Page 29 of Devious Temptation
Confusion screws my brows together. “Since when? Last I remember, you always took it with one sugar and a dash of milk.”
“Well, I don’t anymore. I’m going to need all the files on the current deals that haven’t been finalized yet. And there’s a conference in a few weeks that we’ll be attending up north. I’ll forward you the resort information, and you’ll need to book a couple of rooms for us. You didn’t miss much at the meeting this morning. I told the staff that I have an open-door policy, so I need to be made available to them at all times. Do you understand?”
The way he starts to spit out orders catches me off guard. There’s no, ‘How have you been?’Or, ‘What have you been up to these last six years?’Lawson treats me like I assume he’d treat any new assistant, instead of with the warmth I’ve always associated him with.
I want to tell him,“Yes, sir.”Just to see his reaction. The memory of prom night is as fresh as if it happened yesterday.
Instead, I steel myself and go into work mode. “I understand. I’ll also email your last lead and get a list of your preferences.”
Gathering my purse, the coffees, and the cream cheese Danish that was supposed to be for Cameron, I try to will away the warmth in my cheeks.
“You can leave the coffee and whatever’s in the bag. I can deal with it for a day.” His tone is borderline teasing, and I find it highly annoying.
“Don’t worry about it,sir. There’s a small café downstairs. I’ll go get you a regular cup of sludge since apparently, you’re dull and have no taste now.”
Those are the same words he once used to describe plain coffee drinkers.
A shock zips up my arm and throughout my body as his hand encircles my wrist. My head whips back around, eyes landing on where he’s touching me.
“If it will make you more comfortable, we can tell HR to switch you and Anna.” He pauses, trying to gauge my reaction. “Is that what you want, Lucy?”
The electricity that’s been lying dormant for years sparks between us over the desk as we size each other up. Heat gathers in my belly, pooling in a small trickle to my center. I try to clench my thighs without him noticing, and out of habit, I bite the corner of my lower lip. His eyes snap down to track the movement.
My voice is breathy as I reply, “No. No, that isn’t what I want, Mr. Morgan.”
His answering nod is tight as he returns my gaze and lets me go. “Good. It’s not what I want either.”
I cross the room quickly, looking for something to propthe door open with. Would he have still told the staff about his open-door policy if he knew it would give him a direct line of sight to my desk?
“I’ll need your number, Lucy,” he calls after me. “And you don’t have to call me Mr. Morgan. Lawson is just fine.”
My breath catches in my throat as I pause with my back still to him. Shifting slightly, I look over my shoulder. He’s staring at me, the gray of his eyes darkening to the point that they match his suit.
“My number hasn’t changed,Lawson. You’d know that if you bothered checking in over the last six years.”
Twelve
Squeeeeakkkkkk.Squeak. Squeak. Squeeakkk.
Is it too late to rescind the open-door policy?
It’s bad enough that all I could think of yesterday and last night was the only woman I can’t have. Instead of familiarizing myself with the work I’m taking over, I find the only things I can focus on are Lucy’s wild mane of russet hair, her navy blue and white polka-dotted swing dress, and the soft grunts she’s making as she attempts to turn her desk around.
As soon as she sat behind the heavy, wooden, L-shaped piece of furniture yesterday, she looked up and realized we’d always have direct eye contact if my office door stayed open. Now, she’s spending her break attempting to turn her entire workstation around.
“Need a hand there, Lulu?” Justin, the blond man from yesterday's morning meeting, asks as he and the raven-haired guy, Mike, appear in the doorframe.
Why the fuck do they keep calling her Lulu? What a stupid name.
A smirk curls the corner of my lips as I grab my plain cup of coffee—the one that was waiting for me this morning—and focus on a building proposal. I wait for Lucy to launch into a tirade about being an independent woman and how she’s fully capable of doing it on her own. I’m prepared for her to insist that she do it herself.
Instead, I hear her blow out a breath, and I look up to see her straighten and place her hands on her hips, gracing Justin and Mike with a beaming cherry smile.
“Would you guys mind? I’d be so grateful.” She takes a step towards Mike and places a hand on his bicep. Something bitter and sharp rips through my chest that I haven’t felt in a very long time. “I’m sorry about running out the other night, Mike.”
I’m instantly reminded that she went on a date with this guy. I know I said no layoffs, but I think I can make an exception.
Just this once.
