“With any luck,” Nick says, turning to look at the puppy, “you tired her out for me.”
The sweet little thing appears to be exhausted. She’s lying on her side with her tongue hanging out, eyes closed, chest rising and falling slowly.
I grin up at him. “Be careful what you wish for. You might just have to carry her home.”
“After the day I’ve had,” he says, motioning for me to come in and take a seat, “I’d gladly take it.”
He returns to his desk, and I take the chair opposite him, crossing my legs and folding my hands in my lap. It feels oddly formal. Which is ridiculous because I had sex with this man just last night.
And sex? Anything but formal.
I shove the thought aside. I didn’t come in here to revisit last night’s sexcapades. I came in here to make sure Nick is all right.
“Want to talk about it?”
He rubs his temples and leans back in his chair. “I guess it can’t hurt. I’m sure it’ll get out soon enough.”
Yes, yes it will. No thanks to Jonathan.
He’d been the one to squeeze Fenton’s name out of security over his lunch break. And he was no doubt sharing what he’d learned all over the building. Which, to be fair, hadn’t been much.
“We had a security breach.” He gives me a wry smile. “Which I wouldn’t have discovered if it weren’t for Oreo.”
That gets my attention. “Exactly how did Oreo discover this security breach?”
“We attempted a morning run—which was an abysmal failure, by the way—and she insisted we stop at this little café for a dog biscuit.”
“Yeah,” I say, rolling my eyes. “I’m sure she had to twist your arm to get you to stop.”
Nick might intimidate humans, but that dog has him wrapped around her paw. He’s always got treats in his pocket, which he hands out like Tic Tacs. And Rebecca said he asked her to order more dog toys so Oreo would have a set for the office and a set for home.
“While we were in line,” he continues, ignoring the barb, “I recognized one of our employees having breakfast with Jack Garrett, the CEO of Boxxi.”
Talk about starting your day off on the wrong foot.
Nick recounts the whole sordid story, concluding with the unpleasant moment when he had to fire Fenton Danvers.
“I’m sorry you had such a rough day.” And it’s true. Iamsorry. It’s not my fault, and the apology doesn’t come from habit or guilt or obligation but from empathy. Fenton’s betrayal couldn’t have come at a worse time. Between running Triada and managing the Epos launch, Nick has enough on his plate without worrying about corporate spies. “I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision to fire him.”
“Actually, it was.” He steeples his fingers, and when he continues, his voice is as flat and hard as his eyes. “Fenton put the Epos launch and the financial health of this company—and everyone who works here—at risk.” He pauses. “I’d fire that snake a dozen times over if that’s what it took to protect my family and my company. If I learned anything from my breakup with Ashley, it’s that when someone betrays your trust, there are no second chances.”
My heart cracks at the mention of Ashley. At the reminder that Nick has lost so much.
His parents. His fiancée. His ability to trust.
The ghost of a smile crosses his lips. “Perhaps that’s why I’m so drawn to you. Your honesty is refreshing, if not brutal at times.”
The words are meant to be a compliment, but they’re all the confirmation I need that coming clean about stuffing the suggestion box won’t end well. It won’t matter that I decided not to tell him before we knew each other. Before I got to know the real Nick Hart.
He’d see it as a betrayal. One in a long line of betrayals that has left him jaded and alone. Telling him now, when it can do no good, would serve no purpose other than to cement his belief that the only people he can count on are his family.
And maybe that’s true. I don’t know. But I do know I want to do something for him. Something to ease his stress and prove that not everyone in his life wants to take advantage of him.
Some of us are happy to give.
“I hope that’s not the only reason you’re drawn to me.” I stand and sashay around the desk, putting a little extra swing in my hips as I go.
Nick’s eyes soften and he tracks my every move as I close in on him.
