Page 9 of Bound Hearts

“Sutton Rhodes will ensure everything is bulletproof.”

There we go.

Hearing her name already lifts my mood. Sutton hooked me from the start—her quick wit, the way she flicks her hair, how she pulls me in and teases out my flirty side. Conversation with her is effortless. The chemistry is undeniable, and I’m not fooling myself.

Why am I obsessing over the thought of her? I keep circling back to Sutton, caught between what people might say and the fact that, technically, company policy is on my side—even if I hesitate.

“Tell me more about this Sutton Rhodes,” I request, partly for entertainment and partly for intel.

“What is there to say? She’s a straight shooter. No BS. Still, everyone on the team enjoys having her around. I’ve already scheduled a meeting for you two. You might have to guide her on things, as she’s still new. This is your lead, and she will follow.”

"Will she now?" My tone hints that I'm pleased, though my face stays neutral.

I should be dreading this shake-up. I coach myself: stay sharp, think like a CFO, tackle the challenge head-on.

But none of that is happening. The opposite, actually.

“Be nice. Recruitment put in great effort so that she went with us and not the two other offers she had on the table.”

I stand and rebutton the blazer on my three-piece suit, tailor-made for me the other week, as I saunter to my floor-to-ceiling window. “I’m always nice.”

She chuffs a laugh. “Are you? I hear mixed reviews.”

"Unpredictability is sometimes the key to success."

“Sure,” she replies blandly. “Anyhow, I’ll inform Sutton, and you’ll see her at four.”

"Looking forward to it," I murmur as she leaves.

Staring across the city skyline with clouds hiding the tips of the taller skyscrapers, I recall the weekend—starting with a shitshow of a family lunch, then pep-talking a friend in need, feeling relief during a short time with Sutton, and ending with the cherry on top: a work fiasco. Only one thing stands out, though, which causes me to smile to myself.

It’s her.

I’m starting to think Sutton is a test I’m meant to take. Every instinct tells me she’s a prize worth chasing.

The day drags on, lunch forgotten. Time blurs until I spot my office door ajar as I return after a team meeting—a sure sign someone’s waiting inside.

I glance at my watch. I already know who's there. Her rose scent lingers. I slow as I enter and see Sutton, hair draped down, one leg crossed over her knee as she sits opposite my desk. In contrast to her director, Sutton's dress is respectable but rises to reveal her knees and gray heels.

Yep, sexy and imprinted in my mind.

"Here for your tip?" I announce. She turns with an easy, soft smile as I pace a few steps and set my tablet on my desk.

“Not exactly. I hear I’ve been assigned to work with you.”

I unbutton my blazer and decide to perch on the front edge of my desk. I’m close to her, and I intend it to be that way. I rest my hands on the smooth surface and cross my ankles to appear casual. “You don’t sound pleased with that,” I joke.

She rests her elbow on the armrest and relaxes as she leans back slightly, her tiny smirk still perfectly pasted. “Depends.”

"Well, here we are. Guess it was inevitable." Our eyes tether together.

“Who knew it would be so soon?”

"Ready to conquer with me?" I love how that can mean two things.

Her cheeks rise and tighten as she struggles to fight a smile, giving herself a moment to relish the sentence. She clears her throat and drops our eye contact. “About the contract. The owner of Klink seems like a real hard-ass.”

Business—of course, that’s why she’s here. Still, I stay put, refusing my usual seat. I want our orbit tight, her magnetism close, neither of us able to break free from this pull.