He squashes my assumption in an instant.
“It was a mistake,” he grits out.
I twist my wrist free from his grip. “Then we’re on the same page.”
We lock in a staring contest, breathing hard. It’s Nathan who breaks the hostility or whatever is crackling in the air between us by composing himself and stepping back. “I’m not avoiding you.”
“I find that hard to believe.” I snort.
I catch a muscle ticking in his square jaw before he shoves past me. Rolling my eyes, I trail after him for the umpteenthtime. He goes to his desk, flips open a folder, and turns around with an A4 paper between his fingers.
He extends it toward me. “There you go.”
“What’s this?”
“The list you requested.”
Oh. The rivals, board members, and disingenuous employees who’d love his downfall. I grab the sheet with a shaky hand. “Thanks.”
“Would I have made the effort if I wanted to ignore you?” Nathan quips. I stare at him apologetically, feeling admonished. “I’m not just under the scrutiny of the media and the public, but my employees and the board as well. I cannot let the scandal in my personal life affect my company more than it already has by skipping meetings to spare time for you at the snap of your fingers. Do you understand?”
“I do.”
“You also cannot ambush me here as you please,” he says strictly. “I sure as fuck don’t want to have our meetings here.”
Is there no one he trusts here? The severity of his predicament becomes clearer. Thus, cementing my determination to save his career. “Okay.”
“Great. Now, if you’ll excuse m-”
“I have a few conditions of my own.” I earn an exasperated look. “It’s a two-way street, Nathan. You won’t be the only one making demands.”
“You’ve already made me ten minutes late, Arya.”
“I’ll make it quick,” I counter. “I want direct access to you without bothering with Erika. Give me your personal cell number so I know you’ll actually reply. We will also meet once a week to discuss our strategies. You can pick the place. My office is an option too.”
“Is that all?” he mocks, leaning against the edge of his desk. Still, he towers over me dauntingly.
“How about behaving professionally?”
“Yeah, you shouldn’t eye fuck your clients.”
His abs flash before my eyes. Purging the image, I rumble, “In what language will you understand that I wasn’t?”
“Your denial would hold more weight had you proved me wrong.”
“Okay.” I tick off items one by one on my fingers. “The baseless teasing, taking off your shirt, constantly reminding me that we slept together… all of it has to stop.”
“I wouldn’t describe what we did as sleeping, sweet Ari.” Staring at me hotly, he smirks. “Unless you moan and beg for my cock like that in your sleep.”
A flush climbs up to my cheeks. My nipples pebble. His smirk grows, watching me fluster. The sight of it pisses me off. He knows he’s getting to me by using my inexperience against me.
Two can play this game because no man gets the upper hand on me ever again.
Holding his stare, I invade his personal space and step between his spread legs. His body grows taut, eyes narrowing, and he curls his hands against the desk on either side of his hips.
“You’re curious to know if I moan in my sleep, Nathan? Because of your cute crush on me?” His jaw flexes, emboldening me harder. “I do. Some nights I’m loud. Sometimes I’m quiet. And I don’t stop there. Neither do I beg for anything. I slip my fingers between my thighs and touch myself until I come. Both things you’ll never see or hear ever again.”
Satisfied with his shell-shocked reaction, I step back and turn around.
