Elliot’s chin lowered, and he took two steps forward, looming over Gavin, whose anger had made him foolishly brave.
“You’re a child playing adult games. If you’d taken the time to think about your actions, you would have recognized Rockford isn’t the only building in Denver I have a stake in. I would have let your disrespect of me and my employee go at canceling your lease, but this behavior won’t stand. Good luck finding office space within fifty miles of the city.”
Gavin sputtered, his eyes growing alarmingly wide. “Wait. That isn’t— I—”
Elliot grabbed my hand, pulling me right past Gavin, who couldn’t seem to get a full sentence out. I would have felt sorry for him if he hadn’t made the comment about getting me on my back. That guy really was an overgrown frat boy.
Once in the LD lobby, Elliot spoke to the security guards, making them aware of the man spiraling outside on the sidewalk, then he bundled me into the executive elevator and crowded me into the corner.
Bracing his hands on the wall beside my head, he swept his gaze over me. “Are you all right?”
I nodded. “I’m fine.”
I truly was. For a split second, I’d been afraid of what Gavin might do, but with Elliot’s immediate and unwavering protection, I knew I was safe.
“I’m sorry you had to see and listen to that.”
“Well, I’m sorry you had to deal with it. That guy was a true asshole.”
He paused, frowning at me. “You’re not angry I canceled his lease?”
“Why would I be?”
“He wasn’t wrong, Catherine.” He reached around the back of my head and pulled the end of my ponytail over my shoulder, wrapping a chunk of it around his fingers. “I did have his lease canceled because he flirted with you. He now has no excuse to be near you ever again.”
I should have been incensed or offended, at the very least. So why did my heart go pitter-patter and my underwear get wet?
I wrapped his tie around my hand the same way he did my hair. “That’s sweet.”
He reared back, giving me that dubious brow. “You’re not being sarcastic.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m not. But I think I should say you can’t ruin every man who looks at me.”
His brows dropped like an anvil, and he took my face in both hands. “I can, sweetheart. Never doubt that.”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t stop a grin from spreading. “I meant you shouldn’t. Obviously you can.”
His mouth twitched with amusement, which made me sigh in relief. I liked that I was able to draw him out of that moment of intensity. Elliot was one of the most powerful men in Denver, and being able to shift his mood felt a little like my own superpower.
Three days later, Elliot approached my desk after a meeting with LD’s chief lawyer.
“My office.” He held out his hand for me to take. This wasn’t on his calendar, but he’d become more flexible with his schedule lately—at least when it came to making time for me.
Once in his office, he shut the door and pulled me around to his side of his desk. He sat and patted his legs.
“Sit, please.”
I frowned. “On your lap?”
“Yes. I have something for you to read and sign. It’ll be easier if you’re sitting.”
“In your lap…at work?”
“Yes.”
He looked at me like this wasn’t unusual, but it was to me. We may have slept together and were more than just boss and employee, but crossing the line at the office was a step we hadn’t taken yet.
And Elliot nonchalantly expected it to happen.
Tired of waiting for me to move, he snagged me around my middle and yanked me into his lap. I flailed around, unused to sitting on any man, let alone Elliot. But his hold was sturdy, and he didn’t so much as grunt when he took all of my not-so-inconsiderable weight. In fact, the sound he made was almost a purr, and his nose immediately went to the crook at my shoulder, inhaling my scent.
I let myself relax against him, just for a moment.
“There’s something for me to read?”
He nodded, his nose sliding along my neck. “On my desk. Read and sign. I’ve signed my parts already.”
“Your parts?”
“Just read it, Catherine. Save your questions for the end.”
I picked up the papers, zeroing in on the bolded words at the top:
Transfer of Shares
What the hell?
I read on through a lot of legal terms I only vaguely understood. What I did comprehend was this was a contract, and my name was all over it, along with Elliot’s. It was only when I got to the end it finally dawned on me what it was.
Elliot was trying to transfer one percent of his shares of the Rockford building to me, which was worth seven figures.
“No.” I put the papers down on the desk and turned to face him. “No, Elliot. Why would you want to do this?”
He remained relaxed despite my emphatic refusal. “Gavin is an idiot and said many stupid things during his little meltdown on the sidewalk on Monday, but he was right about one thing: we have a massive power imbalance. If I chose to, I could leave you with nothing.”
I swallowed hard. “You could, but I don’t think you would do that.”
He tapped my lips with his fingertip. “But you don’t know for sure, and I don’t want that thought hanging over either of our heads. Once you sign the transfer, you’ll have enough money to walk away from me and this job if you want to.”
“Elliot—” I sighed, unsure of what to say. How could I possibly accept this? He’d lost his mind. “This is far too much.”
“It’s one percent of one of my buildings, sweetheart. It isn’t too much. And this is as much for me as it is for you.”
“How can that be?”
“If you have ‘fuck you’ money, I won’t have to wonder why you’re with me. Our playing field will be as even as I think you’ll allow me to make it. I’ve thought about it, and I believe this is the only way for us both to feel comfortable going forward.” He took my cheek in his palm, locking my gaze with his. “And Catherine, I want to go forward with you, however that looks.”
I rolled my lips over my teeth, considering what he was saying. Elliot knew how to sell things. It was his job to know his audience. If he’d tried to frame it as something just for me, it would have been easier to say no. But since it was for him too, I was wavering.
“It’s too much,” I whispered.
“It isn’t. That shouldn’t be a reason for you to hesitate.”
“What would you do in my position?”
“I’d take it.” No hesitation at all.
“That simple?”