“Thank you,” she murmured, and followed the receptionist’s directions.
Moments later, she stepped out onto the executive floor and approached Haley Shaw’s large circular desk. The pretty blonde stood in front of it, smiling up at a tall, handsome man with light brown hair and a presence that screamed confidence and an intensity he couldn’t mask. It was that intensity that had Sophie frowning slightly as she approached the couple.
Though both of their voices contained a light note of flirtation, and Haley didn’t appear uncomfortable, the man seemed to invade the other woman’s personal space, dwarfing Haley’s not-inconsiderable height. As a woman who’d often encountered inappropriate advances in the workplace, maybe Sophie was extra sensitive, but it didn’t stop her from nearing them and stopping at the executive assistant’s side, facing the man, whose smile widened to include her.
Yeah, she didn’t trust that smile at all.
In her experience, people who grinned that wide and tried hard to appear affable were usually hiding something. Using overt friendliness and charm as a deflection.
Something whispered to her that this guy was no different.
“Good morning, Ms. Armstrong,” Haley greeted Sophie, surprising her a little with the warmth emanating from the welcome. The last time Sophie had been here, she hadn’t made such a good first impression. “Can I introduce you to Chase Hargrove?”
“Mr. Hargrove.” Sophie nodded, and he extended his hand toward her.
“Ms. Armstrong. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Giving her another of those too-amicable smiles, he switched his attention back to Haley. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you later, Haley. Hopefully see you then, too, beautiful.” With a wink and crooked grin that even Sophie had to admit had her wanting to fan herself, he turned and strode toward the elevators.
“Wow,” Sophie muttered as soon as the doors slid closed behind him. “He’s definitely...not shy.” She shook her head, huffing out a laugh. “Were you okay with how strong he seemed to be coming on? If not, you should tell—” Joshua hovered on her tongue, but after a brief hesitation, she said, “Mr. Lowell.”
She scoffed, waving a hand toward the direction Chase had disappeared. “He’s harmless. Believe me, I can handle him.” Pushing off the desk, she swept a hand toward the double doors that led to Joshua’s office. “He’s waiting for you. Did you need anything? Coffee, tea, water?”
“I’m fine, thanks.” Sophie would die on the hill of denial before admitting it aloud, but her stomach twisted with nerves and wouldn’t be able to handle anything on it.
Haley nodded, and when they approached the door, she gave it a swift knock, then opened it. “Joshua, Ms. Armstrong is here.”
Sweat dotted Sophie’s palms, and her heart rapped against her sternum, but she managed a smile of thanks and shored up her mental shields as she moved into the office. After his visit to the Chronicle and their impromptu meeting at the gym, she didn’t even try to delude herself into believing she could prepare herself for coming face-to-face with him again and not be slammed with the intense presence that was Joshua Lowell.
So when he rose from behind his desk, exposing that tall, rangy body to her, she just let herself soak him in. Took in the short, dark blond hair that emphasized the clean but sharp facial features. Met the green-and-light-brown gaze that seemed determined to strip her of all her defenses. Traced the wide, soft-looking mouth with its too-tempting, full bottom lip. Wandered over the muscular strength and animal magnetism that his steel-gray suit accentuated rather than hid in a cloak of civility.
Maybe not resisting the magnetic pull of his utter sexiness but rather immersing herself in it would strengthen her immunity.
Like a freaking flu shot.
“Sophie,” he said, rounding the desk with a confident and commanding stride that shouldn’t have set her pulse pounding. But God, did it. “I’m glad you could make it.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You doubted I would?”
He halted several feet from her. And it reminded her of how close he’d been in the gym. How his scent had engulfed her. How his lips had brushed her ear even as he whispered threats into it. No. Not threats. Promises, he’d assured her.
And how sick did it make her that a part of her wanted him to follow through on them?
Very. Any therapist worth her or his degree would rub their hands in glee at the thought of getting their hands on her.
“Not for a second,” he murmured, that gaze skimming over her emerald sheath and nude pumps before returning to her face.
Her skin hummed from the visual contact, and she fought not to rub her palms up and down her bare arms. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he affected her.
“Well, thank you again for the opportunity to tour the inner sanctum of Black Crescent Hedge Fund.” See? She could be professional around him. “I’m looking forward to this.”
He nodded. “If you’ll follow me...”
For the next several hours, Joshua granted her an exclusive peek behind the curtain. Not only did he introduce her to his employees and explain what they did, but he also revealed how he’d implemented safeguards and a checks-and-balances system so what’d occurred with his father didn’t happen again. In other words, he’d willingly policed himself.
She discovered a side of the company she hadn’t known existed. Over the years, Joshua had donated a mind-boggling amount of money and time to local and statewide programs that assisted domestic abuse victims, literacy and the foster-care system, including his assistant Haley Shaw’s own nonprofit organization. But not only did he help his community, he also invested in his own employees’ futures by helping put the staff and their families through college with scholarships and almost-zero-interest loans.
And then there were the reparations he’d made to the families affected by his father’s crimes. Joshua had made good on that agreement to repay the stolen funds.
By the time she followed him back to his office that afternoon, she was convinced Black
