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Instant zing.

“It’s nice that you want to ask for protections for the employees, but I should advise you that it’s a risk,” Bas points out. “Lund is a hard-ass. Going in with demands might piss him off.”

“I don’t think so. He’s already proven he wants Stratus. If he’s come back to the table repeatedly and he’s given me an offer this close to market value, then something simple like assurances for the workers won’t chase him away, especially since he needs the know-how of the staff. He’s smart enough to realize that. That’s why he’s asking me to stay on as COO for two years.”

“I hope you’re right,” Bas mutters, focusing on the box of donuts. “You going to eat one and pass the rest along or hoard them all?”

With a scowl, I pluck one from the selection and drop it on a napkin, then shove the rest across the table. “I’m right.”

He grabs one out of the box. “Well, on the plus side, us countering could be construed as interest we’ve never shown before. Do you want me to prepare something for you to present back to Colossus?”

“Put something together. I want to look at it when you’re done, but I’m going to have you present instead.”

“That won’t make Lund happy. You know he wants to pal up with you.”

I snort. “Whatever. I want the best deal for me and for Stratus. Looking too eager won’t get me there.”

“Fair enough. Wright, why don’t you come with me and share your ideas? We’ll whip this into something we can send over.”

“Sure.” Nia slips the last bite of the donut into her mouth, and when it oozes cream onto her fingers, she catches it with her tongue. “Be right there.”

I watch the sensual pursing of her lips and the slide of her slick tongue as she sucks her finger clean. Instantly, I go from hard to aching so badly I nearly lose my composure. Worse, I can’t tell if she’s trying to torment me or if she reconsidered our hookup during her lazy Sunday and decided it wasn’t that great after all.

When Bas disappears out the door, Nia stands, then grabs her coffee and purse. “It shouldn’t take me too long to gather my thoughts and format everything. You’ll definitely have a draft to approve by the end of the day. I also gave your personal ad some thought. I think I know what to do. You’ll have a list of candidates by Friday.”

As she takes the doorknob in hand, I stand. “Wait.”

Nia turns and blinks, staring expectantly. “What’s wrong? Did I forget something?”

She’s really going to act as if we didn’t share excruciating pleasure? “I don’t know. Did you? Did you actually forget we had sex?”

With a sigh, Nia cracks the door open and peeks into the hall. No sign of Sebastian or anyone else. When she shuts the door, she takes in a bracing breath as she turns to me. “What do you want, Evan?”

“For you to talk to me. For you to acknowledge that something more than nothing happened between us.”

Her expression tightens. “After you zipped your pants on Saturday night, you told me nothing could change between us at the office. I’m honoring your wishes.”

To her credit, she is behaving as if it’s any other day. She’s not giving me longing, lingering stares. She’s not coming on to me now that we’re alone. She’s not acting as if she has any idea what it feels like when I sink inside her and ride her to climax.

I asked for this. But now that she’s complied, I hate it. “I didn’t say that to hurt you.”

She shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I see pain ripple across her face before she blanks her stare again. “You needed relief. And you see me all the time, so you know I’m safe. I’m not the crazy girlfriend type who will do anything and everything to snare a man. And when you saw me dancing nearly naked at the club, I probably seemed easy. It makes sense that you’d pick me to let out some of your pent-up sexual frustration. It’s fine. I hope you feel better now.”

Balancing her coffee carefully, she twists the knob.

Without thinking twice, I brace my palm against the door, ensuring she can’t open it. Then I lock it and lay my other hand against the hard surface, caging her between my arms, thanking God this conference room doesn’t have any windows. I’m not touching her anywhere—yet. But I want to so badly it’s all I can think about.

“I didn’t storm into your dressing room because I thought you’d be easy to nail. I don’t know what I was thinking, but it certainly wasn’t that you’d spread your legs simply because I asked you to. And it wasn’t with the hope you’d take the edge off my sex drive. And it damn well wasn’t because you’re ‘safe’ or ‘convenient.’” I rake a hand through my hair. “I did it because I couldn’t stop myself.”

“Well, itch scratched, right?” The only hint I have that my nearness is getting to her is the little pulse pounding at the base of her neck. Otherwise, she looks maddeningly cool. “You’re moving on. I got it. We’ll forget it happened and go back to normal.”

Has she lost her damn mind? “You think I’m going to forget what we did? That I even could?”

As soon as the words are out, I wish I could take them back. Maybe she’s capable of hookups and one-night stands. Maybe she didn’t find the sex we shared particularly memorable or special. Maybe she doesn’t want me anymore.

“What are you saying, then? I don’t know what you want.”

For her to forget about maintaining office decorum between us and to kiss me until I drown in her taste. “I want you. I want what we had on Saturday night again. I know we have to maintain a professional environment here. If anyone suspects we might be carrying on a torrid office fling, it could undermine us both.”