I angle my desk chair and backup so I can stand with some distance between us.
“Nothing.” Clearly, I can’t expunge Samantha from my head despite it all. “I should head over.”
Lisa nods and walks away. I grab my laptop and a thumb drive and head in for the presentation. The small conference room isn’t quite small. It can hold a dozen people comfortably around the table. The Sadlers sit with their backs to the glass wall at one end of the table. Dad, who sits at the opposite end, watches me approach. He raises a brow in question.
“Sorry I’m late,” I announce as I walk in.
I turn on the charm Dad insists could sell any used car on the lot. A couple of times, I swear I catch a glimpse of Samantha, but I plow on.
“Our plan may be a little aggressive, but with no risk there’s little reward. We believe that our strategy of personally watching over your investments will keep you safer than say our big New York corporate competitors. We are only a phone call away, not a call center where someone with a script will try to answer your questions, or a large corporation where you have to jump through several hoops before you get to your broker.”
My words trail off when I see her. I’m riveted to the view outside the glass. It feels like an eternity since I’ve seen her last. My gaze sweeps over the curve in her top, down a skirt, to her endless legs.
“… New York is—” Mr. Sadler begins.
“Beautiful.” The word slips from my mouth before I realized I’ve said it.
“Huh?” someone murmurs.
I blink, realizing the word took the fast track from my brain to my lips. The self-destruction button on my brain depresses as I watch Jeff stand twenty feet away talking to Samantha. I know that look on his face, and when she smiles, my vision clouds. I don’t know if I’m happy or pissed at seeing her.
“If you would excuse me, I need a drink of water. Does anyone need anything?”
I don’t bother to wait for an answer. I’m out the door as my father’s glare drills into my back.
Barreling forward, Jeff sees me coming. He holds up his hands in the universal sign of peace while moving a few steps back. I sidestep him determined to reach her. Cupping her elbow, I lead her out of sight of the conference room. Her eyes grow large and I can see the bull I’ve become reflected in their beauty.
“What are you doing here?” I half whisper, half growl.
She blinks, a frown curling her smile the other way. “I—”
“Have you come to apologize?”
The storm that darkens her expression is immediate.
“Apologize?” Her one word question is more of an accusation. “For your information, I’m not here to see you. I received an urgent call on Saturday from an admin in your office about an event they want me to handle.
I need to get my head checked because something about her defiance makes her more attractive than less. Remembering how our calamitous night together ended cools my jets instantly.
After a lingering pause with our glares locked, I stand up straight and finally say, “Well, by all means, carry on.”
As much as I’m attracted to her, I don’t have to hedge my bets to know she’s not ready for the likes of me. I need to clear my head of her, so I pivot ready to put distance between us. Her hand lands on my bicep and stops me.
She graces me with half a smile. “Ben, this isn’t me. I can be the bigger person and not just because it’s possible your company will be a client of mine. The truth is I should apologize for letting that night go as far as it did. It was unfair to you.”
I shrug as her genuineness takes all the annoyance out of my sails. “You always have a choice,” I say in all sincerity before I dial up the wattage on my smile. “Even if I did get hurt in the process.”
“Hurt?” The smooth skin across her forehead creases in confusion.
I see no reason to edit myself. It isn’t like there will ever be an us.
“Yes. My balls were drawn so tight, they’d turned blue. I blame my lack of functioning brain cells for my unfortunate choice of words before I left. And I, too, need to apologize about that.” I scrub a hand through my hair because this woman makes me feel off balance, off my game. “It was uncalled for.” I lift my hand sheepishly. “Granted, I was pissed because I was hurt.”
She laughs, granting me more of her sweet smile. “What is it with men like you?”
“Men like me?”
“Yes. Men like you who are used to all women falling at your feet and ending the night with some sort of sexual gratification.”
For a second, I’m confounded by her logic. As I process, I think over all my recent encounters with women.
“I don’t need sex from every woman I meet,” I say with defiance.
Her smirk is a delicious challenge. “I’d like to see that day.”
The smile on her face is wicked with a silent double down dare issued and received. Against my better judgment, my mouth opens and I’m saying shit I wouldn’t normally say.