Billionaire Bad Boy(50)

Annie and Bob left the meeting with the words "Don't call us, we'll call you" ringing in their ears. It was better than an outright no.

"I have to go," Annie said after Dug-E and his mother left.




 

 

Bob followed her to her desk, a frown on his face. "I thought we could celebrate with a drink first."

"That's a little premature don't you think? He hasn't signed yet."

He grinned. It was a welcome sight, and a rare one lately. "He will. I can feel it." His smile vanished as he studied her face. "Are you going to see Zack?"

She grabbed her jacket, avoiding looking directly at him. "Never again. He's made it perfectly clear he's not interested."

"Oh." He sighed. "In that case, there's probably something you should know."

She barely heard him as she sifted through her over-sized handbag on her daily hunt for her car keys. "What?"

"I set you up."

She looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "It was one of those spur of the moment things. I'd often thought you two would be perfect for each other and when the opportunity arose I took it." He held up his hands defensively when Annie glared at him. "I'm sorry it didn't work out. I just thought you could be the one to change him. You are perfect for him, you know," he added quickly.

She chewed on her lip as she studied her boss's double chins. What the hell was going on? It seemed everyone was pulling her strings lately, like a puppet in an overly dramatic play. She felt like she'd completely lost control of her life. Who needed coincidence when you had Zack and Bob? "What do you mean, change him?"

"It's about time the boy settled down. I know that, but he doesn't, or doesn't want to admit it. That's why he never dates relationship women."

"Relationship women?"

Bob nodded. "He only dates the sort who just want to party and paint their toenails pretty colors. He avoids the sort of women he should be dating."

"Women like me?" she asked weakly.

"Exactly. You're just what he needs. I thought he might figure that out after spending some time with you." He shook his head and his jowls jangled like a turkey's. "Obviously he's a bigger fool than I thought."

"Obviously."

And obviously Bob had got it all wrong. She wasn't Zack's perfect partner or he wouldn't have tried to turn her into someone she wasn't.

***

Zack leaned back in his office chair and closed his eyes. The last two days had been hell compared to the ones before it. He felt restless, miserable, and he constantly snapped at his staff. He needed something more in his life. He needed Annie. Being with her had been fun.

No, that word didn't even begin to describe how he'd felt when they were together. Sure, they'd laughed a lot, but for some reason, just being with Annie made him feel comfortable. Comfortable and accepted. She didn't treat him like other women did, agreeing with him and accepting his decisions. She challenged him, she laughed at him and allowed him to laugh at her. She talked to him as if he were her equal, and he felt like he'd found someone on his own level. Someone he could respect. Someone who brightened his life. Someone he wanted to be with beyond this week. 

Whoa. Back up. Someone he wanted to be with. Someone he wanted in his life. Forever.

Zack reached for the phone and dialed five digits then hung up. He paced behind his desk a few times then picked up the phone again. He got to the sixth before slamming it down.

"This is ridiculous." He turned to the glass wall and stared out at the sprawling city below. Somewhere to his left Annie was probably still in her meeting with Dog-E Whats-his-name. There was no point calling her yet. Maybe in another ten minutes...

He drummed his fingers on the pane of glass. Could he wait that long? Ever since he'd made up his mind to call her he'd worked on his speech. Eventually he decided to just wing it. His words would all depend on her mood anyway. Surely she wouldn't be mad at him any longer, not after two days.

He wondered if she'd thought of him at all. He'd thought of her, constantly. Not even selling StanCorp had made him feel better. Usually off-loading a company pepped up his mood, but not this time. This time it would take only one thing to lift him out of the doldrums-hearing Annie's voice. No, more than that-kissing Annie. Better yet, making love to her. Feeling her body beneath his, warm, supple and eager...

Damn. The office wasn't the most convenient place to be thinking about Annie naked. He picked up the phone again and dialed her work number, this time getting through all the digits. No answer. He dialed her cell phone. No answer. He'd have to visit her at home. Now. What he needed to say couldn't wait any longer. He'd always been the sort of person to confront his fears and it was time to tackle this one head on. Before it was too late.