She hiked her eyebrows. “Seriously? You have to ask me that?”
“Sorry, yes, I do.” He leaned back in his chair.
“For the record, I don’t dothat—nor do I give off the vibe of being the least bit interested in doing that—with any of my clients or my coworkers.”I’m not doing that with anyone.
“I’ll handle it. Thanks for telling me.”
“Thank you for listening.” She exhaled a relieved breath, collected her belongings and headed for the door.
“By the way—” he said. With her hand on the doorknob, she turned. “You’ve not been yourself lately. Something on your mind?”
Oh, no.Swallowing, she shook her head. “Not a thing. Why?”
“At last week’s staff meeting I overheard you tell Kat you were feeling restless. Stop by around four. I might have a new client opportunity that could remedy your situation.”
You weren’t supposed to hear that.“How’s four fifteen?”
“That’s fine.” His phone rang.
“Thanks for your help. I debated whether I should say anything.”
“You did the right thing.” He gave her a reassuring smile, then snatched the receiver. “Robert Sethfield.”
Since Senator Internado’s inappropriate behavior was no longer her problem, her spiked heart rate slowed as she set off toward her office. But Seth had heard her off-the-cuff remark and was concerned enough to offer a solution.Way to go, dummy.
Brigit was days from becoming the single biggest shareholder of the Francesco Company, with twenty-two percent. But at this rate, it would be years before Francesco was back where it belonged. With family.
Until I’m running Francesco, it’s business as usual, don’t count your chickens, and stop acting like a six-year-old at a moon bounce party.
She entered her shoebox-sized office, dropped her items on her chair, collected her laptop, and tapped on the office doorframe next to hers. “Ready?”
Phone to ear, Kathryn Langston hunched over the console, dark, wavy hair hiding her pretty face. “Yes, it’s my pleasure.” Kat flipped her hair away and mouthedHelp me.
Brigit smiled. She needed this innocuous distraction.
“How ‘bout we save the Euro-Asian approach to solar energy for our next conversation?” Silence. “No, thankyouand I look forward to it, too.” Kat married phone to cradle, pushed her black frames against the bridge of her nose, and walked around her desk.
Brigit eyed her friend’s bare feet. “You’re casual.”
Kat tucked her chin. “Oops.” Groaning, she squeezed into her heels and the two women headed for the conference room.
Tasked by Seth with familiarizing Matthew Rossmann, the firm’s newest agent, with the brokerage’s internal systems, the women had concluded within minutes of meeting him that his priorities revolved aroundtheirinternal systems. He’d been trying to poke his nose, or any other body part, into their personal business. Brigit had zero intention of playing dip-the-stick with a coworker.
“Hello, ladies,” Matthew posed in the doorway, his palms pressing each side of the frame. “Where do you want me?”
Brigit’s stomach churned at his cocky smile, puffed chest and slicked-down hair. The overpowering stench of cologne blew into the room. She rubbed her nose, thwarting the urge to sneeze.
“We don’t.” Kat pointed to the chair between them. “Sit here.”
Over an hour later, Brigit’s phone buzzed with a text from receptionist, Shaniqua Hall.OMG. An Adonis walked in. You have got to see this one.
Fighting a smile, Brigit pursed her lips as she peered through the wall of glass spanning the conference room. Adonis was causing quite the fuss. Several female brokers huddled together like starstruck teens at a rock concert. Brigit’s heart had been broken one too many times to let some hunk affect her. Plus, her priorities were focused on getting her company back.
Her phone buzzed with another text from Shaniqua.He smiled. I melted.
Seth—nothis assistant—escorted the man toward his corner office. The stranger glanced into the conference room, then did a double take when his penetrating gaze met hers.
An unexpected frisson ripped through her, shooting her into the stratosphere. A raw, ripe sexual need flooded her body. Her cheeks flushed with heat. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. She just soaked up his beauty. Tall and broad, with a black wool coat—no, that coat was cashmere—draping his strapping physique. His midnight eyes flashed power and lust. She imagined nibbling his chiseled cheekbones and jutting jawline until her lips brushed his sensual mouth. Her fingers twitched, eager to fist handfuls of his dark chocolate hair resting softly on his cashmere collar.
