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She still seems a little unsteady, so I maintain my grip on her elbow, worried she’s going to take a tumble. “That must have been some interview,” I mumble while watching her closely.
“It… wasn’t great,” she shares while reaching out to put a steadying hand on my chest. Even though there is a layer of cotton between us, her hand’s burning my skin as if she’s touching my bare chest. I suck in a breath, suddenly feeling like I can’t get enough air.
“I always knew Patrick Shaw was an idiot, but that seals it. If they didn’t hire you, the entire company is incompetent.” She looks up at me through her eyelashes. The color returns to her face in full force.
Like a magnet is pulling me in, I take another step forward until I’m definitely invading her personal space. I don’t care. This is the closest I have ever been to her, and all I can think about is pulling her into my arms.
My gaze travels over the planes of her face and I notice her pupils are dilated, covering much of the green and gold of her eyes. Are those tiny freckles across her nose? A shiver runs through her body that I’m pretty sure is not from her little scare a moment ago. I’m looking into her eyes and can see my own desire reflected there. If I wanted her, I could have her.
Both of our breaths are labored and all it would take for my lips to be on hers is for either of us to make a slight movement forward. I can practically taste her mouth. Holding back any longer isn’t an option.
I’m lowering my head when I hear the doorknob rattle and quickly take a large step back, releasing her elbow from my hold. Hollie almost falls forward now that she is no longer using my chest to hold her up, but catches herself just in time.
“I hope I’m not interrupting…” Uncle Gilbert says cautiously. Of course, who else would walk in here, unannounced, like he owns the place?
“If you were so worried about it, then why didn’t you knock?” I growl. My tone isn’t helping to smooth over this awkward situation, but I couldn’t care less. I almost had her.
Hollie seems to have come back to her senses, even if her cheeks are still a bright pink. “If you’ll both excuse me, it’s late and I have to be getting home.” Before I can say anything to her, she flees my office, closing the door behind her, leaving me alone with my uncle, who is most certainly not welcome at the moment.
I move back behind my desk before he notices the large bulge in my pants that’s been there for weeks. “What do you need, Gilbert?”
“Yes, sorry,” he mumbles. The man is probably two sheets to the wind at this time on a Friday night. “I came to see if you set up a meeting with Caroline DuPont yet. The board has been breathing down my neck on when we’re going to get this deal signed.”
I almost laugh at that. I’m sure no one on the board expects Gilbert Clarke to do a damn thing. He did nothing when he was CEO and he certainly isn’t doing anything now. I’m sure he’s just inserting himself into board gossip.
“I’m working on it. If people would stop barging into my office, I might be further along.”
He has the good sense to look abashed. “Well, if you need anything at all, my boy, you know I’m here for you. All you need to do is ask.”
“Thanks, but I’ve got everything under control.”
At that, he narrows his eyes. “I hope you do.”
He takes his leave and I’m left in my office. Alone.
Running my hands through my hair, I try to get my emotions and my body under control. That was too close. It’s obvious that we’re both attracted to each other, but, as my uncle reminded me, the board’s watching my every move right now. If they caught me kissing, or God forbid fucking, my assistant in my office, that would be it. Goodbye, Santa Cruz. Goodbye, job.
I’m more resolute than ever to stay far away from Hollie Simmons. Messing with her would bring me nothing but trouble, and no woman is worth that. A voice inside my head whispers…
But what if she is?
Seven
hollie
I walk through my front door half an hour after I left Archer’s office. Did I almost kiss him? Did he almost kiss me? This cannot be happening. What if I just threw myself at my boss? Is he going to fire me? God, it would be even worse if he thought he had to let me down easy. The naive, young, full figured girl who thinks she could date a man like him.
I shake my head at myself. No, I’m almost positive he was about to kiss me. I can’t let that kind of negative thinking enter my head, even if this entire situation is crazy.
“Is everything okay?”
Apparently, I’ve been standing in the doorway for a little too long, which has prompted Bianca to turn from her place on the couch and question me. “I’m fine.”
There’s an open bottle of wine sitting on the table and even though I already had two glasses at the office, I could certainly use another. “I’m gonna need a glass of that.” I make my way into the kitchen and pull out a stemless wine glass from the cupboard. Stemless wine glasses are the single greatest thing to happen to wine drinkers like me in the past ten years. Some of us speak with our hands when we get tipsy, and when hands go flying so do glasses that are teetering on stems.
I approach the couch and let Bianca fill up my glass. Violet exits the hallway into the living room and takes a seat next to Bianca, popping a grape into her mouth. “Are we all home tonight?” I ask.
“Sure are,” Bianca confirms, while still eyeing me. “I want to work on some pieces for the show the gallery is putting on next month, and Vi here says she needs to study.” Always a woman of few words, Violet only nods her head in confirmation. “What is going on with you, Hollie? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
