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CHAPTER NINETEEN
Laura
“Hi,” Ianswered.
My heart beat twice as fast under Zach’sscrutiny. He locked me in his gaze, blue eyes that were narrowed into slits, his mouth set in astraight line. My self-conscious levels spiked to atrillion. My cheeks flushed and Iwished Ihad worn my hair loose so I’dhave something to play with.
When Zach wore the expression he had then, it usually meant one of two things. It could’ve been that having me here upset him, or that Ihad about ten seconds before he boned me in front of everyone.
Ihoped Ihadn’tupset him, and the entire place had glass doors, so no sex. On top of that, it would’ve sounded off, so fucking off, if Istarted explaining why Iwas there with Erin while Kevin’sstare bore holes in my back. We were, to the world, barely friends.
So Isaid hi.
“Zachary?” The dark-haired, formidable client with the light British accent called to him.
Zach twisted his head toward him and Ifollowed his gaze. Ihad to angle my head way up, since the other guy measured even taller than Zach, probably around the six-foot-five area. He wore adark blue, three-piece suit and athin charcoal tie, aRolex watch glinting beneath his pristine white shirt.
Looking at his face, Igot the impression of anormal person. Black short hair with alittle wave at the front, his light stubble styled on his square jaw, nothing strange. And then Imade the mistake of lingering on his eyes. The more Istared, the darker they became.
“One second, Pete.” Zach returned to me, saving me from who must have been the client he mentioned the other day. “Laura, give me aminute. Don’tgo.” He turned and left.
Ipinched my eyes shut, gave myself apep talk, and plastered aforced, close-lipped smile on my face. Inhaling soundlessly, Ifaced my friend.
“Um, what was that?” Amusement and wonder flashed across Erin’sface. “He acted like Ididn’texist.”
Continuing with the fake-it-till-you-make-it approach, Ibarked alaugh, my weird smile widening like Ace Ventura had possessed my body. “No clue, it’sZach. Pfft. Expect the unexpected.”
“Unexpected, yes.” Kevin leaned back in his chair, tapping his desk with apen. He straightened back when another suited man walked through the hall.
“Okay, Erin, seems like Joel’smeeting is finished so you can go and see him.”
Kevin’sdesk lent my weak knees the support they needed. “Go, enjoy your meeting. I’ll be here waiting. With Zach.”
She waved back, disappearing into the hallway.
“Laura, is it?” Kevin asked, placing his forearms on his desk, curiosity seeping through his words.
“Yes.”
“And your last name?”
“Farmer. Laura Farmer.” Idialed down my smile, understanding Ihad raised far too much suspicion with my over-friendliness.
He clicked on his mouse, narrowing his eyes at the computer. “Yeah, Ididn’tremember if you had ameeting for today. He’sclosed now for office hours.”
Iopened my mouth to say thatheaskedmeto wait, not the other way around, when Zach’swarm shoulder grazed mine.
“Yes, she’sLaura, my friend.” He rested his palm on the small of my back, an inch lower than he should have. His soft yet firm touch at the top of my butt sent aspark of warmth up my spine. “We’ll be in my office. Tell Erin to drop by when she’sdone with Joel.”
His palm remained there as he guided me to the right, the direction from which he came from, checking me out. “Twice in one day? Remind me to thank Erin for her services.” His lips tugged up to the side, sounding pleased with himself.
Refusing to let him hear me flustered or how turned on he made me with his manhandling, Iswallowed hard, regaining control of my voice. “She didn’tbring me here for you. We’re going out later and—” Itwisted my head when we passed by the office that had the letteringZachary F. Sheppard, Senior Partneron them.
“Yes, this is my office. Office, Tulip, Tulip, office. We’re not headed there.” He maintained his quick pace and bowed his head down to my ear. “We’re heading to aroom that has no glass doors.”
The hairs at the back of my neck prickled from his low voice and the proximity, with last night’smemories still very much alive.
One of the attorneys nodded at Zach who nodded back.
