Page 15 of Savage Suit
All the courage I had mustered to meet the controversial Noah Keegan fled.
“Mr. Keegan would understand if you left,” Mrs. Mikes said when she came in an hour later to check on me.
“Maybe I should reschedule.” Grabbing my purse, I reached for my briefcase. “Does he have an opening tomorrow?”
Mrs. Mikes blinked. “You’d want another interview with him?”
“Uh, yeah.” Her question caught me off guard. “Why wouldn’t I?”
She pursed her lips. “I’ll have to let Mr. Keegan know. Wait here, please.” She walked out.
Five minutes later, she returned. “Mr. Keegan says he’ll understand if you leave, but there will be no other interviews. His schedule is incredibly tight, and you were late.”
“I arrived on time, Mrs. Mikes.” Technically. I was in the building before nine. Or the parking garage. Fuck.Somewhereon Keegan property.
“You were eight minutes late, Ms. Hagen.”
“He wasn’t here,” I protested.
Mrs. Mikes placed her hands on her hips. “If you want the interview, wait for him to arrive.”
“Fine.”
Again, an undefinable look came across her face. “You still intend to stay?”
“I have no choice,” I responded, suspicion welling into me. This almost seemed to be a coordinated effort to drive me away. “I will stay. If you’d like, I can come into the reception area.”
“No, that won’t be necessary.” She turned toward the door. “Please, just wait here,” she said, closing me in the office again.
And wait I did. And wait. And wait. Mrs. Mikes brought in sandwiches and coffee at noon, but I was too angry to eat.
In reversed roles, I wouldn’t have gotten to the interview stage for being so fucking late. Yet, I assumed Keegan used his position to waste people’s time.
Several times, I almost left, but my anger notched up as the hours ticked away. I would wait for his ass if it fucking killed me. I’d wait for that sonofabitch if I had to go without food and water for the rest of the day.
A small part of me, theevilside, shoved away thealmost seemed a coordinated effortand swore his behavior was fucking methodical. This was his clever little way of getting rid ofMs.Hagen. I had no evidence to support my theory he practiced such savage moves. Besides, despite the security guy’s genuine surprise, he allowed me to come up. If Noah Keegan wanted me gone, wouldn’t he have made me wait in the building’s lobby? Or in the waiting area on this floor?
After another ninety minutes, the office door swung open, and Noah Keegan strolled in. I wasn’t prepared for his tanned skin, ebony hair, and eyes so blue, he must wear contacts. His good looks stole my breath.
He walked over to the couch where I sat and extended his hand, surprise and disapproval written over his handsome face. He towered over me, his long legs braced apart. His buttoned suit jacket hid his belt and fly, so being eye-level with his crotch wasn’t as obscene as it might’ve been.
He dropped his unaccepted hand to his side. “You must be Ryan Hagen. I’m Noah Keegan. Sorry to have kept you waiting, Ms. Hagen. And…”
I got to my feet, all the better to glare at him, and his voice trailed off.
His calm demeanor and blasé words dissolved my fragile placidity. His looks and position be damned.
“How dare you! You pompous assho—”
Anger flashed in his eyes, and I drew in a deep breath.
We were inches apart. Honestly, I don’t know how our bodies didn’t touch, even accidentally. He hadn’t backed away when I stood, but for me to move meant retreating,giving in, even if I didn’t know how.
The warmth of his body and his scent left me giddy. His mouthwatering cologne smelled of spice and leather. The fragrance was recognizable, but I couldn’t name it or remember why it was so familiar. Still, my annoyance remained, perhaps even ratcheted up a degree by an incongruous wish we could’ve met in a different setting.
Or not. A certified fucking asshole, a savage suit, stood close to me. Meeting him anywhere would’ve produced the same result.
I licked my lips, and his gaze dropped to my mouth.
