Page 7

Just what I need. Vivian can’t leave yet. I’m not ready.
But it looks like I have to be. It’s showtime.
I race to my desk as soon as I step off on the sixtieth floor and freeze when I realize Connor is already in his office. Crap. Late on the first day out of training.
I knock on the open door to get his attention, his gaze pinning me in place as he glances up, a vivid blue even from this distance. Does he have colored contacts in or something?
“I, um, I’m sorry for being late. I thought I was supposed to be here at eight.”
“Oh, you are.” He waves me in, indicating for me to take a seat across from him. “I’m an early bird.”
“I can come in to match your time, if you prefer.”
“No, no. Eight is fine. It’s not fair to ask you to start earlier when I won’t normally have a commute.”
My eyebrows knit. What’s he talking about?
He points above us. “There’s a private apartment on the top floor.”
I blink. “Oh, I thought this was the top floor. The elevator only has sixty buttons.”
“There’s a special elevator in here.” He gets up and walks around the giant desk, opening an unmarked door on the wall.
“Cool. A secret elevator.”
He gives me a sidelong glance and I realize I sound like I’m in fourth grade.
“I mean, that’s very… fancy.”
He shrugs. “I guess.”
Silence stretches between us and I rack my brain to think of a way to initiate my seduction plan. You know, the one I’m totally winging and have no idea how to do.
“Could you give me a tour?” I ask, saying the first thing that pops into my head. Yeah, that’s good. The two of us alone up there, sharing a private moment. It’s perfect.
And with the time crunch I’m on, also necessary.
“Of the elevator?”
My cheeks heat. I need to get my blushing under control if I’m supposed to be seducing him. “Your apartment. Vivian said the job isn’t only work-related. She helped with personal things too.”
Damn. I should have emphasizedpersonal.
“Oh, yeah. Of course.”
He presses the call button and ushers me forward as the silver doors open, the fabric of his suit soft as I purposely brush against him. It’s time to lay the groundwork.
Now if I only knew what the hell I’m doing.
“I’ll just—” I reach past him to hit the up button on the elevator, pressing my breast against his arm.
He steps back to give me more room, and I hold in my huff of disappointment. He needs to work with me here.
In the small confines of the car, his woodsy cologne weaves itself around me, and I take shallow breaths, not wanting to get caught up in how good he smells. But I’m momentarily distracted as the doors open at our destination, the apartment seeming to stretch out endlessly. I didn’t know they made places this big in Manhattan.
Everything is immaculate, not a speck of dirt on any of the white furniture, severe almost in its minimalism. “Did you grow up here?” I ask, my heels clicking on the marble floor as I walk over to the enormous windows with the same view as the office downstairs.
“No. Dad started the renovations on this floor after I’d already left for college.”