Page 116 of Guarded King

“The legal team will draw up our formal bid for EcoTech this week,” Cole says.

“Good.” I scan the men and women sitting at the table. “Other points that need to be discussed?”

There’s a low murmur and shaking of heads, but all I can focus on is the way David is leaning in toward Chloe and murmuring in her ear.

My jaw clenches, and it only relaxes when she nods, then shifts to put distance between them as she turns to speak to Sophie, who’s sitting on her other side.

“Looks like everyone’s happy.” Tate smoothly steps in for me when I don’t continue. “The marketing department is working on drafting announcements for when the bid is accepted.”

Announcements. Accepted. Those words bring me back to the topic. “Excellent. That’s it for now. We’ll meet again in a week’s time.”

Around the table, our employees collect their things and stand. As they file out of the room, Cole, Tate and I bring up the rear. I can’t help but track Chloe, who’s walking with Sophie and, annoyingly, David.

“What the hell’s going on with you?” Cole asks.

I turn to him with a frown. “What?”

“You’ve been as distracted as shit since you got back from France.” Tate eyes me. “And you stayed an extra night. Is there something you want to tell us?”

“There’s nothing to tell.” I stare straight ahead, avoiding their scrutiny. “I extended my stay so I could meet up with Jameson in Paris. The only thing on my mind at the moment is this acquisition. You know how important it is.”

“We do,” Cole says. “But it’s not the be all and end all. I know you want to prove a point about the King Group’s change under your leadership. But there’s no one thing that’s going to accomplish that. All the work we’ve done over the last few years is what’ll show the world that we’re doing things differently.”

I grunt. Thoughts like that are what typically occupy my mind, but today, I’m distracted for a completely different reason. And that reason is walking ahead of us, hips swaying and a tight skirt accentuating an ass I can’t wait to get my hands on again. It’s been two days since I fucked her in my office, and since then we haven’t had any real alone time.

During the day, the risk of being interrupted is too great. And locking the door will invite suspicion. Chloe spends the evenings with her father, so I’m reluctant to ask her to work late in order to see her. I’ll reserve that request for when we legitimately need to work late.

But fuck, was it hard not to touch her each time I saw her yesterday. I’ve got to come up with a solution before my distraction ends up costing us a deal.

“Yes, the acquisition is only part of the plan,” I say. “But it will put us years ahead of our nearest competition. And I don’t want Haverscombe disrupting things at the last minute.”

“I doubt Haverscombe is the type of man Ellis wants to do business with,” Tate says. “Not if he truly cares about integrity.”

Tension knots my back and neck. If he knew the truth about Chloe, he wouldn’t want to work with me either. Regardless of whether what I’m doing with Chloe is anything like the shit Dad pulled, I’m not sure if Ellis, or anyone else, will see the distinction.

“Is the reason you dislike Roger so much because he’s dating Katherine?” Tate asks.

Where the hell did that come from?I shoot him a narrow-eyed look.

He raises his hands in the air and laughs. “Sorry, I had to ask.”

Irritation flares inside me. “Did you?”

“Yes. You’ve never opened up about why the two of you divorced. Just wondering if there’s a lingering flame there and that’s what’s got you all riled up.”

If I was tense before, my muscles are even tighter now. “I can guarantee that there’s no lingering flame.”

As we stop outside my office door, Sophie waves at Chloe and continues on to Tate’s office, while David hangs back by her desk.

I force my gaze away before I do something stupid like grab him by the collar and tell him to move the fuck on.

“Okay, okay.” Tate exchanges a look with Cole.

I glare at both of them. “If you have something to say to me, spit it out.”

The light sound of Chloe’s laughter from a few feet away steals my focus. David’s perched on the corner of her desk, grinning at the no doubt smart ass comment that made her laugh.

“David,” I bark. “Is there a reason you’re distracting my assistant from her work?”

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