Mr. CEO(26)

Everyone files out and as Trent exits, I call out to him, “Please close the door behind you, Trent.” He's the last one to leave.

His eyes dart from me to Charlotte with a slight unspoken question, but he doesn’t object.

The door closes with a loud click, leaving us alone.

I’m sure the only thing on her mind is our night together and the way she left me.

I imagine she’s rethinking that decision to sneak out and leave me with only a sticky note. If she thought she could get away that easily, she knows better now.

I shift forward in my seat so I can take off my suit jacket and ask her, “I need to know when you’ll have a sales pitch ready.”

She blinks a few times with her lips parted in shock.

I resist the urge to show her how much I’m enjoying this and instead set my jacket gently on the table. I rest my elbow on the table and place my head in my hand, looking at her beautiful blue eyes and waiting for a response.

After a moment she clears her throat. “I’ll need a few days to go through all of the products and the ideal placements.” Her voice is strained, and she shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

She hesitantly parts those lush lips and I know she wants to ask about that night, but she doesn’t. Her cheeks burn a bright red as I stare at her with a blank face waiting for more. Her breathing picks up a bit and she refuses to look me in the eyes. A sadness crosses her face that has me questioning this game I’m playing. Maybe she thinks I don’t remember.

There’s no way that I could ever forget that night. But she doesn’t know that.

“Sorry,” she says and pulls at the hem of her skirt, not looking at me, “I’m just a little…”

She breathes in deep.

I sit upright and lean forward, close enough to touch her, but I don’t. “A little what, Rose?” A knowing look flashes in her eyes at my pet name for her. I arch a brow and wait, but she just stares at me like a deer in headlights.

“I asked you a question; when will you have the sales pitch?”

She clears her throat and squares her shoulders, seeming to right herself. All trace of emotion gone, now that she knows what I’m doing.

“I’ll need at least this workweek. I can have something to you by Monday for the first one, but nothing will be finalized until I can arrange meetings with our business partners.” For the first time today, a smile grows on my face.

“Your presentation skills are excellent.” I look past her, remembering her presentation at the conference. She’s amazing at what she does. And she’s youthful, and a beautiful woman at that. It’s going to be hard for them to tell her no. “You were meant to lead the sales department. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

A small, sweet smile plays at her lips although it doesn’t get rid of the apprehension in her expression. “Thank you, Mr. Parker,” she answers respectfully and looks to the door.

“Thank you, Miss Harrison, that’s all.”

She looks flushed and parts her lips, but doesn’t say anything.

“Are you alright?” I ask her.

She gives me a smile and nods, holding the folders she came in with close to her chest.

“I’m fine, thank you.” Her response is short and expected.

“I’ll see you on Friday at the next meeting.” She purses her lips and looks at the door and then back at me. My heart pounds in my chest. I can tell she’s debating on saying something. She doesn’t though. She opens her mouth once, but slams it shut and stands up, smoothing her skirt quickly and then takes a single step to move around me.

I make my move then. My hand reaches out and brushes against her thigh, skimming up her skirt slightly.

She gasps slightly and wavers on her heels.

“One more thing,” I say as I turn her to face me, putting my other hand on the back of her knee.

“The note you left… I’m choosing to ignore it.” Her breath hitches, and her sweet lips part for a moment before she moves out of my grasp and takes a step back.

“I don’t think we should do this,” she says slowly, her eyes staying trained on mine. She sounds unsure, because she is.

“I think we should,” I say as I stand in front of her.

Her breathing comes in heavy pants. I stand and take a step toward her as she takes a small step back. “I still want you.”

I splay my hand on her back and walk her to the door, but I don’t open it. She moves to leave, but I put my hand on the door and stand behind her.

“I thought it was over in Vegas,” she says softly. She looks at the door and then at me. “I can’t-”

“You can.” I cut her off. “This is just me and you.”