Page 13 of Open To Negotiation

This didn’t count since I already knew where she worked… right?

I didn’t follow her here or wait around a bush or track her phone.

I’d slept like shit, a certain redhead wouldn’t get out of my head. They were only slightly sexual dreams but half the time I was just watching her laugh.

Fucking distracting.

I’d gotten up early and had time to hatch a plan while I ran on the treadmill. I was a focused businessman, you didn’t find the success I had without being that way. People had called me ruthless before and I was, when I was determined.

And I got clarity on my early morning run.

Which was why I was currently standing in the lobby of her office, having just convinced the front desk to call her and tell her that her coffee meeting was waiting. I’d managed to avoid going into the office this morning, which meant that I hadn’t seen any of the guys. Which was good, because I’m sure they were going to give me shit for yesterday.

I adjusted my watch, pulled the sleeves of my black suit down and then saw movement. My dreams didn’t do this woman justice.

Today she was in a pair of black dress pants that stopped at her ankle, a pair of white runners, a white T-shirt and a black blazer. The black made the red of her hair stand out. She didn’t bother with much makeup which wasn’t surprising since she was fucking gorgeous without it. I liked being able to see her cheeks flush.

She walked up to me cautiously, looking at me with a frown on her face. “Knight?” She was clearly confused as to why I was here.

Honestly, that made two of us.

“Theo,” I corrected. Everyone in my life called me Knight, I didn’t want that from her.

Why? No fucking clue.

Maybe this was the start of a midlife crisis, even though I wasn’t in the middle of my life. I should book an appointment with a doctor or therapist.

“We didn’t have a meeting?” she questioned, tilting her head.

I grabbed her elbow and gently moved her away from the reception desk and listening ears. “Thought you might be open to going for a coffee?”

I timed it correctly. It was ten am and I was hoping that this was when she would be ready for another.

“I can’t just… leave…” She looked over her shoulder with a frown on her face.

“Why not? Is Richard here?” I already knew the answer, thanks to the chatty receptionist.

“Well no,” she said with an eyeroll, like your boss not being there was normal. “But—”

“I will have you back in an hour.”

“Forty-five minutes,” she threw back. I suppressed a smile, not only because she was going to come with me but also because she was negotiating with me. People didn’t do that, well at least no one outside of my inner circle. “And we are getting our coffees in to-go cups.”

“Deal.” I was about to put my hand on her back, but she took a step away from me.

“I just need to go grab my purse." I already saw her slip her phone in her back pocket when she walked up.

“Come on, Love, you don’t need anything.” I pushed her out the door despite her frown.

The nickname had slipped out, I’d never used it on anyone before but she radiated warmth and love; within a moment of meeting her, I knew it suited her. Watching how she interacted with Oli and Noah, listening intently and asking them questions because she was genuinely curious.

“Is this your move?” she asked as we made it to the street, waiting at the light to cross to the coffee shop on the other side. I made sure as we hit the other side that she walked on the inside. “Show up at people’s places of work when they reject you and force them to have coffee with you?”

I shook my head as we got to the shop. “Considering I don’t get rejected, no, this isn’t my move.” Her laugh filled me with pride. It sounded better than it did in my dreams.

I held the door open for her, loving the way she brushed against my chest as she passed.

“I’m sure the accent wins you a lot of points, huh?” she asked as we joined the short line.