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Rita hesitated, as if trying to remember if there were any other accusations being thrown at me, but then she nodded.
“I have to admit. Miss Rand is a stunning woman. However, I can assure you that there is nothing to these rumors. And to take it one step further, I must add that to have these accusations even reach me is unsettling. I‘ve been with your firm for quite a number of years. I have worked with a lot of your staff and there has never been so much as a whisper of impropriety before.
“Miss Rand was a great asset to me in getting my ad campaign back on track. However, now that the project is done, I see no reason that we would need to work together going forward,” he said, echoing my statement to Rita not minutes before. But hearing the words come out of his mouth stung even more than when I’d said it.
“Understood. I am so very sorry that any of this was even brought up and I trust it won’t affect our future ventures together,” Rita said, doing her best to schmooze her way back into Cooper’s wallet.
“Of course not. Now, with that out of the way, I do have another meeting.”
“Of course.” Rita stood at the same time as Cooper and I felt awkward sitting so I stood too. I was also thinking it might be my best chance to escape. I didn’t have anything left to say Rita and I desperately needed a breath of fresh air, mostly to escape the heavenly scent of Cooper’s cologne that was stirring up memories and wet sensations I didn’t want to have to deal with. Not now anyway, I was still at work.
He shook Rita’s hand and then turned to me and our eyes met for the first time since I’d run out of his office. A jolt of heat flashed through my body and I locked my knees to keep from wavering in my heels. I wanted…needed…to send him the message that I was in no way affected by his presence, his voice, his smell, or the way his eyes darkened when he looked at me. Like right now.
Mercy.
“Goodbye, Miss Rand. I hope you find a long and successful future here.”
“Thank you. I wish you the best, as well.”
He nodded and then turned to leave, my heart twisting with each, endless second that clicked by.
When he was gone and I was left with Rita, my emotions turned to—rage that I knew I had to control. “Satisfied?” I asked, staring her down.
“We’re done here, if that’s what you are asking.” She sat back down without another word and started to dig through a pile of papers on her desk. “Goodbye.”
I flung the door open and stalked out, stopping by my desk for a moment to change into my walking shoes and then I headed out. I hadn’t taken a lunch hour because my stomach had been in knots and food hadn’t
sounded good at all, but now I needed the break. I needed to get out and away from all of this and a quick walk around the complex would help clear my head.
I hoped.
I started off fast, pounding out my frustration on the pavement underneath my feet.
“This. Is. Stupid.”
All of my problems related to this job. And what is it anyway? I hadn’t done one line of code, reset one password, or set up any website since I got here. Catering to spoiled, rich dudes and putting up with diva, jealous bitches wasn’t my idea of a good time. In fact, I went out of my way to avoid people like that in my life. So what on earth was I doing, working here? Why is this my whole livelihood? Yes, I have a crazy amount of debt, mostly due to my dirt bag ex who racked up my credit cards as a parting gift when he left me for some skanky chick he found on the internet. But I could find a job somewhere else. It wouldn’t be that hard. At least that way I could ensure I wouldn’t have to see Cooper ever again.
Cooper. Fuck.
I shook my head and sped up my pace.
I probably should hire a shrink to get inside my head, untangle some wires, and figure out exactly what it is that had me so messed up with that man. Was I just lonely? It had been about six months since my ex did his disappearing act. But I had my friends, my family, Sam, my fluffy little fur baby. No, it wasn’t loneliness. Besides, if I just needed a man, I could find one with no problem. Any given Saturday night, I would be propositioned by at least a dozen guys who figured that once a girl like me got a few drinks in her she would be giving it away. They were always disappointed to find that tattoos, leather, and booze don’t equal an easy score—at least, not in my books.
So what was it? What was his spell on me?
I sighed and stopped to take a rest at a bench. I plopped down and leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees to catch my breath.
My heart rate had just returned to normal when I heard a voice that made it skyrocket again. “Allison?”
A hysterical laugh escaped from me as I turned to look up at Cooper, standing a few feet away on the walking trail. “Of course.”
“Can I talk to you?”
“I don’t know what on earth about. You made it pretty clear in there,” I gestured back to the silhouette of the office building, “exactly how you feel about me.”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “I can explain. May I sit down?” He looked at the seat next to me and I laughed again, this cordial politeness seemed insane all things considered, but I nodded permission and he sat down.
“Talk,” I said, scooting my leg away so it wasn’t in danger of touching his.
