Page 12 of Breach of Honor

6 Miranda

THE TEMPERATURE in the room dramatically increased when William had arrived. I should have never worn the ivory cashmere sweater. My pits were sticky and damp. God, I hoped my deodorant didn’t fail me. I’d never sweated like this before in a meeting.

Despite the tingling in my panties, I didn’t allow myself to lose my train of thought. Winning the gala project was my number one priority. I couldn’t let seeing Mr. Dreamboat distract me. I had to get this account. The success of my business depended on it.

I was confident I dazzled every one of them. Most importantly, William. His eyes didn’t leave me once and I loved it, but he had distracted me even though I tried to ignore him, and that wasn’t okay. The way he made me feel was precisely why dating and relationships were off the table. I was the girl who would pour myself into a man. Well, okay, into Freddy way back when.

How could I risk a repeat of my old ways?

Mrs. St. James told me she’d get back to me early next week, which I expected. The glint in her eye put my mind at ease. If I were Lily, we’d celebrate tonight with a bottle of Prosecco, but I wasn’t and wouldn’t breathe a word about the assurance in Mrs. St. James’s vibrant, brown eyes. With my portfolio in hand, I stood from the chair, and William followed suit.

“Thank you for this opportunity.” I smiled, making eye contact with each person. “Good day.”

“Have a lovely day, dear.” Mrs. St. James waved. Mr. St. James nodded stiffly, but there was a smile in his eyes. The two executive assistants were huddled together whispering. I wasn’t sure what that was all about, but I didn’t care, needing to get out of the sweltering conference room.

“Let me walk you out,” William whispered behind me. He opened the door, and I walked out. “Jason, wait here. I’ll be back.”

I fought my hand from reaching for my earring, but my nerves were freaking out. All eyes shot my way as we walked side by side toward the elevator I had been in with Jason. Now, I recalled seeing him at the club last weekend. I assumed he was William’s friend.

My escort pushed the button beside the stainless-steel doors and stood there staring at me. A bell dinged and the doors opened.

“Thank you for showing me out.”

He nodded, directing me inside with a slight brush of his hand on my back. After I stepped into the elevator, he entered as well. The doors closed, trapping us.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I’m showing you out, Miranda Bradford.”

“Well, I can ride in an elevator alone to the lobby, Mr. St. James.” I stared forward with annoyance.

“But I’m not ready for you to leave…me.” He turned toward me, a veil of determination on his face.

I stepped back, hitting the wall behind me unsure of what he was doing. Flirting? What about the cameras? I could lose the event if anything inappropriate happened in this moving box. My mouth went dry.

“Why did you leave with that guy?”

“What?”

“The guy, that douchebag at the club. I saw you leave with him in a black convertible. Why did you leave with him?”

He remembers me?

“I’m sorry, but my personal life is none of your business. Or did you forget the compromising position you were in? I recall a dark, dingy hallway, a woman on her knees, your—”

He put his fingers on my lips. I stood firmly against the wall, unyielding to his intimidation, the gall of him.

William leaned away, pushed a button, and the elevator stopped. I looked up at the panel above the doors, showing the sixth floor. A shiver went down my spine, not the exciting kind but the kind I feared most.

“Why did you do that?” I demanded. Crap, I hated confined spaces. “Push the button.”

“I want more time with you,” he calmly said, inches from my face, an arm bent against the wall and his breath on my cheek.

Holy hell!

“I don’t care what you want. This is inappropriate! There are cameras in here. I could lose the event.” Any other time I would have welcomed his advances. The man was positively beautiful. But not here. Not while I was hoping to land this account and not while trapped in a fucking elevator.

“Don’t worry about any of that. I’d like to take you to dinner.”

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