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“Here,” I said, passing him a stack of papers. It was the spreadsheet I’d started working on the week before. Cooper had tasked me with compiling information about a competitor and the ingredients used in their products. In truth, he’d asked me to hack in their systems and pull information, but I hadn’t pulled the trigger on that particular aspect of the project just yet.
Cooper studied the paper, a slight wrinkle between his furled brows.
“Good work. Very organized.” He handed the copies back and stepped towards the door, apparently ready to leave.
My chest clenched, suddenly not wanting him to go. I was still mad as hell at him, and had a thousand non-work-related questions that I needed answers to, but as I sat there before him, all I wanted was for him to take me into his strong arms and kiss me till I couldn’t think about anything else.
I shook my head slightly, my headache still numbly pulsing at my temples.
I needed to get a grip.
“I have a meeting,” he said.
“Break a leg…or whatever it is you corporate drones say for such an occasion,” I said, offering a smile to him.
He hesitated, and I had a beat of hope that he would stay and apologize for being such an ass. I raised my eyebrows at him, expectantly.
“And Allison, remember, it wouldn’t look good to fraternize too much with Parker. People will talk,” he said.
By the time my shock cleared, and the “fuck you” had bubbled to the surface, he was gone.
“Ugh!” I groaned and lay my head back down on the desk, as soon as his form had disappeared from my sight.
He was playing with me…and I wouldn’t have it.
Not anymore. Not after what he’d done.
I picked up my head and grabbed the phone off my desk. It took me a moment of searching through the digital database, but I found it.
Parker answered on the third ring. “This is Parker Lee.”
“Hi, Parker, it’s Allison.”
“Allison! Hello,” he said. I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Are you still free for that dinner?”
“Yes, yes I am. I can pick you up at seven?”
“Sounds great. See you then.”
I set the phone back to the base and felt a flutter of anxiety.
What had I just done?
Parker arrived at my apartment at seven on the dot. I had emailed him directions after lunch. Knowing what was coming had put my stomach in knots all day. It wasn’t that I was actually interested in Parker, but more so, the jealousy that Cooper would feel if he were to hear through the office grapevine that I’d taken Parker up on his offer. All afternoon I had cycled through the different outcomes that were possible from accepting the invitation and nearly all of them ended in a huge, blow-up argument with Cooper.
I knew that I should feel bad, but as I strapped on my new high heels, I was almost looking forward to it.
Cooper had broken my heart and my trust and he needed to be taught a lesson.
Besides, Parker was a nice enough guy—and it was just dinner. One little dinner. Nothing more.
“Hi,” I greeted him as I opened the front door. “Let me just grab my purse.”
Parker waited on the doorstep for me, and then ushered me down to his waiting car. It was some fancy import that probably went faster than was legal in any state, but it sure was pretty. Surprisingly, he also knew how to handle such a beastly car. Then again, I guessed from what little information I had, that he’d been born wealthy and probably had always had nice cars to drive.
Must have been nice. I sighed to myself.
