“Here’s your coffee,” Tony says, entering the office with a coffee in each hand and sugar packets tucked under his arm.
I notice a small coffee stain on his shirt. God, the man can’t even get coffee without making a mess.
“Thanks,” I say.
I get out of the chair to allow Tony to have his seat back. I take one of the cups and add a sugar packet to it before drinking it. My eyes dart to Tony as I watch him stare at the screen.
“Holy shit!” Tony says. More coffee spills onto his lap from him being startled by the numbers on the screen. He covers his mouth when he realizes he swore in front of me. “I’m sorry, miss. I just…this is just…how did you do this?” Tony points to the screen.
“It’s okay, Tony. I just rearranged one little thing really. You did most of the work,” I say.
“I need to get this to Mr. Browne right away.” He hits Print, and the paper begins shooting out of the printer next to the computer. He grabs the paper and moves quickly to the doorway. He pauses at the doorway and turns to me. “Come on, Ms. Felton. You need to take some of the credit with me.”
I shake my head. “No, I really didn’t do anything that you wouldn’t have been able to figure out on your own.”
Tony shakes his head. “I’ve been working on this all week. I never would have reached this conclusion without you. Plus, you should meet Mr. Browne. Word is, he is in the running to take over your father’s position.”
I blush when he speaks about Killian. “We’ve already met.”
A wicked smile forms on Tony’s face as his eyebrows rise deliberately. “Ah, Mr. Browne is a very good-looking man.”
I stare at Tony in disbelief. He did not just accuse me of being attracted to Killian. “I am not attracted to him,” I say, answering a question that was never asked. “I’m just not a big fan of Killian. He’s cocky and self-centered and…”
“You don’t have to convince me of those things, Ms. Felton.”
Great, now, we are back to Ms. Felton.
“I have worked for Mr. Browne for the past three years. He is all of those things, but he is also a good man. Give him a chance before you dismiss him.”
I swallow hard and nod even though I don’t agree with him. I don’t want to give Killian a chance. I already did, and instead of being honest with me, he played with my emotions just because he could. A man like that doesn’t deserve second chances.
I just don’t know why all the men in my life keep pushing me to be with Killian. My father has, too, even in death. My grandfather has also, and now, so has Tony. Don’t they trust me to find my own man? To find someone better than Killian?
Tony moves his head to the side, indicating for me to follow him, so I do.
I bite my lip as I watch Tony knock on Killian’s door. Please don’t be here.
“Come in,” Killian shouts from inside.
Tony gives me a knowing smile before he pushes the door open and enters Killian’s larger office. I enter slowly behind Tony, keeping my eyes down. Maybe Killian won’t notice I’m here if I don’t say anything and don’t look at him.
“I hav
e those numbers for you,” Tony says.
“Thank you,” Killian says. “I…” He pauses.
I know he’s spotted me. I let my eyes drift up, and there he is, staring at me with the same intense eyes. He’s wearing another dark suit. Another grim frown covers his face.
I try to move. I try to say something to make this less awkward. I can’t though. It’s like his eyes have captured me and glued me in place. I lose all my thoughts when I see him, except for how it felt to have his lips pressed against mine. I think about how it warmed me to see him smiling just at me and no one else, something I realize he rarely does. I think about how it felt when his tongue finally touched me there, and I already feel desire forming deep in my belly from just thinking about it.
I blush. That’s when I notice Killian’s own reactions change. It’s just slightly, just in a way I notice, but it’s not enough for Tony to notice. Killian’s eyes change from intense glaring to intense lust, and his lip curls up slightly into the tiniest of smiles at my reaction. He knows. He knows what dirty thoughts I’m thinking about, making me blush more.
Tony chuckles and shakes his head as he looks from me to Killian.
Killian glares at Tony. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. Nothing’s funny. I just think Robert is smiling down right now, seeing the two of you together.”