Robert didn’t hesitate to place his arm at the small of my back as we exited the restaurant once he paid the bill. And while a twinge of guilt formed in the pit of my stomach over the mounting feelings for Robert, at that moment, it felt good to not have to think about footing the bill for lunch. To not be chastised for wanting to enjoy a nice meal at a five-star restaurant every now and again.
“Thank you for lunch,” Robert said as he helped me out of the back of his chauffeured car.
“I should be thanking you.”
He shook his head. “I need your phone number.”
Surprised, my head jutted backward. He hadn’t formed it as a question. It was an order. I really should’ve been turned off. Instead, I took the pen and notepad he held out to me and wrote my home phone number down.
He took the notepad with my number on it and stuffed it in the inside pocket of his suit blazer. Moving closer to me, he lowered his face to mine, but just before he made contact with my lips, he pivoted his head, moving closer to my ear.
“I’ll see you soon, princess.” And with that, he pressed a kiss to the spot just beneath my earlobe.
My entire body tightened. He’d remembered one of the most sensitive places on my body.
As he stepped back, allowing me to pass by him toward the entrance of my office building, I fought hard to wipe away the thoughts of how after two years of being together Cohen still hadn’t bothered to get to know my body as well as Robert had after just one night together.
Chapter Twelve
Then
Robert
“Keep your guard up!” Buddy shouted from the side of the boxing ring.
I went to cut my eyes in his direction, and was almost knocked the hell over by a blow to my ribs. If I hadn’t of pivoted at the last moment I would’ve easily had a bruised rib.
“Motherfuck!” I cursed, narrowing my eyes at my opponent, Thiers.
“Watch your back!” He chuckled as he hopped from one foot to the other, still on guard, his gloved hands raised in the air.
“You’re unfocused,” he stated, lowering his hands.
I pushed out a breath and grunted.
“Let’s call it for this round, Buddy,” Thiers, one of my closest friends, called to the owner of the boxing gym.
“You sure?” Buddy questioned.
I nodded.
“It’s your money.” He shrugged. Buddy was the youngest gym owner in the city of Williamsport. He’d become well known after his father, a famous trainer, opened the gym and he began working here as well. Eventually, he took over ownership after his father died, and he’d become even more successful than his father in a short period of time.
“What’s going on?” Thiers questioned, tapping me on the arm as we stepped out of the ring and over to the metal folding chairs against the wall.
I sat, picking up the plastic water bottle I’d brought with me, and squirted water into my mouth, swallowing before I answered.
“These fucking leaks,” I finally answered, gritting my teeth at just thinking about the problems occurring at work.
“That’s still going on?” Thiers questioned.
“I just got a fucking call this morning from a reporter at theWilliamsport Gazette. He asked about my trip to Japan last year that nobody outside of the company was supposed to know about. And then he asked about the health of my father.”
Thiers sat back, whistling. “That’s some shit. You all kept a tight lid on your father’s condition for years now.”
“It’s somebody inside of the company. I can feel it. I just don’t know who.” I punched my fist into my hand. It was driving me a little stir crazy to go into an office day after day and not know who could be trusted.
“You know, I have more than one contact who could handle this whole thing for you. Get rid of your little problem and do so quietly.”
