Her frown deepens. “So our relationship, what’s happened between us, is affecting my job. It’s keeping me from amazing trips to amazing cities and keeping me from doing what I want to do, what I’m excited to do, what I’mgreatat doing.” She crosses her arms. “Just like I knew it would.”
Her frustration is palpable.
And I can’t deny what she just said. Fuck.
I finally say the only thing I can. “I’m sorry.”
She turns on her heel and crosses to the armchair where she has a blazer, long wool coat, and leather bag waiting. She shrugs into the blazer, pulls on the coat, belts it at her waist, then pulls the strap of the bag onto her shoulder.
She turns to face me. “This better not happen again, Everett. You’re a grown man. Get your emotions in check. IES can’t suffer because you’ve got a crush.”
I open my mouth to protest the use of the weak word ‘crush’ to describe how I feel about her, but she walks past me, stepping into the hallway.
“AndIwon’t suffer because of it.”
I let the door shut behind us and find her stopped, facing me in the hallway.
“Promise me, Everett. Tell me right now that this is the last time you let your feelings for me haveanythingto do with IES.”
I can’t tell her that. I’m going to step down from my position with IES because of my feelings for her.
“I promise you that you will not be left out of meetings or plans or anything else because of my feelings for you,” I say, honestly. “You’re right,” I continue. “It was the wrong call not to have you come to New York in the first place, and it’s fully about the fact that I’ve never been in love before and that I’m not used to not getting the things that I want. That shouldn’t negatively affect the company or you. I won’t let that happen again.”
My stepping down will definitely notnegativelyimpact the company or her. I’ll make sure of that. IES will be completely stable before I resign, and Ginny will be secure in the company for as long as she wants to be a part of it.
She studies my face and I let her. I’m telling her the truth. I’ll just have to deal with my feelings and the temptation of hergoing forward. I won’t keep her out of the things she should be a part of. It might be difficult, but hopefully it’s only a few more months.
She’s finally satisfied with whatever she sees in my eyes. She gives me a single nod. “Okay.” She turns and starts for the elevators. “Let’s go.”
I feel a lightness in my step as I follow her. Yes, it’s going to be difficult to resist her, but I’m excited about the meeting. The Albright brothers are interested in investing, but they haven’t written any checks yet. Now that Ginny is here with her knowledge, passion, and charm, I’m even more optimistic about leaving New York with a firm commitment from Albright Investments.
The town car is still waiting at the curb, and the driver gets out when he sees us step out of the hotel. He opens the back door for Ginny, introduces himself, and smiles at her warm "Thank you for driving us."
“Thanks, Paul,” I say, sliding into the backseat next to her.
Her perfume lingers in the air, and I take a deep breath, sighing happily.
“You have to stop that.”
I open my eyes and look over at her.
She’s watching me with a strange expression.
“Stop what?”
“You’re smelling my perfume.”
“I can’t help it. And I love it.”
“You can’t take deep breaths, close your eyes, and sigh happily like that. For one, other people will notice and think it’s weird. For another, that isnotignoring your feelings for me. And you’re makingmeaware of them, which is…” She trails off, shifting in her seat as if she can’t quite get comfortable.
Which is ridiculous. This car is amazingly comfortable, and the buttery leather seats are soft and heated.
“Which is what?” I ask, turning to face her.
“Distracting,” she says.
“My feelings for you are distracting?” I repeat.
