Page 35 of Empowered
“I told you,” Sarah was quick to growl back at him, “I had no idea who you were, let alone that you would be working in the same office as me. If I had, I wouldn’t have bothered.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“I’m serious. You want to know what I was doing? You’re a brilliant Princeton graduate, Mr. Blackbourne. You tell me what I was doing.”
“I’m no psychologist.”
“And?”
He leaned forward, the ice in his eyes cutting Sarah deep – not that she would let it show. “And I really don’t get you.”
“There’s nothing to get, Mr. Blackbourne. I have my personal life, like you have yours. Our personal lives happened to cross a week ago. We’re both professionals, aren’t we? Can’t you handle working with a woman you recentlysleptwith?”
“I can. I’ve done it before.” That was candid. “I’m no angel, like you, Sarah.”
“So clever, Mr. Blackbourne.”
“I can work quite well alongside women I’ve known intimately and keep it professional. Including women who begged me for my cum.”
Sarah’s diamond-built shield faltered.
“Yeah. I remember.” Great. She had let him get smug. “But you know who I can’t work professionally with,Ms. Clayborn?”
She did not respond.
“Women who get in my head. You have, Sarah. You’ve taken up residence in my brain ever since we first met in that club. It got ten times worse once I realized who you were.”
The waiter entered with Sarah’s cobb salad and a cup of the soup of the day. Broccoli and cheddar. She had no appetite for either.
“I’m not asking you to be my girlfriend. I’m asking that you let me get to know you.”
“Carnally, I’m sure.”
“Oh, Ms.Clayborn,we’re already there. Or have you conveniently forgotten how you sucked my cock? Because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget.”
This wasn’t any definition of fun any longer. Not that Sarah was having fun before, of course, but now she felt like a chimp trapped in a cage, going crazy, ready to throw some serious shit.
“I haven’t forgotten.”
“Give me one good reason you won’t date me.” Lucas rethought that. “That has nothing to do with work.”
“All right. You want a reason? Because I’m not interested in datinganyone.I’m not at a point in my life where I can realistically date someone, even casually. I’m sorry you got caught up in me letting off some steam, Mr. Blackbourne. You’ve seen me at my job. It’s incredibly stressful. Mr. Monroe makes sure I get very little rest when I’m on the clock.”
He remained silent.
“I don’t want to date you. I don’t want to dateanyone.This also leaves out casual sex between us. I would not feel comfortable with that. I don’t regret our circumstances meeting, Mr. Blackbourne, but I will not pursue something that I feel is detrimental to my mental health. I should hope you would respect that.”
He sat up. “I do. I wanted an explanation, that’s all.”
“You’re not used to being told no. You’re the kind of person who needs to understand why someone told them no.”
“Is that so wrong?”
“No, but it’s bloody annoying.”
Lucas’s mouth twitched. At first, Sarah thought it was a sneer, but when he turned laughter into a fake cough against the back of her hand?What the hell? He thinks that’s funny?
“Didn’t know you were British, Ms. Clayborn.”
