I could see the worry flickering in the depths of her eyes. I forced myself to step back, untangling my fingers from her hair, reluctantly releasing the delicious weight of her breast cupped in my palm, and letting my hands drop away.
She straightened, pushing away from the door, smoothing her skirt and adjusting her blouse. She ran her hands through her hair, looking nervous, and glanced ove
r at me.
“Here's the thing. You might hear this from Suzanne because I'm honest about it, but my last employer hit on me all the time. He threatened to give me a bad reference. I don't use him as one, but I'm honest about what happened. I don't think you're an asshole. In fact, it's obvious you're not. But I can't put myself in a bad position,” she explained, her words threaded with uncertainty.
I stared at her, considering I was crazy, but I couldn't seem to think straight when it came to her. I suddenly wanted to punch whoever that guy was. I could have empathy for his desire for her, but it didn't sound like she returned it. Any asshole that would make a threat like that, well, he was a fucking asshole.
Lust thundered through me, and I took a breath, trying to gain control. “Will you have dinner with me?” I asked.
Her eyes widened further.
When she didn’t reply, I clarified, “I know what you just said. I'm not that kind of guy. There's something between us, and it's obvious it's not a one-way street.”
We were close enough for me to see her pulse fluttering wildly in her neck. It took all I had not to draw her back against me and pour my desire into another kiss. Her breasts rose and fell when she took a deep breath.
“I don't know if that’s a good idea.”
I stared at her, calculating. “I don't want a relationship, but I want you and it's obvious you want me too,” I said flatly.
She stared at me, swallowing and then shaking her head slightly. In a flash, she opened the door and dashed out of my office.
Chapter 5
Sophia
It had been an entire week since that insane kiss with Lucas in his office. By some small miracle, I'd managed to avoid meeting with him alone since then, likely due to the fact that he’d been traveling for most of the week. He had gone along with my public statement about his ex and issued an apology for swearing at his last interviewer. As a result, I anticipated his next interview would go well.
Meanwhile, I was hoping the next time I had to be alone with him, I would have better control of myself. I didn't seem capable of controlling my pulse, or the fact that my panties got wet whenever he happened to be around me. He didn't hesitate to keep his heated gaze on me, which annoyed me to no end. It should've annoyed me even more, given what happened in my last job. Yet, I secretly savored it. Everywhere his eyes landed sent sparks flying through me. Lucas was no aging, leering, entitled wealthy man. He was young, handsome as sin, and actually a halfway decent guy as far as I could tell.
There was little drama at his company. The company environment was one thing I tried to get a feel for when I took on a consultation. It usually told me more about the company than any public statement would. Some companies were filled with drama at every level—gossip among the staff, petty battles within the day-to-day functioning of an office. That was not the case at all at Chandler International. I didn't know what it was like in the other offices for the company, which were flung all around the world, yet this one ran quietly and smoothly.
I’d gotten to know Suzanne and liked her a lot. She'd worked for Chandler International for ten years and was the lead HR manager for the entire corporation. Danny was also wonderful. He was funny and charming. As the gatekeeper to Lucas, he managed that responsibility with finesse.
Next week, Chandler International was rolling out its latest innovative project. They’d partnered with a firm in San Francisco for this project, which was rare for Lucas. Energy Synergy happened to be one of the few sustainable energy firms Lucas hadn't attempted to absorb into Chandler International. According to Danny, Lucas had high respect for the owner, Seth Lawrence, and that alone kept him from trying to steal the company out from under Seth’s nose. Not to mention, the firm was quite a bit smaller than Chandler International, and they were also a privately held company. They were rolling out an initiative where energy could be captured in small, wind chime-like contraptions that hung in trees. They were affordable and expected to revolutionize the use of wind power.
While my time with Lucas himself had been limited, in the short time I'd been at Chandler International, it was clear he was passionate about clean energy and a clean planet. According to Danny, that passion was what drove everything he did. The one topic I’d gathered little information on was Lucas’s distant relationship with his father. His father was an oil executive, and I occasionally wondered if Lucas's passion about sustainable energy was almost an act of rebellion against his father.
Danny was very open about Lucas and what he knew about him. While I'd gotten somewhat comfortable with Danny, I wasn't comfortable asking questions that could be perceived as gossipy about Lucas’s family. I figured I'd eventually gain my own understanding.
As I left the offices that evening, I texted my friend Megan. We’d planned to meet for dinner and drinks, but hadn’t confirmed where. Megan had recently moved in with her fiancé who lived in an exclusive high-rise in Manhattan. Rumor had it, residents were allowed to purchase there by invitation only.
Where are we meeting?
Let’s grab dinner at the café in our building. I ran late at the office, so I’m just getting home now. Mind meeting me here?
Np. Be there in 10.
I walked briskly down the street, weaving through the crowded sidewalk. The building where she lived was so exclusive, it didn’t even have a name. I wasn’t quite sure the point of that, but whatever. Nobody knew who the actual residents were unless you knew one of them personally. I figured it would be amusing to meet Megan there. We'd been friends for years. She was a lawyer, and her fiancé ran an investment company. They’d actually met when she provided legal consultation on an investigation for improper trading at his company. Talk about opposites attracting.
I arrived at her building and was met by a doorman dressed entirely in black. With his lack of a smile and completely blank expression, welcoming wasn’t the word that came to mind.
“Whom are you here to see, miss?” he asked, the light glittering through the massive glass entryway glinting off of his dark hair.
“Megan Parks, please.”
He tapped a button on his headset and spoke into it. After a beat, he nodded. “Ms. Parks will be right down.”