Page 24 of To the Chase

From behind me, Tore said, “That was inappropriate.”

I whirled around. “What was?”

“Having that discussion in your presence like you weren’t here.” He raised his brows. “Do you have questions?”

I scrunched my nose. “I heard what you two were saying, but since it wasn’t very interesting, it went in one ear and out the other. I won’t sell your corporate secrets or anything. You don’t have to worry.”

His mouth twitched. “That was exactly my concern. Thanks for putting me at ease.”

“Anytime.” I wiped my hands on my pants. “Well, I’m finished, so—”

“You still won’t tell me the other strike?”

I continued like he hadn’t spoken. “—I’m going to pack up and get out of the way. Don’t forget to read Sam’s email. You could probably stand to be a little nicer to him. He walked out looking like a kicked puppy.”

I grabbed my bags from the floor and started out the door, only making it a few feet before Tore caught up, falling in step with me.

“I’m nice enough to Sam. If you knew how many times we’ve had the same discussion, you might understand why I lost my patience.”

I shot him a glance, wondering why he was walking with me. This wasn’t our routine. Usually, I ignored him, and he allowed it until the end when he asked me to tell him the other strike. I didn’t know what to make of him changing things up.

“You really don’t have to explain anything to me,” I said, punching the down button for the elevator.

Tore stood beside me, his hands in his trouser pockets. “You already think poorly of me, and I own that. I’d just rather not make it worse if I can help it.”

“What I think of you doesn’t matter.” The elevator arrived just in time. I stepped on…and Tore followed. “What are you doing?”

He hit the button for the garage. “Going for a ride so I can ask again for you to tell me the second strike.”

I lifted my chin. “Why don’t you focus on the first one and go from there.”

“A starting point. Okay.” He slipped his phone from his pocket and tapped on the screen a few times.

The elevator came to a halt, but we weren’t at a floor. It just…stopped. All the lights on the panel lit up like the Fourth of July, but we weren’t moving.

I was trapped in an elevator with Tore Gallo.

Chapter Nine

Salvatore

Beabackedupagainstthe metal railing and blinked at me. “Did you just stop the elevator?”

Startled, I threw my phone in the air, only narrowly managing to catch it and tuck it back in my pocket.Smooth, Sal. Real Smooth.

“Why would you ask that?”

She nodded toward my pocket. “You’re a tech guy. You were playing with your phone, and—poof, the elevator stopped.” She tapped her foot on the ground. Her black shoes had a small bow on the front. “So, did you?”

Between the cuff of her pants and the top of her shoes was the barest strip of skin. Four inches at most. Just the top of her foot. I got caught up in those inches and couldn’t look away. That delicate, pale stretch, the graceful curve over fine bones, the flash of a tattoo before it disappeared into the hem of her pants. Even the teasing glimpse of toe cleavage had me short-circuiting.

Bea cleared her throat. I yanked my eyes from her feet, but her face was no less distracting.

“Did you stop the elevator?” she asked again.

“Doing something like that would be unhinged,” I replied, probably too quickly.

“It would be.” She dropped her bags to the floor and folded her arms under her breasts. “I have another job in an hour.”