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“You are beautiful. You are smart. You are worthy,” she said, her eyes narrowing.
I smiled and shook my head.
“Say it,” she demanded.
“Seriously?”
“Say it.”
“I am beautiful. I am smart. I am worthy,” I mumbled, feeling like a total idiot.
“That’s more like it,” she said, releasing me.
“I should probably finish getting ready. I don’t want to be late, and I have to prepare my office.”
“Yeah, you do. You’re going to get busy on your desk,” quipped Monica, doing a little booty shake.
I reached down and picked up a pair of jeans, throwing them at her. She laughed as she walked toward the door.
“I want a full report later,” she sing-songed, opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.
“There won’t be anything to report,” I called after her in the same voice.
I finished my cup of coffee and walked to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth. Twice. And moisturized my face before adding some light makeup. Concealer, mascara, and a swipe of gloss. I didn’t want it to look like I was trying too hard. I ran a brush through my hair and pulled it into a low bun. I gave myself a little nod, as if it were a stamp of approval, and headed for the door.
I made the 8 a.m. train and began my ride into the city, my nerves growing as each stop passed. I repeated Monica’s little pep talk over and over in my head. I could do this. It was just a meeting. I’d done it before. I’d do it again. I just needed to land him as a donor, and then I didn’t have to see him again.
When I arrived at the office twenty minutes later, Bryan found me quickly to ensure I was prepared. I could tell he was a little irked that he was not running the tour, but it wasn’t in my hands. After our quick brief, he left my office. I started doing a fast tidy- up, making sure everything looked organized and professional. Before I knew it, it was 9:45. He would be here in fifteen minutes.
I sat at my desk and tried to calm my beating heart that felt like it was about to escape my throat. Taking a sip of water, I drummed my fingers nervously on the surface of my desk. I glanced around and laughed to myself. Look how different our offices were. We had absolutely nothing in common. In a way, it helped ease my nerves. If I had no chance, then what was there to be so scared of?
Soon, there was a knock at my door.
“Yes?” I asked, my voice jumping an octave.
The girl from the front desk poked her head in.
“Your ten o’clock is here.”
I nodded, and she pushed the door open to reveal Daniel standing there. There was no mistaking who he was today. He was in a freshly pressed navy suit and a white button-down. His hair was pushed effortlessly to the side and there was an unreadable expression across his full lips.
My breath hitched and my knees felt weak, but I pushed myself to stand as he entered my office. I took a step toward him and held out my hand, but then faltered when I saw he was not alone.
Chapter 6
Daniel
Isaw Addison hesitate as she noticed Kiera enter the room behind me. It was only for a moment before she put a smile, one that I knew was not genuine, and held out her hand again for me to shake. I took it and firmly shook it, reluctant to let go as that same electricity flowed through my fingertips and the rest of my body.
There was no way she didn’t feel it too, that she didn’t feel it yesterday. Was that why there was a look of disappointment to see I had brought another woman with me today?
It wasn’t by choice. I was following the auction rules, which stated I had to spend an entire day with the woman who bid the most on me. Of course, that woman was Kiera. I was still trying to get back in the public’s good graces, so I had to play along.
Kiera was a stubborn one. I was not her boyfriend anymore, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t stop at any means to nudge her way into my life. Even if it did cost her $200,000. It was an exorbitant amount of money, but I had no interest in entertaining her today, no matter how much she spent. The auction rules didn’t state what we had to do, so she was at work with me for the day. It almost felt like abring your child to workkind of day, and my child was a stuck-up brat who ironically enough had called me “daddy” in the bedroom.
“Mr. Jacobs, please come in. Excuse my small office. I have to find another chair for your, er, guest.”
Addison quickly slid past Kiera and me and out into the hallway, leaving Kiera and me alone.