Page 3 of Unravel You

“Going to the office, Mrs. Cole?” he asked when we left the school. “Looks like Mr. Cole is running late this morning.”

“Yes.” My phone buzzed with another message from Derek.

Trip from hell. Running late.

The office was the usual morning chaos when I arrived, maybe a little more since everyone knew Derek was finally back. He injected the place with energy somehow. I didn’t have meetings until midmorning, so I took my time getting to my office, which Derek insisted I move into, even though I was only a project manager in his department. He didn’t care if people thought I was getting special treatment for sleeping with him, which I was.

As soon as he took over as CEO again, he sacked his ex-wife Bridget for embezzlement and for trying to sell his company out from under him. He’d also promoted me to manager. When Bridget ran the company, she’d hired me during a student job fair at the end of the fall semester. I started out writing code to update old reports for her. She was so intimidating; she scared the crap out of me. But she’d offered me the one thing I wanted most. A real job so I could afford a home for Max. Back then, I didn’t know Derek, and I had no clue I’d fall for him so hard.

I fired up my computer and swiveled my chair around to see out the two-story window. The view of the city from up here was breathtaking, complete with a clear blue sky and a serene desert landscape. Since Derek moved to Tucson for one of his biggest clients, he’d acquired more office space. Cole Communications, Inc., owned all four buildings on the block. They all faced into a large courtyard lined with benches and water features throughout.

I felt the tremble on the windows and the floor before I spotted Derek’s chopper. The one he used to commute to Phoenix on a daily basis. His client base was growing at a fast pace now that he was back in the CEO chair, so he spent a great deal of time there. We’d actually considered moving, but we loved it here so much that in the end we decided commuting every day wasn’t a big deal.

The chopper landed on the helipad on the rooftop of the building across the way, and I held my breath for a moment, waiting for Derek to climb out. He was already dressed in a dark suit, hair perfectly styled, and wearing sunglasses. The scene in front of me could easily be a magazine photo shoot or an Omega watch commercial. That guy could wear a suit.

His admin met him by the door. By the way she talked with her arms flailing urgently, he was needed somewhere. I picked up my phone and typed a message for him.

Lunch?

He glanced down at his screen before he disappeared through the door. A minute later, his text came in with a loud ping.

Need a year-to-date report on recent acquisitions. Can you bring that by?

Right. I’d seen that request on my phone on the drive down. I giggled. Or maybe Derek only wanted an excuse to get me to his office. We’d been apart for so long, surely, I wasn’t the only one thinking about sex. What did he have in mind? I glanced down at my skirt and blazer, glad I’d decided to wear a lacy bra, matching underwear, and thigh-high stockings. Yeah, two weeks was a very, very long time.

I headed for the door, then stopped myself. Not that Derek cared what people thought, but how would it look if I showed up at his office empty handed and stayed for an hour. Or two. I rushed back to my desk and grabbed my phone and the first file I found, a red one that stood out in my hand.

On the way to his office, I ran into my boss, who had a million and one questions about the acquisitions report. I was popular today. I answered his questions as quickly as I could. When he finally took a breath, I stopped him. “How about I email you the report when I get back to my office. That way you’ll have it all in one place. I’m late for a meeting right now.”

“Okay. I have what I need for now, but do send me that report.” He pretty much said that to the back of my head. Derek was all I could think of right now.

Derek’s office was one floor above mine, on the opposite end of the building. I did my best to brisk walk through the maze of cube offices without looking too desperate. My blood rushed with anticipation. I could still feel Derek’s hands sliding up my back from the last time we were together. The memory got me so wet it was all I could do not to take off running.

When I reached his reception area, his admin waved me through. I blushed, ears burning hot. As it always happened when he was around, a tiny flame flickered right smack in the middle of my chest. I blew out air and entered his office.

My face caught fire when ten different set of eyes, Derek’s included, turned to look at me, while I was holding a silly red folder.

Shit. He was serious about the report.

The scowl on Derek’s face stopped me in my tracks. Was his admin supposed to announce me since he had company? He glanced down at my hands. “Is that the report I asked for?” He used his this-is-a-business-meeting tone on me, and that sent a rush of embarrassment throughout my body. It still didn’t do anything to fix the wetness between my legs.Shit.

“Yes.” I peeked at the label on the front. I’d brought Max’s summer-school projects. “But you know, I just remembered I have a more current file on my computer. I’ll go get it.”

His blue gaze moved slowly from me to the four men sitting across from him, then to his phone. He typed something on it, and tossed it on his desk. “No need. Just give us a quick update now.” He gestured toward the only empty chair in his office.

I blew out air slowly through my teeth and slogged to my assigned seat. I’d put the update together over the weekend. I knew exactly what was on it, but for the life of me, I couldn’t find the words. All I could see in my mind, flashing in neon pink, were the wordshe didn’t call youhere for a quick office tumble. I set my mobile down on the coffee table but kept the folder clutched to my chest.

His phone rang the second my butt touched the soft leather seat. He put up a finger. “One second. It’s the urgent line.” He put the handset to his ear and listened while I ogled him.

I’d missed his chiseled profile and full lips. The light made his blond hair look darker than I knew it was when the sun touched it. He leaned forward, and his suit jacket stretched around his shoulders and biceps. Gosh, the man was gorgeous.

I slanted a glance over to the men sitting next to me. They kept looking down at their watches, as if they had somewhere to be. After a few minutes, Derek finally dropped the phone onto the base.

“Gentlemen, looks like we’ll have to reschedule for after lunch.” He sat back on his executive chair, his long fingers gripping the armrest. “Something’s come up. I need to tend to it immediately.”

They all shot to their feet, assuring him it wasn’t a problem at all. I stood as well, hiding the label on my red folder. I had a way out, and I had to take it.

“Valentina. Stay. I have a minute. If you can give me a quick update, I’d appreciate that.”

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