Page 69 of Beguiled

A full five seconds passed.

“What now,moya lichnaya tantsovshchitsa?”

“Don’t call me that. Not here. No, not anywhere.” I glanced over his shoulder at the door, thankful no one had walked into the break room. That wouldn’t last long. At least his stupid words of endearment had broken the hypnotic state.

I yanked paper towels and turned on the cold water.

“What would you prefer I call you?” He had to ask the question, his obvious amusement showing more emotion than he’d ever done in the office.

“Ms. Mitchell is just fine.”

“Since we’re getting to know each other very well, that’s unacceptable. Saige will have to do.”

I barely lifted my gaze, falling into Florence Nightingale mode as I pressed the cool towels against his chest. In trying to be as gentle as possible, every few seconds my pinky brushed across his skin. After only twenty seconds, I realized he’d gone silent. There were two sounds in the room: his heavy breathing and my thudding heart.

Once again, I dared shift my eyes upward, noticing his were fixated on me, his expression similar to what I’d seen the night before in the throes of passion.

“Stop looking at me,” I demanded, although my voice was barely a whisper.

“I’m merely ensuring you don’t finish what you started.”

“What?” I snapped my head up. “Do you honestly think I did that on purpose?”

“Did you?”

I backed away, my butt hitting the sink. At this point, I couldn’t read his expression. Even if he was kidding, which I doubted given the level of security, his words hurt after what we’d shared.

My cheeks flared, likely hot to the touch and I looked away before he realized he affected me in any way. “You think much too highly of yourself.” I tossed the towels, avoiding staring at his broad chest again.

Being so close to him was annoying. However, inhaling his aftershave, which was so much headier and enticing than the man on the subway, was debilitating.

“Perhaps you’re right,” he offered, although his tone had shifted into being sultry.

“Is that why there’s additional security? You don’t trust me any longer?”

He crowded my space and I was forced to suck in my breath all over again. What was he doing? Reaching over me, he opened the cabinet, grabbing two additional cups. From there, he proceeded to make two cups of coffee, including adding just the right amount of my favorite creamer.

How had he… Never mind. I had a feeling he’d already learned everything about me. The man didn’t sleep, and I knew that because I’d peeked at him during the night. He’d had plenty of time to have his goons checking on me.

When he was finished stirring, tossing the little wooden stick, he pushed the cup he’d prepared for me closer. “There are aspects about last night that continue to disturb me. My security team is merely ensuring every employee is safe while doing their jobs. Nothing more.”

He was close enough I should feel suffocated. The way he was looking at me was as if daring for me to challenge him.

I had nothing at this point to say.

So he backed away, grabbing his shirt and tossing it over his shoulder. The look he threw out was entirely different than this time the day before, a heated glance full of knowing. An experience that couldn’t be changed and would never be repeated.

“You should keep the area dry and pay attention to your skin. If it starts to bubble, you may want to see your doctor just in case. I am sorry I burned you.”

He took a deep breath, the expression I was used to covering the earlier mask. “Don’t worry, my private dancer. I’ve been through much worse.”

Of course he walked out, preventing me from correcting him.

Even though a man like Stash would never accept being corrected on anything.

Oh, he was so infuriating.

At least I made it back to my desk without falling on my face or tossing my coffee on anyone else. Once I sat down and after I threw a hate-filled look toward his closed office door, I got to work.