Page 294 of Savage Bosses

As he outlines his short and long-term vision for the company, I study his profile. The clean lines of his suit do little to soften his imposing frame. He seductively exudes ambition and hunger. This explains why he’s taken over so many companies and made them multi-million and multi-billion dollar ventures.

When he finishes his spiel, my mind is spinning. Beneath that polished exterior, I sense a storm brewing. I shouldn’t be intrigued, but I cannot deny I'm intrigued.

After wrapping up our impromptu one-on-one meeting, he walks to the door, looking just as good going as he did coming. He glances back and catches me, eyeing him. The hint of a smirk plays at his mouth before he turns away.

A shiver runs down my spine. This man is dangerous. He could upend everything I've worked for without a second thought. And yet, I'm tempted to learn more about him, to understand the enigma that is Archer Gates, the man who has come to take over the business that has become my world.

CHAPTER 3

Archer

FOCUS

W

ith a new day comes new challenges. I walk through the hall, enjoying the incessant tapping of keyboards and the murmur of hushed conversations. It’s the sound of progress in the making. I resist the urge to loosen my tie as I reach Tahani’s door, noticing her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She types furiously, brows furrowed in concentration.

Focus,I remind myself, but I can't tear my eyes away from her supple form. The way she bites her lip when deep in thought, the fire in her eyes when passionately making a point in a meeting, the curve of her neck as she throws her head back in laughter. The past week has been torture. I'm drawn to her intelligence, drive and ambition like a moth to a flame. She’s everything I never knew I wanted. Everything I can't have.

“Are you still available for our one o’clock meeting?” I ask, breaking the spell her current project has her under.

She glances down at the clock on her screen. “Oh, shoot. I will be there in five minutes.”

“Okay. See you then,” I say, my mind stuck on the mocha-skinned beauty sitting only feet away. I walk back to my office and wait for Tahani to join me for our meeting. The clock ticks slowly as my leg bounces with nervous energy. I have conducted thousands of one-on-one meetings with employees, but our scheduled meeting has my stomach in knots. I tell myself, “I have never been taken down by lust during a takeover, and I won’t start today.”

A soft knock at the door erases my internal dialogue.

I stand, straightening my tie. "Come in."

The door opens, and Tahani steps inside. Her silk blouse clings to her curves, and her skirt hugs her hips before falling to her knees, showing just enough leg to make my imagination go wild. Her eyes meet mine, dark and mesmerizing, and the corner of her mouth quirks up in a knowing smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Gates. Ready to get started?" Her voice is low and smooth, like honey.

Attempting to regain control, I swallow hard and gesture to the chair across from my desk. "Yes, please have a seat, Miss Stevens." My tone is thick and husky.

She glides forward, and I catch a whiff of her perfume—sweet, intoxicating. As she sits, crossing her legs slowly, I force my gaze upward. This is going to be a long meeting.

I clear my throat and open the file on our largest client. "So, let's discuss the updates for Wilford Industries," I begin, my voice faltering slightly as Tahani leans forward, giving me an ample view of her cleContessage.

She nods, all business despite the alluring way she's positioned herself. "Of course. I have some thoughts on optimizing performance."

I try to keep my eyes on the paperwork, but they keep flicking back to Tahani's full lips as she speaks. Her technical insights are brilliant as expected, but I'm struggling to concentrate.

"The integration with the existing backend needs refinement," she continues. "I'd recommend utilizing asynchronous processes for improved scalability."

"Right, that makes sense," I reply, my gaze lingering on the curve of her neck. I imagine kissing her there and a few other places.

She tilts her head, noticing my distraction. "Is everything okay, Mr. Gates?"

"Yes.” I clear my throat. “Just thinking through your suggestions." I straighten in my chair. "Please, go on."

She gives me a knowing look that causes my slacks to tighten but continues reviewing the code changes. Her fingers graze mine as she gestures to highlight a section of the document, sending a spark through my body.

Our eyes meet, and the room suddenly feels electric. Her lips part slightly as her breathing grows shallow. Being this close to her is torture. I force myself to turn back to the paperwork, though all I can think about is closing the distance between us.

This meeting is nowhere near over, and my self-control is being tested like never before.

I clear my throat and finally respond. "I rarely give compliments, but you've clearly put a lot of thought into optimizing performance. I'm impressed."

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