We stare at each other for a moment until I can’t stand it anymore and I raise my eyebrow.
“What do you want to discuss about the prospectus?”
He gets up and comes around the desk and leans his behind on the back of it. He crosses his legs in front of him at the ankle and grips the desk behind him with two hands.
“Don’t threaten me, I don’t like it,” he says calmly.
“It wasn’t a threat.”
“I keep my professional and private lives separate, I thought you could too.”
“I do.” I straighten my back. “I mean, I am.”
His eyes hold mine. “That’s a lie. You’ve never threatened to leave before. In fact, you have stayed to spite me. Suddenly today, you want to resign?”
“Nobody gets to speak to me like that, whether I’m sleeping with them or not.”
“We haven’t slept together . . . yet.” He accentuates the yet. “Although, I’m rectifying that situation very soon.”
You wish.
I stay silent, unsure what to say that won’t sound melodramatic. He’s right, I’ve never contemplated leaving before today; maybe I can’t separate the two.
“I leave for New York in the morning,” he says.
I nod.
His eyes hold mine and then he raises an impatient eyebrow. “And?”
“And what?” I reply.
“Am I going to see you tonight?”
“I’m going to be at the Christmas party like everyone else in the building.” I shrug casually. “So, I guess that means yes.”
He narrows his eyes. “What’s with the attitude?”
I stand. “You know, for an intelligent man, you’re pretty stupid. If you think you roasting me and my work colleagues over an honest mistake is a turn-on, you’ve got another thing coming.”
He puts his jacket back on and his hands in the pockets. “I’m a professional, Kathryn. I wouldn’t be who I am if I wasn’t. Incompetents won’t be tolerated, I don’t care what my relationship with them is.”
I squirm and look out of the window to evade his glare.
“Do you want preferential treatment—is that what you’re saying?”
“No, of course not,” I snap.
“Then look at it from my angle, do you want to be treated the same at work or don’t you?”
I clench my jaw . . . fucker has got me.
“I can separate the two,” he continues. “The Kathryn I work with and the Kate that I want.”
He puts his finger under my chin and brings my face up to meet his; his eyes drop to my lips. “Now let’s talk about Kate,” he murmurs. “I like her.”
His eyes are so blue . . . and I feel myself lean toward him.
Just one kiss . . .
I snap out of my trance. “Let’s not.” I turn and march from the office. I hit the elevator button with such force I’m surprised I don’t break it. I storm into the elevator and take it to the ground floor. I need to go for a walk in the fresh air to try and clear my head.
Everything is just so confusing at the moment. My life is a head-fuck . . . and not in the good way.
Music is piping through the gym and the sound of laughter can be heard throughout the space. Trays of champagne and beer are being walked around by waiters and there are balloons and Christmas decorations.