The doors closed, and I pressed the button for my floor, my blood still boiling.
“Were you on my floor just to tell Jeff off?” she asked, turning to face me, her gaze sharp.
I kept my eyes fixed ahead, refusing to meet hers.
The elevator doors opened to my floor, and Kacie looked up.
“Mr. Harrington just called—” she began, but I strode past her without responding, heading straight to my office.
Lexi followed behind me.
Once the door shut behind us, I finally met her gaze. Inside these walls, we had privacy.
“Kacie was telling you something,” Lexi pointed out.
I ignored that, studying her instead. She looked stunning today, with her hair in a high ponytail showing off small pearl earrings. I remembered the softness of her ears and the gentle curve of her neck. The black blouse and cream pants I’d chosen for her fit her perfectly, and her eyes sparkled with defiance.
“Kacie can wait. What can’t wait is that I saw Jeff flirting with you, and I didn’t like it,” I said, my voice tight.
Her eyes flashed dangerously. “Can’t a man and a woman work together without there being an implication of?—”
“Sex?” I finished.
She lifted her chin and nodded.
I took a step closer, mirroring Jeff’s earlier position. Lexi drew in a sharp breath.
“If a man stands this close to you, Lexi,” I said, my gaze locked on hers, watching her eyes widen as I reached past her shoulder, mimicking Jeff’s move, “then he’s definitely trying to gauge the sexual tension.”
She scoffed. “Well, I told you I’m here for a job, and nothing’s going to get in the way of that. Not even men evaluating our chemistry,” she said, her eyes sharp and defiant. “Is that all? You called me up here to scold me for flirting?”
“Not to scold you,” I said, my voice low but careful. “To warn you.”
She crossed her arms, frustration radiating from her. “To warn me?” Her voice rose. “If you wanted to call us out for flirting, why did you only bring me up here?” she demanded. “Why not bring Jeff too?”
I stepped back, holding up a hand in surrender. “You’re right. I’m mad at Jeff. But I just wanted another moment with you, alone.”
Her face turned red, and her hands balled into fists, her whole body radiating a desire to hit me.
“News flash, Mr. Walkers,” she spat, “you don’t get to ruin my first job in a new career and then tell me you want me.”
The anger in her eyes simmered, but I caught a flash of desire flickering there as she looked at me.
Before I could process it, her plump lips crashed into mine.
I kissed her back fiercely, pulling her even closer. I kissed her like I’d been waiting all day for it, like I was begging for a second chance with every brush of my lips. My tongue slid into her mouth, reminding me of how good she tasted. She was fire and spirit, and everything I never knew I was attracted to. Things I shouldn’t want.
My hands encircled her waist, and I pressed my fingers into her skin as I pulled her to me hard.
Her hands were already sliding up my chest, clutching the fabric of my shirt, like she couldn’t quite let go.
She hooked her arms around my neck as I took her mouth in angry, demanding kisses. She gave a soft, aching moan and I was harder than I’d ever been before in my life. The kind of moan that made it clear she wanted this, too, even if she’d tried so hard not to.
The kiss turned hotter, hungrier. Her fingers reached up to tangle in my hair. My hands went down to grope her ass, and she didn’t fight it. She pressed in harder, like the space between us had become unbearable.
When I kissed the hollow beneath her jaw, her breath caught. I moved lower, closer to her cleavage, and then a knock sounded at the door.
We broke apart, panting, still pressed against each other. Her eyes were wide with shock as the door started to open and I saw a hand curl around the frame.
