Page 4

“I just read a great article about you and that record breaking signing for your company this morning on my way over here,” Titan said.

His direct eye contact made me slightly uncomfortable, because it seemed like he was trying to gaze into my soul.

I found it ironic that I wanted to hand him my panties last night and ride him like a bucking bronco, but now that my bravery wasn’t being influenced by the effects of alcohol, I wanted to quickly escape his magnetic pull.

“Congratulations.” His voice brought me out of my thoughts, and when I looked at him, I quickly looked away because damn his smile was beautiful.

I felt in my heart that his praise was genuine, and the fact that it made me feel warm and fuzzy gave me more of a reason to wrap this meeting up because compliments and praise made me uncomfortable.

Yeah, I know I was that girl, and I worked my ass off to get where I am, but compliments from men I had to work with took me to a bad place from my past.

“Thank you,” I said lamely, looking around the room at nothing in particular. But Titan’s presence was so strong that I instinctively looked back toward him and saw his left eye twitch again and then noticed that his right hand that was lying flat on the table was balled into a fist.

“That would be awesome if you could make that meeting happen, Mrs . Henson,” Trent reiterated, once again overtly flirting.

I knew he called me Mrs. on purpose just to see if I would correct him and tell him I was Ms. Henson so that he could know I was single, but I let it slide.

Maybe he would back off a little if he thought I had a man.

“I will make some calls and get back to you all to see if we can work something out.” I gathered my items into a neat stack on the conference table.

“Even if you can’t make the meeting with Ms. Morretti happen, Ms. Henson, you still have our business,” Travis said while smiling at me, his smile was beautiful just like Titan’s, except the brightness of his smile of was enhanced by the glint of diamonds on the bottom row of his teeth.

I loved seeing someone so professional with a bottom grill, and it momentarily distracted me, that’s why it took my brain a moment to process what he just said.

When the good news finally sank in, my whole body lit up with excitement, and without thinking twice, I did a happy shimmy with my shoulders and wiggled my hips in my chair.

It wasn’t until I heard deep chuckles and snorts that I stopped immediately, and my eyes widened in embarrassment.

I was about to start apologizing profusely for my lapse in professionalism, but the look on Titan’s face made me keep my mouth shut because he looked mad.

Shit, you done fucked up now, Bailey. You already lost this account because you couldn’t hold it together.

“I know you not about to about apologize,” he said it like he was talking to himself as he shook his head. “Were you about to apologize?” He asked, narrowing his eyes at me. When I nodded my head, he rolled his eyes.

“Bailey.” As soon as he said my name, the flood gates between my legs opened.

My name never sounded sexier. “Don’t you ever apologize for celebrating your success.

You worked yo’ ass off in this meeting, answered every question, and went above and beyond with your marketing strategy.

Shit, I know a few people I’m personally going to send your way that could use your expertise.

” He shook his head and sighed. “It’s a damn shame women, especially Black women, feel like they can’t celebrate their wins without being judged.

You do great work and I’m not just saying that.

” I could almost cry from his words of encouragement.

He didn’t say anything I didn’t know already, but sometimes things just sank in better when you heard it from someone else.

“Speaking of good work, your assistant is efficient as hell. She emailed me all the paperwork we would need without me having to ask for it,” Travis chuckled, and I thought the sound of it was lovely. “If she’s ever in the market for another job…” he let his sentence trail off and I frowned at him.

“Oh, hell nah! Don’t be poaching my assistant.

I shudder at the thought of having to hire a new one.

I just got Penny to the point where she could read my mind.

” I literally shuddered at the thought of having to get a new assistant.

“Gentlemen, it has truly been a pleasure meeting you all today, but I heard from my efficient assistant that Titan has a flight to catch, and I don’t want to be the reason he misses it.

” My voice was overly cheerful now because I was moments away from being released from Titan and whatever magnetic pull he had over me while in his presence.

I heard a deep laugh and was surprised to see it came from Tyran, it was the first reaction from him after damn near three hours of being in here.

“Ms. Henson, Titan flies private. His flight won’t leave until he’s there, and his meeting in Africa isn’t until the day after tomorrow.

” Tyran chuckled again as though me being considerate about Titan’s flight schedule was the funniest thing he’s heard all day, but what Tyran said pissed me off because if he didn’t need to leave, then why did Titan move the meeting up?

I could be taking a nap right now. Me and naps went together like peanut butter and jelly.

“Well, nonetheless, I still want him to make his flight no matter what time it leaves,” I responded with a fake smile, hiding my irritation as I packed up my laptop and stuffed it into my bag.

When I stood up, so did they. “I’ll have my partner Marlow email you the contracts,” I said to Torrence then I turned to Trent, “and I’ll give your info to Brandy, Giada’s General Manager for her nightclubs.

She’s currently overseeing the grocery store production for now. ”

I slung my laptop bag over my shoulder and gathered the rest of the meeting information.

I was in the front of the line to lead the line of gorgeous men out of the conference room, but as soon as I was about to step over the threshold, Titan grabbed my elbow and pulled me to the side before he slowly turned me to face him.

His brothers continued out of the room, each of them glancing at us with similar expressions of curiosity and amusement on their faces.

Trent was the last one out and I didn’t miss him winking at Titan before he softly closed the door behind him.

“You don’t seem like the type that can’t take a compliment, Bailey,” Titan remarked once the room was empty, and again my body shivered when he said my name.

I quickly noticed throughout the meeting that he was the only one out of his brothers who called me Bailey, like I was his.

If I were to listen to the way my heart was racing right now or acknowledge how my body was tingling just from looking into his eyes, there was already a part of me that knew that I was.

I quickly stomped those feelings down and locked it behind the steel walls that were created after I learned the hard way not to trust handsome men who worked with you.

Although I didn’t have to work with Titan every day, I now worked for him, which meant at some point I would have to work with him, so it was all the same to me.

“Why did you move the meeting up if you didn’t need to leave today?” I asked, purposely ignoring his statement.

“I didn’t know you would be at that bar last night but as soon as I saw you, I knew who you were because I look into everyone I have business meetings with.

As soon as I left, I moved the meeting up because I needed to see if you had the same effect on me today as you did last night.

” Titan’s eyes never left mine and his directness left me speechless.

“Now, tell me why you looked so uncomfortable when I congratulated you about signing Giada Morretti’s business to your company?

” Titan asked, “You are a brilliant businesswoman, I know you’re passionate about your work, and you’re great to your clients, which were some of the reasons I wanted to do business with you. ”

I raised my brow, surprised by the last thing he said.

“Like I said, I look into everyone I have business meetings with, and you were no different. I made some calls to some of your clients a couple days before this meeting and asked how they liked doing business with you, and everyone had nothing but great things to say,” he said, answering my unasked question then he finally let my elbow go.

I didn’t realize he was still holding it, and I was surprised that I missed the contact.

“My second time asking you, don’t make me ask a third; why do compliments make you uncomfortable? ”

“They don’t,” I said, holding my head high, hoping I didn’t sound as defensive as I felt, and he smirked.

“Ah ok, so just compliments from me make you uncomfortable,” he said, and I tensed because he hit the nail on the head, but instead of showing him he was right, I schooled my features into my best poker face and wished for the interaction to be over.

Again, he stared into my eyes and narrowed them before he leaned down toward my ear.

“I can tell from how stiff your shoulders got that I’m right or very close to it, so you’re just going to have to get used to hearing me praise you, no matter what, starting now.

” I held in the moan that was close to leaving from my mouth from hearing his deep voice whispering in my ear.

And the scent of his cologne was intoxicating. He stood back up to his full height.