She swings unyielding eyes at me and crosses her arms over her chest.
“You can pry them from my cold dead hands, Mr.Diamond.Either I bring them or I don’t attend.”
Respect arrows down my spine.I push my glasses higher on my nose and stalk across the room toward her.Her pupils shrink, and she glances at the door.I stop an arm’s length away and hold my hand out palm up.
She angles the shoulder with her purse and bag away from me and scowls.
“I won’t pry, and you won’t die.They come with, but only if I carry them,” I say.
For a few heartbeats, she glares up at me with pure defiance, and I worry I crossed the professional line she drew in the sand, but she huffs, rolls her eyes, and hands me the briefcase.
“Fine.There, I—”
“No, Audrey.All of them,” I demand.
After a slight hesitation, she shoves the bag at my chest and steps toward the door.I wrap my hand around her upper arm and stop her from walking away.
“That, too.”I point to her purse.
“You can’t—”
“I can and will.”
“People will gossip.”
“Let them.You’ll be mine eventually.”
“No I won’t,” she growls.
“Then what’s the harm?”I quip.“We’re going straight down to the parking garage, not out through the front, and most employees have left for lunch already.No one will see.”
She grinds her teeth and fists the strap of her purse.
“I guess we’ll add overbearing asshole to the list of things that describe you,” she mumbles as she offers me her purse.
I grin and brush my fingers against hers as I take it.
“Another improvement.I’m honored,” I say.
She shakes her head, stomps to the door, and holds it open for me.
“After you, Mr.Diamond,” she says with an exaggerated sweep of her arm.
I adjust the strap of her briefcase and rearrange the bags to a more natural position before cradling her purse in my forearm and stepping into the hall.
If my baby doll won’t let me touch her, then I’ll pamper her in every other way I can.Carrying her bags is an excuse to get closer to her.
It’s been less than two days since I agreed to keep my hands off her.I won’t last three months.
But I now know why she insists on keeping her distance, and I’ll do everything in my power to ensure she succeeds.
She’s not alone anymore.I’ll take care of her and right whatever wrongs she’s suffered.
She’s mine.All mine.
Chapter 9
Audrey Tripp
