The Billionaire Playboy(67)

The doors to the elevator on the other side of the lobby were about to close as Charlie approached but the man inside saw her and held the door open for her.

“What floor?” he asked, his fingers hovering over the buttons.

“Six,” Charlie answered as she moved toward the left-hand side.

“That's where I'm heading too,” the tall well-dressed man replied as the elevator door closed.

She didn't comment. Even on her best day she wasn't into idle chitchat with strangers. Instead she nodded and hoped he took the hint. As the elevator moved up, she tapped her hand against her thigh. Nervous energy coursed through her making it difficult to stand still. To make her unease even worse she could feel the other rider looking at her. He hadn't stopped eying her since she entered.#p#分页标题#e#

When the sixth floor lit up and the doors opened she all but bolted out. The Falmouth Foundation occupied the entire sixth floor of the building. With her shoulders back and standing as rigid as she would if she was about to meet a senior officer she walked up to whom she assumed was the receptionist behind a sleek black desk.

“I'm here to see Mr. Sherbrooke,” Charlie said in the same no-nonsense voice she used when giving orders at the hospital.

The woman behind the desk pushed the oval glasses up farther on her face. “What time is your appointment?” she asked her fingers poised over the keyboard.

Why hadn't she thought of that before? “I don't have one. But he knows me.”

The receptionist moved her hands away from her keyboard. “I'm sorry. He's scheduled for meetings all day. If you want to make an appointment maybe he can see you later this week.”

Later in the week? She didn't think she could wait that long. Now that her mind was made up, she needed to execute her plan.

Charlie clenched her fists by her sides. “I only need a few minutes. He must have a little time free today.”

“His next appointment is standing behind you.”

She'd forgotten that the man from the elevator was behind her.

“I can wait Kimberly. If this is who I think it is, Jake will want to see her. Let Cindy know Dr. O'Brien is here for him.”

Charlie whipped her head around toward the man who'd moved to stand next to her. How had he known who she was? Evidently whoever he was, he was more than just a business associate.

The receptionist picked up the phone. “Okay, Mr. Hall.”

“Thank you.” Charlie bit her tongue to keep herself from asking how he knew who she was.

In response the man extended his hand. “Christopher Hall. Jake told me a lot about you.”

She didn't know if that was a good thing or not, but since he was helping her to get what she wanted she decided not to think about it. “I won't be long,” she said.

“Take your time.”

Just then a slim gray-haired woman came around the corner. “Dr. O'Brien. I'm Cindy Thomas, Mr. Sherbrooke's assistant. Please follow me.”

Not a single person glanced her way as Charlie followed the older woman toward the line of office doors on the right-hand side. The assistant stopped at the last closed door in the corner and raised her hand to knock but stopped just before her knuckles made contact.

“You called to speak with Mr. Sherbrooke while he was in England didn't you?”

Charlie nodded curious as to why the woman asked but didn't question her. Any questions would only delay her.

“I wish you had given me your nayouryoume. name. Mr. Sherbrooke left instructions to tell you where he'd gone if you called.”

Charlie's stomach flipped as guilt mixed with the anxiety already racing through her body.

Before she could think of a response the assistant knocked and entered the office.

“Christopher says to take your time. He went downstairs for coffee,” Cindy said. Then she gestured for Charlie to enter and closed the door behind her.

As the door clicked behind her, Jake rose from his spot behind a large meeting table and took a few steps toward her. He was wearing black dress pants and a crisp white shirt. The knot of his red necktie had been loosened and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up exposing his tanned muscular forearms. For a moment she couldn't do anything but stare at his arms and remember how right it had felt to be held in them. How special and cared for she had felt.

Man, she hoped she hadn't blown things with him. Closing her eyes, Charlie took in a deep breath and then exhaled. It's now or never, she thought as tiny beads of perspiration trickled down her back.

“I know you're busy, but I need to talk to you.” Charlie locked her eyes on his face. The barest hint of a beard covered his face reminding her of how he looked first thing in the morning. “And I didn't want to do it over the phone.”