***
When Cobra had opened the door to Desiree’s office, the last thing he expected to see was her on her knees, with her ass in the air. So, he had done what any other hot-blooded male would do—he’d silently ogled her. His gaze had taken in everything—the way her skirt hugged her figure, her graceful movements—and he’d immediately gotten hard.
He’d known she had a beautiful body. The sexy outfit she’d worn at Colton and Kelly’s wedding had showcased it spectacularly. And now, seeing her on the floor, on her knees… It was doing crazy things to his already jacked-up libido. His favorite part of a woman’s anatomy was her ass, and he could have stood there and stared at hers for hours.
To be on the safe side, he placed his briefcase in front of him, deliberately covering his crotch. And it wasn’t a minute too soon, if the way Desiree glared at him over her shoulder was anything to go by. If looks could kill… A lesser man would have high-tailed it out of her office.
“You have a problem with knocking, Cobra?”
“I did knock. I guess you didn’t hear me.”
“That doesn’t mean you can just come in.”
“I thought you weren’t here and was going to leave a note on your desk.”
When she made a move to get off the floor, he walked over to her and presented his hand. “Here, let me help you up.”
From the way she looked at his hand before taking it, he thought she’d decline his help, but then she placed hers in his. The moment she did, that same intense sensation he had felt when they shook hands at the wedding reception rushed through him. That had to be why he went still and stood there staring down at her, holding her hand instead of helping her up.
A frown settled on her lips. “Are you going to help me up or not?”
Her cutting words broke the passionate spell that had captivated him, and he helped her to her feet, but didn’t let go of her hand until she pulled it away. “Thanks. So, why are you here, Cobra?”
He took a few moments to gather his wits before he answered. “I had a meeting with Richard earlier. I recalled you saying today would be your first day, so I asked him about you, and he told me where your office was located.” Glancing around, he said. “Nice view!”
She followed his gaze. “That’s what I thought when I first saw it.” Going around her desk, she slid into the chair. He had watched her every move, thinking she had both the curves and the legs for that skirt. Pencil skirts had a way of showcasing a woman’s best attributes, and Desiree was certainly a boss in hers. “You haven’t said why you’re here.”
Although she hadn’t asked him to sit, he slid into a chair and placed his briefcase across his lap. “As I said, I had a meeting with Richard. I remembered that you were starting work today, and thought I’d check in and see how things were going.” There was no way he would admit that he had thought about her a lot since he last saw her.
She nodded. “So far so good. I have a meeting with Granddad in a couple of hours. Do you normally see him on Mondays?”
“Not always,” Cobra replied. “We meet at least once a month or as needed. He uses his company’s fitness room a lot in themorning, and oftentimes I join him. We occasionally meet up on the weekends to go boating, play golf, and play tennis.”
“My grandfather plays tennis?”
“Sure does. Like a champ. Any reason he shouldn’t? He’s only sixty-three.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Are we talking about the same man? Because just last Saturday, you told me that he deserves peace instead of aggravation because of his age.”
“Yes, and I still stand behind what I said. Sixty-three is old but not ancient, Desiree. I try to encourage Richard to stay active and eat healthy in order to live longer. I’m sure you want him to stay around as much as I do.”
“He’s my grandfather, so of course I care about his health and well-being. But I’m wondering what’s in it for you?”
Her question pissed him off. He didn’t say anything for a minute, mainly because he wasn’t exactly sure what to say. Finally, he looked her in the eye and said, “This is the second time you’ve implied—in a roundabout way—that my concern for Richard is not genuine, and I don’t like it, nor do I appreciate it. I don’t know what your problem is, Desiree, or why you’re questioning the sincerity of my friendship with your grandfather. Are you feeling guilty because I was here for him while you spent almost three years having a good time in Paris?”
She leaned over her desk, her hazel eyes blazing with fire. Why did the thought of seeing that degree of fire in the bedroom suddenly flash through his mind? “You know nothing about me or what I was doing in Paris.”
He got out of his seat and leaned in toward her. Their noses were close to touching. “And you know nothing about me. Whether you like it or not, my friendship with your grandfather is solid, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”
Then, without saying another word, he walked out of her office.
CHAPTER 5
“I’m here to see Mr. Sharpe.”
The older woman behind the desk looked up at Desiree through wide-rimmed glasses, studied her features intently, then smiled. “Allison, we finally meet.”
From the sound of her voice, Desiree knew the person staring up at her was Eloise Markam, her grandfather’s administrative assistant for the past fifteen years. Although they had never officially met, Eloise was the one who would take messages and pass them along to her grandfather whenever Richard Sharpe was too busy to talk.
