Page 6 of Elevator Pitch

I smile wider, shaking my head.

It’s annoying that I’m enjoying this interaction.

“What floor?” he asks again.

“Six.”

He doesn’t move and holds my gaze. He’s intense, and I’m curious about him. I ask if he’s going to press the button, and he tells me he’d like to know more about the book I’m reading.

He can’t be serious.

“Why is that important?”

“I’d like to know what captivates you.”

“Hmm. Okay,” I say. “It’s a romance. Enemies-to-lovers. They meet in traffic when the woman is running late for her first day at a new job. She initiates a road rage incident with a man, where they exchange words and part ways. She makes it to work on time and learns the man she just snapped at in traffic is her new boss.”

He listens with intent and asks about the author. I tell him this is her debut, and she’s anonymous. He pulls out his phone and claims to order the book. Says he’s intrigued and hasn’t read a romance before.

This man isdifferent,to say the least.

I snort. “Surely you’re joking.”

He raises an eyebrow. “I’m not,” he replies matter-of-factly and puts his phone away.

He turns around and presses two buttons: six and twelve. The elevator jostles beneath our feet, startling me after being still for so long, and begins moving upwards.

“I would say that you look beautiful tonight, but you probably get that a lot.”

I tilt my head and respond, “So you won’t pay me a compliment because I’m used to them?”

“Did I say that? For someone who reads, I’d expect you to wait for the wordsbeforeyou reacted to them.” I scoff.

I think I may be turned on right now.

We’ll circle back to that.

“I was saying, before yourudelyinterrupted me, that you’re enchanting.” His eyes meet mine. “I’ll admit I was trying to distract you. You grabbed my attention and held onto it, allwhile you were focused on that novel. I wanted to earn your gaze.”

How the hell do I respond to that?

I am not prepared, and why are my cheeks hot?

“You wanted tocaptivateme?” I say curiously.

“Absolutely,” he responds confidently.

I was right. A man who goes after exactly what he wants.

“How do you feel now that you got to seeme?”

He stares adoringly.

“Very fucking fortunate.”

Well, shit.

I try hiding my smile and fail miserably.

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