I believe him when he says he respects me, but a part of me did let him walk all over me because I was distracted by his beauty and sex appeal. Men like him smell nerves like blood in shark-infested waters.
Radha’s advice from her welcome speech when I joined her company years ago echoes in my head.“When you work with powerful people, especially men, they forget you’re their partner, not their employee. A slip like that will hinder your job quality. Instead of being intimidated, you need to remind them firmly that you’re an equal and not back down until they accept it.”
Reminding Nathan of the same is pertinent.
I hold my stance as he approaches me with a panther-like gait. Once again trapping me against the island, he lowers his head to speak over my mouth. “What if I don’t know how to play golf?”
“Then you’ll have lunch with him.” I smirk. “Either way, you’re not getting out of meeting him.”
“Another order?”
“Yes.”
“Fine.” He bites off a smile, looking irresistible. “You win. I’ll see him.”
Good boy. Whoa, where did that come from? I mutter in a rush, “Great.”
He doesn’t lean back, letting his lips hover over mine until my breaths grow shallow. The temptation to ask him for a secret hookup arrangement floats to the surface. The lustful hunger on his face matches mine, feeding me the hope he’ll say yes if I just ask him.
Seconds stretch into a minute as neither of us pulls away, ending the wicked torture. A tilt of my chin and I can kiss him. Taste him. Sink into him.
Be brave, Arya.
A moment before I can, his head suddenly snaps to the ground. I follow his gaze, fighting back laughter at the sight of Pihu climbing up his leg.
“Oh my god,” I chuckle. “She likes you.”
Nathan grabs her mid-climb, earning a hiss from her, and lifts her between us. “I think you’re wrong.”
“That’s ’cause you ruined her fun.” I scratch behind her soft ear. “Isn’t that right, cutie-pie?”
She purrs, leaning into my palm. I smile at her reaction, falling for her more whenever she does this.
My throat hitches when I look up, catching Nathan studying me softly and unabashedly. My lips part, causing his intoxicating scent to fill my lungs. I slip my hand lower, grazing his wrist where he holds Pihu protectively.
The three of us standing so close in a circle, cozy like a little family, does strange things to my slowly healing heart.
“Nathan,” I whisper, swaying closer to him.
“I am bad for you, Ari.”
His low admission-a sad warning-stutters my heartbeat.
I don’t care… is on the tip of my tongue, but before I can utter it to him, he’s passing Pihu to me and stepping back.
“I’ll let you know how the meeting with Sanjay goes,” he says in his business tone.
Leaving me stranded in my kitchen, he turns around and disappears down the hall. A few seconds later, I hear the door open and shut.
I stare at the empty spot where he was standing, wondering who broke him so badly to believe he’s bad for other people.
And how I wish to prove him wrong.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Arya
I ring the doorbell with a shaking hand.
