Page 46 of Savage Suit
Though her thick mane wasn’t bone-straight, I fantasized running my fingers through curls just as ebony, with a similar coconut smell just as unforgettable. Her skin didn’t sparkle with glittery makeup, but it was just as flawless and golden. Her eyes captivated me, unencumbered by the vagueness of a place too dark to gauge their color. Beyond surface-level beauty, though, how Ryan carried herself and the way she stood up to me without regard to my name or my power impressed me.
Despite how I wanted to deny it, she reminded me of the woman in blue. The idea was wild and improbable. Yet, each time I saw Ryan, I rememberedher. Somehow, my mystery girl had swept into my life and stolen a piece of me before disappearing, lost to me forever.
Soraya had turned down my request. The information she received was confidential. Period.
A knock on my door ripped me away from my Ryan-filled thoughts. It was 3:16. Had she arrived? “Come in!” I barked.
The door swung open, and my secretary, Rosa Mikes, entered my office. Alone.
Disappointment punched my gut, and I frowned. “What can I do for you, Rosa?” I demanded. She had no reports for me, so she could’ve buzzed me from her desk.
“Sir, your three-o’clock is here,” she announced, and my sudden relief left me lightheaded.
Sitting up a notch straighter, I fought a grin. Ms. Hagen had a change of heart. “Show her in, please.”
“Yes, sir,” Rosa responded, backing out of the door, leaving it slightly ajar.
Moments later, she returned with Ryan hot on her heels.
“Here you are,” Rosa chirped, stepping aside so Ryan could enter my office.
“Thank you, Mrs. Mikes,” Ryan murmured.
Rosa nodded. “Will there be anything else, Mr. Keegan?”
I dragged my gaze away from Ryan as I stood and walked around my desk. “Hold my calls for the rest of the evening. I have a meeting with Nicholas at 4:30 regarding Kee-Tel. I’ll catch up to him tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.” She shut the door, leaving me alone with Ryan.
She wore a muted caramel pantsuit paired with black kitten heels. A tight bun tamed her mass of curls, and revealed the tiny gold studs in her ears, her beauty demurred by minimal makeup. A brown, black, and white plaid oversized handbag served as a focal point and was the most memorable part of her outfit.
All in all, Ms. Hagen dressed as a proper businesswoman. But her professional attire didn’t matter. The form-fitting pants and tightly buttoned blazer didn’t hide the hourglass figure she’d been gifted and instead highlighted her shapely body.
I gestured toward the sofa with my hand. “Please, have a seat.”
She offered me a smile. A sense of déjà vu swept through me, but I ignored it. The scent of coconut trailed in her wake as she glided toward the sofa and sat, setting her handbag next to her.
Walking to the chair across from the sofa, I cleared my throat, hoping my rising cock didn’t burst my zipper. Either I’d accept I was drawn to her for no reason, or I’d make an ass of myself and ask her if she’d attended the ball. Somehow, I managed a welcoming smile. “Ms. Hagen, I’m pleased to see that you reconsidered.” Her acceptance of my business card pointed to favorable odds for me, but the woman was unpredictable.
“Things didn’t go as planned, so here I am.”
She hadn’t gotten the job at Sauncier. My smile turned into a scowl at the thought of those assholes and the damage they had caused. The value of my company wasn’t yet affected, but if outrage grew, it very well might be. The same couldn’t be said about my reputation. I was being crucified.
My feelings about women in the workplace were a poorly kept secret. I’d escaped public wrath and scrutiny, but Ms. Warrington’s exposé put me in a sticky situation.
And, just as bad, Ryan had considered Sauncier a better opportunity than working for me. I might’ve understood her feelings, but I didn’t cherish the idea of my company playing second fiddle to those scheming fuckwads.
“Mr. Keegan?”
Ryan’s sensual voice pulled me out of my unprofessional mind wandering.
“Yes, my apologies. What do you enjoy in your free time?”
I wanted to delve beyond the generic information in her cover letter and résumé.
“I do yoga and meditation regularly, and I love calligraphy. I have several notebooks dedicated to it. Using a pretty pen to create a visually pleasing word is so relaxing to me.”
“Must the pen be pretty?” I asked, amused.
