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This lunch is what I needed. I wanted to get to know Sterling more and she allowed me. But I’ll be honest, it didn’t go the way I expected. I was hoping there would be something she would say or do to eliminate my feelings for her. If anything, they’ve only grown stronger.Again, I’m fucked.
“Yeah, I told you about it the other day, remember? My best friend’s birthday party.” I must have been distracted when she told me because I don’t remember that conversation.
Sterling reaches for her wallet, but I reach my hand out for hers, resting it gently on top to stop her. She freezes, her eyes slowly reach mine, but I pull away quickly, attempting to avoid the electrifying feeling that just passed between us.
“Miss Cooper, the bill has been taken care of. Business expense,” I express as I return my hand to its own vicinity.
“Oh, um, thank you Callan.” Her breathing becomes heavy, and I can tell she’s suddenly nervous. I can’t help but notice that she called me by my first name without retracting and calling me by the formality of my last name.
“Tell you what, I’ll have Gerald take you home to get ready for your party. That way you have more time to get ready instead of waiting for a ride.” Gerald is already waiting out front, and honestly, I don’t like the idea of her getting into a car with a stranger after the amount of drinking we’ve been doing.
“Thank you, I’d like that.” She nods, and suddenly the demure in her eyes returns. She’s not so sassy and outgoing anymore. I wonder if it was something I said.
eleven
Sterling
Ilowermyselfintothe back of the familiar black car. Still feeling high from the game I played, daring myself to channel my inner Dakota as I slammed back that whiskey. It’s something I never would have done but I needed to fight fire with fire.
“Miss Cooper.” Gerald nods his head at me as Callan walks around to the other side. He gets in and slides next to me.
My mouth starts to water as his woodsy cologne fills the air inside the car. Mixed with all the whiskey in my system, my head feels dizzy. I didn’t realize he’d be joining.
“Are you okay?” Callan asks with a concerned look on his face. And I know he can tell I am, in fact, a bit buzzed.
“Yeah, totally fine. At least now I don’t have to pregame before the party,” I joke a little too loudly with a slight hiccup mixed with a giggle, and he looks at me sharply.
I settle into the backseat feeling all of the buzz from lunch but also from seeing Callan for the first time in a few days.
Time in the office without him was definitely needed but it also felt empty. If anything, it made me think about him more. And then he texted me asking to meet for lunch and my stomach churned. I thought he’d fire me for some reason. But no,he wants to get to know me.
What the hell does that mean?
Callan suddenly interrupts my thought by reaching over my shoulders and pulling my seat belt over my lap, clicking it into place. It feels like he’s moving in slow motion, his face so close to my chest that I can smell his hair. He tilts his head up to meet my eyes and licks his lips. My thighs clench together, heat building in my core.
“I can buckle my own seat belt,” I say, and he doesn’t do anything but stare at me.
Before anything else can happen, Callan clears his throat and returns to his side of the car. A breath that I didn’t realize I was holding escapes my lips. Callan pulls his bottom lip in with his teeth as he rubs it with his thumb, staring at the back of Gerald’s seat. My stomach flip-flops watching him try to contain himself.
“Did you bring the package?” Callan asks and Gerald reaches towards the passenger seat. He passes back a white box with a gold tulle bow wrapped around it.
“For you.” He slides the box in my direction as Gerald pulls the car out of the parking lot and starts heading toward my apartment.
“Me?” I question.
“For tomorrow. The gala.” He reaches over for his own seat belt and buckles in. “Strict dress code, remember? Open it.”
I untie the bow gently and open the side of the box. Inside is a gold sheet of tissue paper wrapped around a piece of fabric. I pull out the paper and unwrap what it’s hiding to find a red silk dress. I stare at it. For a long time. I can feel Callan’s eyes burning into me.
He's just my boss. You’re not attracted to him. Don’t look at his eyes because he will hypnotize you.
I chant to myself before swallowing down the lump in my throat, finding courage to even speak to him right now.
“Why?” I ask, placing the dress gently down in the box before returning eye contact.
“I know there was question about what to wear-” he starts before I cut him off.
“No, why did you get this for me? Doesn’t that seem too personal to you?” I put the box back together and place it between us.
