The conference room door opens. Jaxon steps out.
Everyone except Lana scatters like guilty criminals.
He approaches me again, slow and deliberate this time, as if he believes he is the safest person on earth for me to stand near, which is objectively false.
“Ruby,” he says, stopping in front of me. “I need to speak with you privately.”
My stomach flips. “About what?”
He looks directly into my eyes, and I feel the floor shift. “The interview,” he says. “The one you’re assigned to do.”
My body turns into static.
“You’re… Bachelor Seven?” I whisper.
His mouth curves like he’s been waiting for me to put the pieces together. “That’s me.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“You didn’t ask,” he murmurs.
I hate how hot that makes me feel. I hate that I like his voice. I hate that my body lights up every time he looks at me like I’m lingerie wrapped in a deadline.
“We should schedule it,” he continues, lowering his voice. “Soon.”
I grip my folder tighter. “Fine. But this is professional, strictly professional.”
He leans in a fraction; not touching me, not inappropriate, but close enough that my pulse trips over itself.
“Ruby,” he says quietly, “nothing about last night was professional.”
I stare at him.
He stares back, absolutely certain I’ll cave.
I am not caving. I am not melting. I am not going to let this insanely sexy billionaire derail my job.
“Fine,” I say, keeping my voice as steady as humanly possible. “We’ll do the interview, but that’s it.”
He studies my face for a long moment.
Then he murmurs, “If you say so.”
He walks away.
My legs immediately stop functioning. Ava appears from behind a plant like she’s part of a spy movie. “Soooo… how’d it go?”
I’m still staring at the space where Jaxon stood. “I’m in trouble.”
Ava grins as if Christmas came early. “Oh, honey. You’re in the BEST kind of trouble.”
Ruby’s Impending HR Violation
SEXY NINE GROUP CHAT
Ava renamed the chat
Ava:
