Yours Truly(27)

She wanted to respond, but couldn’t remember how to speak. He raised his arm and gently grazed her cheek with his hand. She shivered as she felt each individual finger against her skin, filling her with desire and warmth.

“You still want to give that presentation?” His grin had grown into a charming smirk.

“Eventually,” she said, finding her voice. “You can’t distract me that easily.” It was a bluff so obvious that it might as well have come from a child. She couldn’t give that presentation right now for all the tea in China.

She wanted to speak again, wanted to attempt one more half-hearted protest, but before a sentence had even formed in her head, AJ was leaning in.

The moment was slow, like an autumn leaf drifting to the ground. She felt a sort of heavenly warmth combine with the scent of his cologne as his face grew closer to hers. Her eyes closed and her lips were ready.

His mouth was only centimeters from hers when there was a knock at the door. It was soft but assertive.

Kat’s eyes shot open and she stumbled back just as the door opened. His secretary waited on the other side without entering the room. She cleared her throat before speaking. “I’m sorry, sir, but the board is on the phone.”

Kat was sure the secretary suspected something. She knew her face was on fire and that she had to look guilty as hell. It didn’t help that she was frozen again, unable to look anywhere but at AJ. He was visibly irritated.

“I am in the middle of a meeting.” He spoke slowly and enunciated each syllable carefully.

The secretary tucked her hands together in front of her. “I’m sorry, sir. They were rather insistent. The lawyers are meeting again.” She looked at Kat, evaluating her, before whispering, “Apparently the settlement was not to the plaintiff’s liking.”

Frustration seemed to engulf AJ’s face. It was a blend of anger and disappointment. He shut his eyes tight and took a deep breath, exhaling out of his nose. His wonderfully broad shoulders tightened and he attempted to roll his neck to relieve the tension, yet none left.

His glance returned to his secretary with a sort of professional focus. He took another deep breath that inflated his chest, this time his eyes remained open. “Tell them I am in the middle of a very important meeting that is going to make them a lot of money. When I am finished, I will be more then happy to listen to whatever their latest demands are.”

“Of course, sir.”

The secretary stepped back and closed the door. Everything went still again. A heavy silence hung in the air and seemed to occupy every inch of the room.

Kat felt the pressing need to speak. This time she spoke calmly. “I’m sorry. I can go. You have things to deal with.”

She picked up her bag and began collecting her things.

“No. Stay. I want you to stay.” He grabbed her hand before she could put her bag over her shoulder.

She had managed to cage the butterflies in her chest from earlier, but with one touch, he set them free again. Her whole body trembled.

“I want to see you again,” he said. His eyes went to hers and she froze, unable to do anything but stare into their beauty. She felt her cheeks beginning to flush but she hoped she didn’t show it.

“I can talk to your secretary about setting up another meeting...” she murmured. Though, honestly, it had taken months to get this meeting. She wasn’t sure if she could set up another one.

“Not about this.” He used his thumb to point to the folder on his filing cabinet. He paused for a short beat. “I do like your idea, though.”

“You do? You like it?” Surprised pleasure filled her. “I’d love to hear your thoughts on the marketing.”

“All business, aren’t you?” he said with a chuckle. His hand was still holding hers. He smiled and paused again, this time slightly longer. “I looked at the preliminary proposal and agree with it. I do have some questions, but… they aren’t for right now.”

She smiled back at him, fighting her happiness of his approval with her embarrassment of being so pushy with her idea. “I understand.”

“Right now, I’m just glad I found you.” His fingers caressed her wrist, giving her heart palpitations.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” she said, allowing her relief to come through as she spoke.

“Me neither.” He was staring into her eyes. It was a stare that was as passionate as it was comforting.

“And to think, you were just upstairs the whole time,” she said with a small laugh.

Another smile lit up his face. It fit his jaw line perfectly. She loved when he smiled and loved being the cause of it even more.