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I looked over my shoulder at the door.
“Axel, you got a second?” It was Damian. God dammit. I could hear the proverbial brakes screeching.
I swore, tearing myself away from Cora. I glared at her as I went behind my desk. “Sit down.”
She didn’t give me any sass this time. She slid into the seat facing my desk and adjusted her dress. I sat behind my desk, adjusting my raging hard-on as I cleared my throat. I didn’t know what I wanted more—to send Damian away and finish what I started with Cora or throw her out of the building and tell her to keep her money.
“Come in,” I called, just as Cora fished a mirror out of her handbag to touch up her lipstick.
The door opened and Damian walked in, looking equal parts curious and elated. He jerked his thumb toward the hallway beyond the door. “So. This thumb drive of cryptocurrency Francis just told me about. Anyone care to explain?”
Cora fixed me with a satisfied smile before looking back at Damian. “That’s part of the deal I made with Axel. I was hoping he would have explained the terms to you. But now, you three can make your offer to Margulis Realty, and this time, you won’t be outbid.”
My heart thumped in my chest as I looked between Damian and Cora. I still couldn’t wrap my head around seeing Cora sitting in my visitor’s chair. And I had to contend with the fact that I’d nearly sucked her face off, on top of it all.
This was what Damian had been afraid of, why my brothers kept checking in on me.
I hated that I’d given in to my curiosity. To the long-simmering desire. I didn’t know where to go from here. I’d mouth-fucked her on a rumor that she wanted to divorce her husband. But she hadn’t done it yet. And I had no idea what else was going on in her life. Whether it would be happening soon, or ever.
You fucked up.
“How much is on there?” Damian asked.
“Three million,” Cora responded coolly. “A little over, based on the trading rate when I last checked. But feel free to keep the overage.” To me, she said, “This is the Bitcoin you convinced me to invest in during my last year at Stanford. So thanks for the tip. I think it will serve us all well.”
I clenched my jaw, determined not to let that little tidbit win me over. The full-circle use of cryptocurrency that I’d encouraged her to dabble in was heartwarming—of course it was. But I was not in a position let Cora warm my heart.
Damian blinked. “Does Trace know about this?”
“Not yet,” I said. “I wanted to be sure this was happening before I told you two. And, well, it looks like it’s happening.”
Damian nodded, a genuine smile on his face. “Well. This is great news for a Monday. What’s the stipulation?”
Cora laughed, because of course a thumb drive giving us access to the equivalent of three million dollars came with a stipulation. “I need to use a portion of the building for my own non-profit purposes. My use will not be attached to the Margulis name or mission and must be kept confidential.”
His brows drew together. “Okay. Give me a ballpark of your intended use.”
“LGBTQ Theater.”
Her words hit my heart like an arrow. I knew exactly what she wanted to accomplish and why. And fuck if it didn’t soften me up after I’d just decided to close myself off to her again.
“Sounds great to me,” Damian said. “I’ll go tell big bro.”
“Uh, Damian, will you see Cora out?” Regardless of her altruistic endeavor, I needed her out of my office. Because two seconds alone with her would lead us right back to where we’d left off. And however much I wanted to go down that path, I knew we shouldn’t. Couldn’t.
Cora whipped around to look at me, something fierce in her gaze. “Shouldn’t we talk over some of the details—”
“No, I think we’ve got everything clear.” I sent her a strained smile. “I really appreciate you coming by.”Now get the fuck out, or I will fuck the shit out of you.
Cora dipped her chin, sending me a dark look bathed in disappointment. But I couldn’t afford to care. My cock was disappointed, sure. But now that my brain had rumbled back to life, I knew what needed to be done.
I’d gotten my taste. That had to be enough.
“Once you tell Trace, let’s have Francis send over the updated offer,” I called out to Damian while Cora gathered her things.
“Roger that.” Damian waited outside my door as Cora checked her handbag and stood.
“Are you sure you don’t want to—”
