Page 13 of Craved

“You can be my sister.”

Her eyes widened as she shook her head. “Then you’d have to have my daddy. And no one should have my daddy.”

He nodded slowly, her words, making him feel icky inside. “Then you’ll be my best friend.”

“But I’m a girl.”

He shrugged. “Can you read?”

“Pretty good.”

“Can you climb a tree?”

“Sure!”

“Do you like comic books?”

She tilted her head to the side. “Duh.”

“Well, see? We’re friends.”

“Really?”

“Gosh, yeah.” He held out a pinkie, then gestured for her to do the same. He hooked his around hers, gratified when she caught on and did the same. “Friends forever,” he said. “Now your turn.”

“Friends forever.”

And they were, too. At least until they weren’t.

Chapter Seven

“There you are,” Killion Lambert said hours later, as the doors to the elevator Maxim had just summoned opened wide. He stepped out, his dark brown eyes looking Maxim up and down before he slipped a friendly arm around Maxim’s shoulders. “I was just looking for you on three. I didn’t realize you were up here.”

“Just catching up on some paperwork before I head out.” He thought of her voice. Their unfinished business. And the invitation he fully intended to accept. “I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”

“I hope you can take a second,” Killion said, expertly steering Maxim toward the conference room. “We have a bit of celebrating to do.”

Maxim paused mid-stride, breaking the connection between him and his boss. Killion turned to face him, a question etched in the lines of his face.

“What celebration?” Maxim asked, fearing he knew the answer.

Killion only smiled, then continued toward the conference room. Maxim hurried to catch up. He was supposed to be the man’s second-in-command, dammit. How could he do his job if the arrogant SOB continually sidestepped protocol?

His gut twisted and he forced himself to push the worry down. The celebration could just as easily be about finally closing on the office space in Dubai.

He entered the room as Killion turned on the wall-sized television. He resisted the urge to check his watch, knowing that would only irritate his boss, but he needed to get going. Things were in motion that he was looking forward to attending to.

“You know I’m always available for you,” he told Killion as he settled into his seat at one end of the long table. “But I’m expected somewhere. I thought you were out this evening. Sasha mentioned cocktails.”

The corners of Killion’s mouth curved down as his eyes narrowed. “Sasha needs to better understand her job parameters…”

“Only to me,” Maxim said. “She only mentioned it to me.”

Killion looked somewhat mollified, and since he didn’t lash out with suggestions that the girl should be fired or demoted to file clerk, Maxim considered that a victory. Which, of course, made Maxim wonder what had happened today to brighten his boss’s mood.

“A cocktail party,” Killion said, apparently unable to let that faux pas go. “Maxim, my boy, I thought you knew me better. This close to D-Day? Do you really think I’d spend any amount of time away from here? For that matter, do you think I’d be that ironic?”

Ironic? “Sir? I’m sorry, I don’t—”