“No.” The word falls simply from my lips, causing him to stop.
“What?” he asks, turning.
“I said,no. No time off for you.”
His eyes narrow, glaring at me like a wolf. “But you just said—"
“I know what I said. But you’re an intern. Time off is reserved for people higher up on the ladder.”
I shouldnotbe behaving this way. I’m abusing my power to keep him here, and it’s wrong.
I can hear my pulse as he stares back at me, causing the tension to rise. It’s like a stare down during a business negotiation, with both parties waiting for the other to crack.
But I don’t crack. And apparently, neither does Blake.
I’m shocked when he smiles back at me. Total lack of propriety.
“Okay. If you say so.”
“Idosay so,” I reply. My God, the way he talks to me. It’s like I’m just some girl at a bar or something. He’s not even taking me seriously.
“It’s okay. I get it. You don’t want to be alone.”
My jaw drops.
I’m stunned as he gives me a simple nod and exits my office, leaving the door open behind him.
I’m burning inside as I watch him rejoin the party. Tasha finds him again and instantly goes back to flirting. And it’s not long before more girls from marketing join in, all clearly smitten by the new man.
He smiles, even laughs. Is he enjoying the attention? He couldn’t possibly be interested in any of those girls.
Besides, he has a girlfriend.
The thought causes my insides to twist. My whole body tenses up.
There’s that jealousy again.
I’m just about to look down at the contracts Francesca left me when I catch his eyes from across the room.
He’s looking at me, and it’s like he’s staringintome.
Like he can see something nobody else can.
It terrifies me, but at the same time, it thrills me all the way down to my core.
Maybe I am abusing my power by keeping him here over the holidays. But it’s too late to go back now.
I’m smitten. It’s like he already owns me.
My only question is, what happens next?
2
BLAKE
I knewshe’d say no.
From the second I saw the way she was looking at me,I knew.
