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“I'd be hurt,” he said. “If only that were true.”
He pulled up two high stools and sat on one. He gestured for me to take the next one. I did and muttered my thanks.
“Now, what else do you need, Dr. Palmer?” We hadn't finalized the details of the contract or officially signed it yet. I only called the night before to say I would take the deal, but with one minor thing included from my end.
“It's pretty simple. No media.”
“No media?" He sounded perplexed.
“I mean no media involvement until the project is ready. No talking to the media, nothing of the sort.”
His gaze grew hard, steely. “Any reason for this decision?”
I swallowed. It was hard not to feel intimidated by the intensity of that look focused on me.
“The media… complicates things. This is for children, for my sister. I don't want any aspect of it to go wrong.”
“I see. But there's more, isn't there?”
“Well, yes,” I agreed hesitantly. He stared at me hard, making my discomfort grow.
“There are rumors about your company in the media. I don't want the information about this research to be somehow twisted with all of that.”
“I see,” he said simply again. His expression had grown even darker as I spoke. And definitely not darker with flirty desire. Something I said pissed him off. But what? It was really a pretty basic requirement.
“Alright,” he said finally. “No media involved."
His voice had its typical hard edge to it, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that his shoulders slumped just a little and he perhaps looked just a bit defeated.
Chapter 18
Daniel
Whatshesaidmadesense yet I couldn't help feeling set back. My big announcement would have to wait and I'd have to endure so many questions and demands until I had results to show. Who knew when that would be? In the meantime, I would have to think of other solutions that would give us a boost in the market and also help stall for time.
I distracted myself by focusing on her. She tried to appear relaxed, yet she seemed uncomfortable. What was that about?
Did she regret what happened at the reunion? The physical attraction between us was definitely more complicated now that we had a professional relationship. A professional relationship that very much mattered to both of us and our goals.
But I couldn’t help smiling at the memory of her soft body pressed against mine. That experience had truly been thrilling. And honestly, I wouldn’t mind a repeat if she were willing.
“Even creepier,” she said out of nowhere.
“What?"
“That smile. Worse than your prince of darkness look.”
I couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped.
“I have been told that look is killer.”
“By whom? The same women who keep coming back?” She bit her lower lip and turned away, blushing. So we had been thinking about the same thing. Interesting.
I drew closer, leaning in to her.
“For one so offensive, you do manage to blush easily.”
“Biology,” she said, or tried to. It came out halfway between a croak and a whisper. “My face is having a hard time keeping up with my mouth.”
