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“It’s Raven,” I snap. “For the record, I didn’t know who you were. Some guy named Paxton told me that down the hall were metal doors that were for the VIP restrooms.”
His nose scrunches. “What? It was Pax that told you the closet was a toilet?”
“Yes,” I say, throwing my hands in the air. “I told you that night.”
“I certainly didn’t believe you.”
“Charles...” I look him in the eyes. “May I call you that?”
“I think that would be highly inappropriate, being as everyone else calls me Mr. Cavendish or simply Cavendish.”
I wave my hand in the air, rolling my eyes. “I’m pretty sure your hands were on my rear, and your tongue was shoved down my throat. I’ll call you Charles.” I smile sweetly, watching his features darken in response.
Whether it’s due to the reminder of what we did or the way I’m railroading him, I’m uncertain, but I don’t care. He has my blood boiling. Accusing me of orchestrating being locked in a damn dark hole to be alone with him... it’s nuts.
“What is it that you want from me, Miss Bennett?”
My eyes narrow to slits. “Nothing. I want absolutely nothing from you.”
He grunts. “Unlikely.”
I take a deep breath and lean my elbows on top of his desk. “I earned this job and had it well before Wednesday evening. If I would’ve known who you were, I wouldn’t have gotten within an inch of you.”
He smirks as though what I’m saying is laughable. Like he has me all figured out.
Idiot.
“I’m sorry if you feel like I somehow cornered you, but that’s not what happened. It was a horrific case of wrong place, wrong time.” I take a breath, making sure I have his attention. “I want nothing more from you than to be left alone to do my job. A job that I’ll be damn good at.”
“Is that all?”
I nod. “When I leave this office, we’ll forget Wednesday ever happened. I’ll do my job, and you’ll do yours. Nobody in this place will know we’ve ever met. We’ll be professional because that’s what we are. Professionals.”
He considers me for several tense minutes, and I never once break his stare, determined for him to see that I’m serious.
“All right. We’re agreed,” he says. “I think we better move up finding Keller an assistant and remove you from his temporary help. Let’s be honest, if you work for him in any capacity, it’s going to end in disaster.”
My head bobs in confirmation.
“I actually happen to think that you’ll be an asset to this company. Not many people have the balls to speak up and tell a room of executives that their idea lacks foundation.”
A genuine smile spreads across my face at the compliment.
“I was just doing my job.”
He purses his lip. “No. Actually, you were doing the account manager’s job in their absence. That makes you far more valuable to the Diosa team, as it already shows your capability far surpasses what is on your CV.”
“Thank you,” I say, standing to make my way to the door.
“Going somewhere, Miss Bennett?” His voice is full of humor. “I think we have more to discuss, and I don’t recall dismissing you from this meeting.”
With my back turned to him, my eyes closed. Being this close to him isn’t fun for me. I meant what I said about forgetting Wednesday night, but it’s not easy to do. The man has a hold on me that I don’t understand.
Yes, he’s entirely too handsome for his own good, but it’s more than that. His magnetism, arrogant ego...him... all call to me. It’ll be a lesson in restraint to keep to my word, but I’m determined to do it.
I open my eyes, turn, and take a seat. “I apologize. I thought we were done.”
I have no idea where the conversation is headed. But at least it doesn’t sound like I’m going to get fired any time soon.
