Page 55 of Hold On Me

“Of course he has,” I mumble under my breath, but of course Penelope hears it.

She slows her pace and leans into my side, her mouth at my ear, and the scent of green apples and vanilla hits me again. “Do we not like this guy? I’m getting all kinds of grumpy vibes from you.”

I close my eyes and breathe deeply, savouring her scent as her words take hold in my head. She said ‘we,’ not ‘you’. She sees us as a team. And it makes my cold heart a little warmer knowing it.

“He isn’t my favourite person, but he is a formidable presence in his industry, and this meeting could be very lucrative for me. I need to be Mr. Elias the businessman for this. Please don’t hate me too much.”

The worry in my voice is tempered with the small laugh I force out. She frowns her confusion and opens her mouth to speak, but thinks better of it and just nods a little. At least I know I won’t be the biggest prick at the table. That accolade will go to Kingston. Penelope might even be able to overlook my douchery when it’s compared with his.

My name is bellowed across the restaurant and I turn to find James Kingston standing to greet us. His eyes immediately roam over Penelope. The way they fixate on her cleavage poking through the little window of her dress makes me want to maim him. But I force a smile on my face, take hold of Penelope’s elbow—a move James doesn’t miss—and walk toward him.

“James, long time no see.” I offer my hand first and he shakes it enthusiastically. “This is my assistant, Penelope Richards. Penelope, this is James Kingston.”

She smiles and offers her hand too, and I fight the urge to snatch it back so he can’t touch her. But that would be a ridiculous move, and I’m trying to be a sensible businessman, so I don’t. I do grit my teeth together and let my jaw tick as he takes her hand and kisses her knuckles lightly whilst muttering, “Enchanté.” Pretentious prick.

A quick look at Penelope shows her smiling wider, and the sight irritates me. Those smiles are mine, not some slimy prick’s who uses words likeenchantéwhen he comes from bloody Hampstead.

As if she can read my mind, she offers a little glance my way and a quick roll of her eyes to let me know she sees him and agrees with me. The irritation I was feeling rolls off my shoulders a little as I clear my throat.

“Shall we be seated.” My tone is sharp and authoritative, and Penelope shoots me an impressed look. I preen like a damn peacock under her gaze. She likes me taking charge it seems.

As James turns his back to head toward the table, right against that painted wall, she winks and mouths,“He’s a douche”to me. I nod back as I pull her chair out, and once she’s seated, I sit in the chair next to her. She offers her thanks with a small smile and tip of her head, relaxing me a little more.

I want to put my hand on her thigh, but I know I shouldn’t, so I open my legs wider and let my thigh rest next to hers. She doesn’t move it away, so I go one extra and wrap my foot around her ankle as her cheeks turn a subtle shade of pink.

“So Ben, I see why you’ve stayed in the states for as long as you have. With beauties like this working for you, I wouldn’t want to come home either.” Kingston’s words irritate me, but I’m used to his games, so rather than giving him what he wants, I spin the conversation.

“Yes, Penelope is beautiful, isn’t she? She’s also the best assistant I’ve ever had. She’s hard working and efficient, I’d be lost without her.” She’s turned to look at me with wonder in her eyes, and I try to show her I mean every word through my own.

She clears her throat and laughs softly. “Don’t let my dad hear you say that. He’ll be so disappointed.”

James looks at both of us with a mild form of confusion on his face. “What did I miss?”

“Penelope’s father was my assistant before her.” That’s the only explanation I offer as I sip the water in front of me.

But it doesn’t matter, because Penelope decides to share with him. “He’s been Ben’s assistant for years but had to have surgery on his knee recently, so I stepped in. Once he’s healed, he’ll come back to be Mr. Elias’s assistant again. I’m just filling in for the time being.”

The leg not wrapped around Penelope's starts to bounce under the table. I don’t normally give so much about myself or the inner workings of my business away. It’s something I should’ve told her about in the car, but I smelled her bloody hair. And by the way Kingston is eating her words up, he knows he’s got an advantage over me.

But what’s really irritating me is the idea of her leaving me. As much as I miss Hank, I like working with her, seeing her every day. I don’t want that to end. And judging by the smug smirk on Kingston’s face, he knows this too. Fuck.

“So, you’ll be looking for a job then? I’m in need of a new assistant myself. I’ll pay you double what Ben’s paying you.” He smirks at me and I want to reach across the table and smack the smug expression off his face. With the back of a chair.

She will not be going to work with him. He’ll be no better than her old boss and the sleaze dad. But I hold my tongue and my temper. If I know Penelope, she’ll see right through him.

“You don’t even know what he’s paying me. You can’t just offer that. And besides I’m not sure I could go from working with someone like Ben to someone who's not…” Her words trail off, leaving the meaning from her statement up to our discretion to interpret.

And I’ve never wanted to kiss her more than I do right now. She took his pretentious prickish behaviour and handled it. That sass that started everything with us is still burning inside of her, and a surge of pride washes over me. She carries on like this and I won’t be able to hide my ‘excitement’ from the whole damn restaurant when we stand to leave.

“Penelope, I’m a very wealthy man and I always get what I want, regardless of how much it costs. And I can assure you, anything Ben can do, I can do better.”

The scoff from her lips is loud enough for both of us to hear, and instead of the retort I had ready on my lips for him, I leave it to her.

“Hmmmm, I’m sure you are. But, money can’t buy you everything. And as such a successful businessman, I’m sure you’re aware of that.” Her tone dripping with sarcasm, she raises her brow confidently back at him.

And just like that, I’m rock fucking hard.

She brings her glass to her lips as James chuckles, and I couldn’t care less about the man sitting opposite me. All my focus is on the formidable woman sitting next to me. I’m transfixed with watching her as she slowly lowers the glass back to the table and meets my gaze. She widens her eyes slightly and very subtly motions her head toward James, quickly bringing me back to my senses.

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