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I’m about to step away, but then his gentle fingers reach for my face, brushing away the hair. I freeze.
What is he doing?
The elevator comes to a halt, and I jerk away from him, anxious to make as much space between us as I can. I’m afraid he might be like many others, trying to use me. I learned from my mistakes to not blindly trust people. Many think I’m an opportunist who won’t mind such attention to further my own social status. They’re wrong. I don’t want it. The life of bling and posing isn’t for me.
To distract myself from what just happened, I ask him, moving toward the empty reception desk, “Do you want me to order you something to eat?”
“Let me order for both of us. I think we need to get to know each other if we’re going to work together.” He picks up the phone, motioning for me to take a seat like nothing major transpired between us.
My heart palpitates, anxious to be around him and trust his intentions.
“What about Robert? Do you want me to see if he wants to join us?”
He absently shakes his head, but I go to check Robert’s office anyway. It’s empty. Sneezing from the dust, I hesitate at the door to return to Mark’s office. Instead, I retreat into mine.
What happened was far too intimate and inappropriate for two working colleagues. Let alone for my boss to touch me that way. I close my eyes, resting my back against the shelves in my little office, hiding from the man taking me by storm.
Dammit, I can’t go this route again. Perhaps Mark Lawson has the wrong idea about me. If that’s the case, I won’t be able to work here.
Falling in bed with Logan earned me quite a reputation even if we got married and had twins together. I’m still judged, dissected like an insect and displayed like a stuffed animal for everyone to point at.
“Cassandra.” His husky voice filtering from the next room snaps me from my thoughts, racing just like my pulse.
Straightening my back, I gather my resolve to tell him I’m way too busy for lunch. I can’t let anyone ruin this for me. My life’s complicated enough as it is.
But when I enter, the look on his face dissolves my willpower. Those lips are pressed in a line, forming a grimace as if he’s conflicted about something.
When he notices me in the doorway, watching him adjust his watch on his wrist, he rises to speak. “I need to apologize for the way I took the liberty to touch you. It was inappropriate, and I need you to know this won’t happen again.” His sincere expression makes me feel better about my own reaction. And perhaps, Mark Lawson isn’t like other men.
“I think we should keep our relationship strictly professional.”
He nods, holding my gaze for a moment and then motioning for me to take a seat opposite him.
“The food will arrive soon. Why don’t we talk?”
“What do you want to know?” I rub my lips together, crossing my legs when I sit.
“Tell me about your career goals.” He pauses, and his gaze fills up with interest
. “We might be able to help you achieve them if we know in what direction you want to go.”
I exhale a relieved breath and smile.
“To be honest, I'd love to learn everything about publishing, not only the marketing side of it. I dream of opening my own independent publishing house in the future and running it myself.”
“So, it's possible one day you’ll be my competition.”
I grin at him, pleased he isn’t apprehensive about sharing the knowledge or feeling threatened by me. My respect for him grows.
“Well, I have a lot to learn.”
“How about the short-term goals?”
“After seeing your marketing department and meeting people who work there, I definitely want to join Peter and his team. To help run and organize projects and marketing campaigns.”
“Stick around and you will. This is a perfect position to start. You’ll be in the epicenter of it all, even if you work on this floor with us. Just watch the people and learn. When you see an opportunity, take on the challenge, step up,” he says, providing me with encouraging advice.
When the food arrives, I’m comfortable to be around him once again.
