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“What do you want to do about it?”
A long pause. I hear him shift, maybe sitting up. Whenhe speaks again, his voice carries a weight that makes my chest tight.
“I want to see you. Not in a boardroom. Not surrounded by lawyers and spreadsheets. Just you.”
“Bennett…”
“I know it's complicated. I know your father would lose his mind. I know there are a thousand reasons this is a bad idea.”
“But?”
“But I can't pretend anymore. Can't sit across from you in meetings and act like I don't know how you sound when you come. Can't maintain professional distance when all I want is to be close to you.”
My heart pounds so hard I'm sure he can hear it through the phone. “What are you saying?”
“I'm saying I want to try. Whatever this is between us, I want to see where it goes.”
“Despite the acquisition? Despite my father? Despite everything?”
“Because of you,” he says simply. “The rest we'll figure out.”
I close my eyes, torn between elation and terror. “I don't know if I can keep this secret. I'm terrible at hiding my feelings.”
“Then don't hide them. At least not from me.”
“You know what I mean. At work. In meetings.”
“Considering there are already rumors going around about us, then we’ll just continue as we have been. Professional in public.” His voice drops. “But in private...”
“Yeah?”
“In private, you're mine.”
The possessiveness should bother me. Instead, it sends a fresh wave of heat through my body.
“Yours,” I agree softly.
“Can I see you tomorrow? Outside of work?”
“I have the integration meeting at nine. Then the budget review at two.”
“Dinner?” he suggests. “Somewhere discrete. Where we can actually talk without your father throwing salmon at me.”
A laugh escapes. “He wasn't throwing it.”
“He was considering it. I saw the look in his eyes.”
“Dinner sounds good,” I say, choosing to ignore the thousand complications this creates. “Somewhere with good wine. I have a feeling I'll need it.”
“I'll take care of it.” Of course he will. The man who plans everything. “And Layla?”
“Mm?”
“Wear the navy dress. The one with the buttons.”
“Bennett!”
“What? I've been fantasizing about it for a week. Might as well lean into it.”