Chapter 2
1842 Words
Chapter 2
Monday morning came fast. Sunlight poured through the window surface of my bedroom, highlighting the white sheets of my mattress as I stretched and pushed strands of hair from my face. Hopping out, I showered, pulled a black pencil skirt and fuchsia silk blouse on, and grabbed breakfast before checking on my father. He was still fast asleep in his bed when I poked my head in. The doctor had given us the okay to get him home yesterday.
The drive prepared me for the upcoming conversation and I rehearsed lines I would say to Rosalyn. I dreaded her response but dragged myself into the quiet building anyway. Rosalyn talked to one of my colleagues by the counter. She stopped and turned around, as if sensing my presence behind her.
“Good morning,” I greeted.
They both chimed a ‘good morning’ before Rosalyn led me to her office. The smell of wood and lavender struck me.
“Have a seat, Chloe,” Rosalyn ordered before sitting in her swiveling chair. She interlaced her hands behind her head and rocked back. “Kate said you took over the project for her.”
I nodded. “Yes. Is it okay?” I cringed and waited for my first response from the curly, fit woman.
“Why would I have a problem with that?”
“I don’t know. I… well, there’s one more thing,” I stammered.
“Yes? Tell me.”
I nodded once more. “It’s been two years, and you have been a great employer, but I need to continue my studies and explore other options. I can’t continue this job forever.”
“No, you cannot,” Rosalyn agreed, her eyebrow arched. “You have my permission to quit and I would accept your resignation letter once you’ve passed it on. Now, let’s talk about this new project.” She quickly moved on. “The client should be here in less than an hour.”
Her words faded as my mind raced for any trace of resistance. Shouldn’t she be more shocked or irritated? The resignation process had happened too easy, and that was scary. I cleared my throat and felt uneasy for the rest of the meeting.
We covered simple facts about the client. Apparently he was so new and shiny that Rosalyn didn’t even care about my quitting. Her hand trembled as she placed a folder on the black glass table.
I opened the folder to see a single white page with a printed name. Jake Sutherland. The name sounded familiar, but my mind was empty and so was the page. I picked it up and flipped it over. Is this a joke? “There’s nothing here. Where’s his profile?”
She crossed her arms. “He didn’t supply it to us. He said we’d be on a need-to-know basis.”
Who was this man? What if he isn’t who she thinks he is? I didn’t like it. Not one bit. I opened my mouth to object as the door swung open.
He walked in.
I tried to control a gasp that emanated from my throat and slammed my mouth shut. The entire office hushed as his smooth, dark hair captivated the attention of every girl in the room. An aura of dominance surrounded him as he glanced around, his eyes stern and steady. His blue orbs traveled my way until they met mine and penetrated through to the depths of my soul. Thick arousal rushed between my thighs as I fought back a shiver.
“Mr. Sutherland,” Rosalyn greeted as she stood up from her black, leather chair and rushed to him.
I froze as I considered the prospect of dating this man. He was hot--by far the hottest man who had ever walked into the office and he was still gazing at me. I pried my fingers from the knitted cloth chair and rose.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” my boss bubbled, trying to recapture his attention. “Thank you for coming by today and discussing this matter with us.”
His eyes flickered as they focused on the short redhead. He offered a courteous smile. “Absolutely.”
Rosalyn introduced us.
He turned to me. “Miss Madison. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Hearing him utter the word ‘pleasure’ had me closing my eyes briefly before I told myself to get a grip. This was a business deal. Problem was, his deep voice had sent heat spreading through my pelvis. His sandalwood scent wafted to my nostrils, intoxicating me and weakening my limbs. I stiffened and tried to conceal any obvious changes in my breathing pattern. I drew in a deep breath and fought to control my stature. It was ridiculous. He wasn’t the first good-looking man to walk through the door. My reaction was silly and useless. Get a hold of yourself, Chloe. It’s just a man. I repeated the words in my head and extended a trembling hand toward him. “Mr. Sutherland, it is my pleasure to meet you as well,” I gushed. Stop it. I drew in a breath and relaxed my shoulders.
The warmness of his smooth hand turned mine to putty. His touch calmed my nerves and eased me. His strong shoulders displayed chiseled curvature beneath the lines of his black suit. His smooth skin glowed.
There was no getting around it. He was pure, raw alpha.
