Page 82 of Second Time Around
She shook her head and stepped out of his grasp. “I’ll tell you in the car.”
His eyes went hard and he gave poor Pete a look that would have reduced him to cinders if he’d been guilty of anything. “Who upset you? Tell me now and I’ll deal with them.”
She shook her head again and climbed into the limo, but not before he had tugged her backpack off her shoulder.I will always carry your bag. I always want to touch you.
She swallowed against the tears. This was going to be hell.
As soon as Will closed the door, he reached for her.
“Not yet,” Kyra said, scooting into the corner. Which reminded her of their role-play the night before. She nearly moaned out loud as misery lanced through her.
Will’s face was a study in mixed emotions: bafflement, concern, and uneasiness. He sat with his back to the door so he could look at her straight on. “I’d like to hear it now.” It was not a request.
“I met with Greg today,” she began. “He offered me a job.”
Will nodded. “He told me when he got back to the office. He also told me you seemed reluctant to accept it.”
“Because I don’t accept charity.” Her gaze was locked on him so she caught the tiny flinch, even though his expression didn’t change. “I’m not qualified to launch a new product. You’re just trying to give me money in an underhanded way.”
“Or maybe Greg is trying to pay you because you’d do an excellent job,” he said. “Keep in mind thathewanted to hire you. He makes his own decisions and they are always for the good of Cronus Holdings.”
His voice carried a conviction that almost made her waver, but she’d seen that tiny reaction to the word “charity.” “Okay, let’s say, for the sake of argument, that I would do a decent job. You realize that I’d be working for you. What happens when people find out we’re sleeping together? That’s not going to look good for either one of us.”
The streetlights on the side street were dim, so she couldn’t see his face. “There’s no reason they would know unless one of us tells them.” He made a gesture of impatience. “Not to sound arrogant, but the CEO doesn’t spend a lot of time with product managers, even ones on new projects. You’d report to Greg, not me, so there would be no reason for people to connect us.”
Kyra sighed. “Don’t be naive. Someone would see us together somewhere and talk.”
“So what?” Now he sounded every inch the aristocrat that he was. “Our private life isourbusiness. Our relationship will not affect how we do our jobs.”
“Not true. I would have to work three times as hard as my colleagues to convince anyone that I had been hired for my abilities in the office, not the bedroom.”
“You would work three times as hard anyway. That’s who you are. That’s why Greg wants to hire you.”
“I know your intentions are good, but you can’t just upend my life.” Kyra hesitated before she asked a question she didn’t want the answer to. “What happens when our relationship ends? Do I have to find another job?”
He shifted restlessly. “You won’t hold the job because we’re in a relationship. You’ll keep it because you’re good at it. Or lose it because you’re not.”
“It would be awkward to meet around the conference table or in the elevator.”
“I’m sure we could handle it like civilized adults,” he said with a shrug. Then he leaned forward. “Why are you so sure our relationship will end?”
“Oh, Will, come on. Let’s not kid ourselves.” She tried to sound cool and sophisticated but a huskiness had crept into her voice. Maybe he wouldn’t notice.
“About what?” He peered at her through the dimness, an occasional flare of light catching his intent eyes.
“You’re you. CEO. Billionaire. Connecticut aristocracy. College graduate. I’m me. Bartender-slash-cook. In debt. Blue collar. College dropout.” She shrugged. “We’ve got nothing in common except great sex.”
“You don’t really believe that.” Hurt and anger rang in his voice. “The sex is just icing on the cake.”
She didn’t want to be honest but she owed it to him. “No, I don’t believe that.”
“Thank you.”
“Here’s what I believe. We are too unequal. The fact that you could and would offer me a job I have no qualifications for demonstrates that in spades.” She looked down at her hands. “I was trying to fool myself into thinking it didn’t matter. It’s the twenty-first century. A commoner can marry a future king. Blah, blah, blah.”
She curled her fingers into fists. “I just want to love you as an equal. A simple exchange of emotions. But the equation doesn’t balance. It can’t.”
The limousine glided to a halt and the chauffeur’s voice announced that they were home. Will ignored him. “Go back a couple of sentences. What did you say?”
