Page 47 of The Keeper

Hannah nudged me gently and leaned close. “How do you know him?”

I shook myself out of the daze that has been ruling my life since he pulled off the side of the road. Having my boss standing next to me while every inch of my body screamed to be touched by this man wasn’t the most professional scenario. True, Hannah and I were friendly outside the office but this was a business meeting, not a night out in Vegas. And I’ll be damned if he didn’t know the effect he was having on me right now.

“He was at the event on Saturday.” I managed to vocalize part of the truth.

A harried looking young man rushed over to Xavier. “Mr. Maddox,” he stammered, “we’ll need you down in the media room soon. We start in less than fifteen minutes.”

“Thanks, Craig,” Xavier acknowledged the young man but kept his focus on me. “Would it be alright if I borrowed Ms. Chase for a few minutes? Her media relations skills could really come in handy.”

“I don’t think—“

“Of course,” Hannah interrupted me. “She’s the best in the business as far as I’m concerned. Take all the time you need.”

“Perfect. Cheers.” He motioned to his left. “This way.”

I turned and followed him down the hall. He led me into a room where I fully expected to see a podium with a microphone set up and maybe a handful of people waiting for the presser to start.

I was so wrong. Well, not totally wrong. There was a podium with a microphone. However, there wasn’t a person in sight.

The door clicked shut behind me. I walked to the table positioned near the podium, steeled myself and turned around.

Xavier half-grinned, tilting his head to the side. “I have you alone again.”

“Yes you do.” I clutched onto the table for dear life. “So, what can I help you with?”

He moved closer, like a wolf on the prowl. “How come you waited so long to text me?”

I smirked. “That’s what this is all about?”

He was in front of me now, inches away. “Not really. I knew you’d be here.”

“How?”

Now it was his turn to smirk. “Bennet casually mentioned his meeting with you. Since my press conference was around the same time, I asked him to bring you here.”

“Ah. You’re both in on it. Good to know.”

“There’s no in on it Victoria. Just a pleasant coincidence.” His hands moved to the small of my back. “I like you in business casual. I’d like it better in a pile on the floor.”

“That’s not a very professional thing to say in the workplace,” I half-scolded.

The sound of his low, quiet laugh seared through me.

“I thought we already established the type of gentleman you preferred.”

I swallowed hard, tightening my grip on the table, momentarily regretting wearing this dress instead of something more impenetrable, like pants.

A wicked gleam brightened his eyes. “Do I really make you this nervous?”

“No but someone could walk in at any moment,” I warned.

“And what would they see?” His eyes darkened.

“You know what they’d see.”

“And you’d love every second of it,” he murmured, running his thumb beneath my lip. “Your gloss is rather sexy. Did you wear this color for Bennet?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

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