Page 14 of Second Chance at Love (Chance At Love Duet 1)

Chapter Five

Icame out of the car and pulled my hand from his. His touch was just too much for my senses. I looked around me and noted we were in the National Harbor general area. In front of me was a fancy building with a large glass top on the top floor.

“View must be fabulous from up there,” I mumbled more to myself.

“We should be done in about an hour and a half,” Kristoff told his driver.

“Yes, sir.” And the driver was gone. I looked longingly after him, not comfortable being left alone with Kristoff Baldwin.

He motioned for me to walk, strolling casually next to me, pointing to the fancy glass building.

“I noticed Betty called you Gemma,” he commented. “Why?”

“My friends always said my name was mouthful,” I answered. “So they shortened it to Gemma. It stuck. I guess it didn’t help that I love gems.”

“I like it, Gemma,” he admitted simply, then added, “You said you had questions before we were… sidetracked.”

“Ah… Mr. Baldwin…” I started.

“Please call me Kristoff when we are not at work.”

I raised my eyebrows and looked him straight in his gorgeous eyes.

“Well, I won’t be at work with you or seeing you outside of work. But have it your way… Kristoff. I think you are wasting your time here. I’m not sure what you want, but I am not the right person for your… um… admin position.”

We walked inside the building and waited for the elevator. I looked around and noticed everyone was very dressed up.

“You are the right person for the position. Trust me, Gemma, I know exactly what I am doing. ” His words were confident, matching his appearance. I would not trust him. I could not. He is exactly the type that only cares about getting what he wants, till he no longer wants it.

I looked up at him and gazed down his body, noting he was dressed up like the rest of the people around us. He mistook my look, and his gaze turned hot.

The elevator door beeped, and we entered together along with two other men forcing me to stand close to Kristoff. Way too close. A man in front of me took a step back, and in order to avoid him bumping into me, I stepped to the side. My shoulder was against him. Kristoff put his arm around me and pulled me even closer to him.

Damn it, I was thinking to myself. I wanted to keep distance, not get closer. When the elevator opened, I rushed out to get away from his personal space. Or have him away from my personal space, depending how you want to look at it.

The waiter approached me, looking me over as if he was better than me, but then he froze.

“Mr. Baldwin,” the waiter said, suddenly becoming all formal. Kristoff’s arm was on my shoulder.

“We would like a table away from the others,” he said in a tone that screamed confidence that he would get what he wants.

“Of course, this way.” And with Kristoff’s hand on my lower back, there I was being nudged to follow the waiter. I felt everyone was staring at me, or us. I was way underdressed for this place, wearing jeans that were accenting my figure, and a light pink girly blouse, with a pair of matching pink chucks.

We got to a table with the prime view of Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, another waiter was getting ready to sit two guests there. The other waiter, seeing us, quickly moved to shift his guests to another location.

“Will this do?” he asked Kristoff, not even bothering with me.

“Yes.” The waiter went to pull out the chair for me, and Kristoff took the task from him. I sat down, feeling extremely uncomfortable as Kristoff took his seat opposite of me.

“Would you like to start with some drinks?” the waiter asked. Of course, he would be all over Kristoff. I started to feel agitated.

I looked up directly to the waiter. “Yes, thank you. I’d like ice water with lemon, please.” And before he could say anything else, I turned my head and looked out the window.

Damn snob,I thought to myself. I heard Kristoff order something but I stopped paying attention.

When the waiter was gone, I felt Kristoff’s gaze on me. Turning to face him, I stared back at his focused and intent eyes. I was not in the mood for any of this.

“I’d like to hear your questions.” He continued to stare at me, waiting.

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