I pulled away before I could make a fool of myself further. I somehow managed to line my butt up with a seat as they also sat to discuss business. I struggled to focus on the words coming from her mouth. She was talking about Kate.
Oh my god, he didn’t even know his escort had changed. And this was Kate’s client? Was she on crack? How could she possibly consider dumping a guy as gorgeous as this?
My pulse raced. I wasn’t nearly as stunning or graceful as heart-thudding Kate. She was every man’s dream, and I was a plain auburn-haired Jane next to her. Mr. Sutherland was bound to be disappointed in the sudden switch and I prepared myself for the coming rejection.
His square jaw loosened as he broke into a smile and turned his attention back to me.
Rosalyn redirected her gaze. “What do you think, Miss Madison?”
I hated that she’d asked me a question at a moment when I could barely concentrate. His eyes grew heavier on mine, triggering a tingling sensation throughout my body. All thought fled my mind. s**t. What was happening to me? I opened my mouth but words didn’t come. I lifted my chin. “Surely he prefers to wait for Kate. She’ll be better soon and back in no time,” I asserted, rising from my chair. My long legs stood into an embarrassing wobble. I needed to escape while I could still feel the carpet under my feet.
She rolled her eyes. “Sit,” she commanded.
I didn’t want to embarrass Rosalyn or Kate’s client. I was no match for him, but I sat anyway, avoiding eye contact with the statuesque creature seated next to me.
“Why don’t I leave and you two can get to know each other,” Rosalyn offered. She turned to Mr. Sutherland and tapped his hand. “Please let me know if you believe Chloe is a good candidate for the job.”
A pang of panic seized my chest. Please don’t leave me in here alone with him.
Silence stretched the space between us.
A light sweat broke out above my upper lip as his eyes pierced mine.
“I don’t bite,” he murmured. “Not unless you want me to.”
Arousal traveled through my nerve-endings as I thought of his lips on my body. An image of him biting my neck made moisture ooze from my opening. I pressed my thighs together. Don’t mess with your clients, Chloe. I inscribed the warning into my brain, repeating it like a mantra so I wouldn’t forget. I willed myself not to be affected by the ardent look he gave me.
Before either of us could open our mouths and speak, Rosalyn walked back into the room holding a manila folder in her hand. I relaxed my shoulders and promptly excused myself to go to the bathroom.
Whoever this man was, he was dominant and dangerous. He exuded power, and that scared the hell out of me. What frightened me even more was that his eyes drew me in as if there was a charged magnetic force behind them. His intensity surged through me and gripped every inch of my soul.
The ladies’ bathroom smelled like French perfume and I locked myself into the first cubicle. I buried my face into my hands, but no tears came. It was more like a nervous thrill.
This had to stop. I’ll tell Rosalyn I need someone else. Someone not quite so strong, domineering… hot.
No. I can do this. I repeated the words as I sauntered back to the conference room. I’ll go on the date. I’ll keep my eyes focused on the prize. The money. That’s why I’m doing this. It’s for the cashola. I scrutinized my legs and wanted to shout at them to stop wobbling.
The top of my head collided with a hard chest. I bounced off and stumbled back. Oh no. It was him. I lost my footing, then braced myself on the water cooler.
Suddenly, strong arms surrounded me, breaking the fall.
Mr. Sutherland stared at me, a line etching between his sky-blue eyes. “Are you alright?” His voice sounded deep and primal through his massive chest.
Nodding, I shook off the haziness from my head and stumbled again, like a fool. He caught me by the wrist, holding me up. Again. I forced my lips into the most graceful smile I could manage and regained my composure as if nothing happened. “Thank you,” I mumbled, lifting my chin. I hobbled down the hall, fighting to control a developing limp.
“You're welcome,” he said, amused. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
What was it about this man that made me lose awareness to the world?
“You don’t look stable. Maybe you ought to sit down,” he advised.
“No, no, there’s no need, really. I’m quite alright. Thank you for the concern though, Mr. Sutherland. I’ll see you whenever I’m supposed to see you.”
He pursed his moist lips and tilted his head to the side. “Are you not interested in our arrangement?”
I swallowed and tried to prevent a tingling heat from taking over my cheeks and neck. “Yes, I am. I’m sorry, I just lost my mind for a moment. I’ll just go in and sign off with Rosalyn.”
He absorbed my eyes through his. “Already done. My driver picks you up at seven.”
- Writer
