I finally left the office at nine, crashed at my hotel, and was up when my alarm went off the next day. By 6:45 a.m., we were all back at it. Pitching was half the battle. Preparation was everything. By 7:00 p.m., we were satisfied.
Our dinner reservation was set for 8:00.
Shannon stopped by my office at 7:30. “Just wanted to make sure everything’s perfect.”
She looked…different. Polished. More makeup, maybe. Or had she changed her clothes?
“When did you do that?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
She winked. “I keep a few extra outfits in my office.”
I nodded, taking in her fitted black dress. The fabric hugged her waist. Her legs were long and toned beneath sheertights. She always looked put together, but tonight, she looked dangerous.
“You look great.”
“Thank you for noticing,” she said with a tight smile.
We grabbed a cab, both too focused on the deal to let the conversation slip anywhere else. The dinner was business. The food was a brief intermission. We laughed here and there, but I kept it in check. I had to.
After dinner, I hailed her a cab.
“Want to get a nightcap?” she asked, eyes glinting. “At your hotel, so it’s close for you,” she added, playful, “for bedtime.”
I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. “Is this a good idea?”
She shrugged and slid into the cab. Without thinking, I followed.
When we got to my hotel, Danny was at the bar.
A sign. A goddamn sign.
Danny greeted us with his usual grin. “You two thought I’d miss all the fun tomorrow?”
We ordered drinks and went over the plan, again. It was overkill, but I didn’t mind. It kept my mind where it needed to be.
I woke up the next morning, ready for the biggest meeting of the quarter.
It went flawlessly. We all brought our A-game, and it showed.
When the investor signed, Danny grabbed a bottle of champagne, and we celebrated, toasting to the future.
Marcus, in true Marcus fashion, casually announced, “I’ve got a date with a model tonight. Gonna be doing her doggy style till morning.”
“Gross,” Shannon muttered.
By the time everyone left, I went back to my office to grab my things.
Shannon walked in. “Well done, boss,” she said, a playful gleam in her eyes. “My birthday wish granted.”
I blinked. “Your birthday? And you didn’t mention it till now?”
She shrugged. “Work comes first.”
“Not tonight,” I said. “We’re celebrating.”
That was how we ended up splitting an absurdly oversized sundae at Serendipity, laughing about how ridiculous it was to eat ice cream after closing one of the biggest deals of our careers.
Then I offered to walk her home.
