. “You look gorgeous, by the way. Simply stunning.” Her stomach hollowed out, because the coldness in his eyes gave way to a heat that burned through her dress, leaving her bare. Even though he was only looking, it was if he’d touched her. Everywhere. “You’re a true beauty. The kind that no amount of makeup will ever recreate.”
Her whole body flushed. Yep. Everywhere. “I feel like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.”
“How fitting.” He cocked his brow. “I guess that makes me the Beast?”
“If the shoe fits…”
He skimmed his gaze over her again, almost possessively. Didn’t he know how much that made her tremble? He rested his hand across her lower back, dangerously close to touching her butt, and she pressed her thighs together. “Oh, it fits.”
Just three little words. Nothing racy or scandalous. Even so, it made her want to throw herself into his arms and beg him to take her again. God, he was good.
