Page 17 of Toy Shop

Mine?

Not only is she not mine, I shouldn’t be entertaining the idea of seeing her in a sexual environment ever again. What I should do is remove these roadblocks from my head, schedule the therapist, and attend the retreat.

Anything except bang my way out of my issues. Even if Nola differed from the others, it won’t last. Nothing will.

Or will it?

“Okay.” I’ve never witnessed Jessica this pleased in our nine years of working together. “We have everything we need and then some. Do you think we could interest you in an associate position? You’d be much more suited there. The compensation is higher, too.”

Jessica rests her forearm on the table, turning to David and me, beseeching us. “You two agree with me, right?”

“Yes, absolutely,” we say in unison.

“Well, Nola. The decision is yours.” Jessica swathes her with a kind, genuine smile. “Have we lived up to your expectations? Are you interested?”

Nola’s eyes brighten, her teeth flash in an exuberant grin. Then my chest tightens because the talented young woman I’d love to have on my team glimpses at me.

And falters.

“I…” She sucks in a shaky breath. “I’m extremely grateful and beyond appreciative of your offer. I’ll have to consider it.”

My colleagues nod, standing to end the meeting. While Nola mirrors their action, I do not.

“I’ll send you a detailed offer.” David shakes her hand for the second time today, warmth coating his words. “Hopefully, it’ll tilt the odds in our favor.”

“Thank you, again.” Nola blushes.

Jessica and David round the table and head out the door with Nola on their tail. My instincts roar into action, ignited by one truth—I’ll never see Nola again if she walks out that door.

To hell with the shrinks and fuck meditation.

This pure girl in this twisted world is exactly what I need.

The chair I’m occupying scrapes the floor as I push it behind me, but it’s not the only sound in the room. “Miss Vickers, hold up for a second.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Nola

The common conception is that when your heart stops, you die.

In my case, I’ve never felt more alive.

Alistair’s request shocks my system, shutting down my organs for the longest second ever. When it ends, they return to function unanimously. A cacophony of lights and emotions and excitement unfurling inside me.

Among them, a shrivel of hope resuscitates too, blooming rapidly from a seed into the beginning of a red, bright rose under Alistair’s sun. Could it be he wants to pull the brakes on this interview charade and finally admit what I want? What we both—hopefully—want?

I’m attracted to him. I can admit it to myself. Maybe Alistair does, too. Maybe he’ll even tell me what I tried to read from his face throughout the past thirty minutes of the interview.

Despite answering every question Miss Wang and Mr. Auburn presented, I kept sneaking glances at Alistair, to claw out a hint as to why he insisted I come here. His imposing frame reigned over the room, his dark captivating eyes were zoned in on me. He was right there, and yet he wasn’t. An enigma.

And just as I was willing to throw in the towel and call it quits, he asked me to stay.

Prepared to get my answers, I turn around.

“I can tell you’ve made up your mind about the job.” He closes the button of his suit jacket. “I’d like you to reconsider.”

There are moments in time when I’m emotionally available to mask my disappointment, preferably wearing an agreeable smile. People like smiles. It soothes them.

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