Then, and only then, did the truth hit me – much like a knife to the chest.
That man who I’d met at the wedding, kissed and smooched like there was no tomorrow, was the C.E.O of Tysone corp.
Chapter Four
Kylie
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Heart thumping, I dug my hand into my purse, fiddling around for some change and paid the cab driver. Then placing my hand on the door, I took a deep breath and opened, stepping outside. Not until I saw the cab drive away did I let myself breathe out. But seeing my breath rise up in shapeless white clouds before me didn’t make me feel better about what I was about to do. Maybe even these lifeless clouds were horrified too.
Shaking off the disturbing image, I turned around and finally looked at it - the glamorous hotel where I was supposed to meet the man I now knew as Mr. Tom, C.E.O of Tysone Corp.
Now let’s rewind.
To say I’d been shocked to see him at that office would be an understatement.
We both stood there for nearly five minutes, eyes wide, mouths hanging open as our faces bore signs of confusion. His secretary, bless her heart, had saved the day by interrupting and asking in her sweet, singsong voice, “Sir, is everything okay?”
Tom quickly pulled himself together, giving her a brisk nod as he strolled inside the room. But as soon as his secretary closed the door, leaving us alone in the office, he turned around and pinned his eyes on me.
“So…you are Ms. Kylie? From REP?”
“Uh…” I stammered, stunned by the sudden change in the atmosphere, “Y-yes. Yes, I am.”
At that, he closed his eyes briefly. Then as if there was nothing else to say, he went to his desk and sat in his chair. I couldn’t help but stare at him, wondering why his face was suddenly so stoic, his eyes expressionless and his lips set into a grim line. Placing his hand on the table, he leaned forward and quirked an eyebrow at me.
“Begin.”
It took some seconds for the implications of his word to register in my brain. But when it did, I realized what was happening.
This was his ‘business’ aura. Whatever happened yesterday, was going to stay within yesterday, it seemed.
Taking the cue, I hurriedly opened my briefcase and spread the papers on the table, willing my heart to cease its senseless pounding. Whatever was going on here… whatever twist fate decided to send me this morning… it was so not worth that promotion I’d been working towards for an entire year. I needed to convince him to invest in this product and that was it. Forget whatever happened yesterday.
But, as we both came to realize, fate had other plans for us.
I’d barely started speaking when a keen consciousness settled on me. And judging from the way his gaze shifted from my face down to my neck, it seemed like it came over him also. Suddenly, I was acutely aware that the gown I’d chosen to wear today was tightfitting. I’d specifically chosen it because it showed off my figure quite well while remaining professional. But at that moment, I severely began to regret that decision.
My perfectly rehearsed presentation threatened to fly off my head any at any moment. The temperature in the room rose dangerously and when I saw him reach for his tie, loosening it slightly, that’s when the truth became clear to me.
“I can’t do this.” I suddenly said, collapsing on the chair and shaking my head vigorously. I’d even begun to sweat. You could pick a knife and slice through the sexual tension in the room. That was how bad it was.
No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t stand there, speaking to him and not remember the way his mouth had almost devoured mine yesterday, the fever with which he’d run his hands up and down my body and how that same body had shameless responded to him.
It was impossible.
But I’d received the shock of my life when he gave what I still considered the most preposterous proposal I’d ever come across.
We were both obviously attracted to each other, he said. He was interested in investing, but for the project to succeed, we must be comfortable around each other. Therefore, why not take care of the obvious sexual attraction so that it can be done and over with and we can safely concentrate on business?
In other words, he was asking me to have sex with him and I was stunned, to say the least.
But here I was, right in front of the hotel he’d suggested, thirty minutes before the time he’d set.
He told me it wasn’t compulsory. Whether or not I chose to do this wouldn’t affect his decision to invest. So why was I here?
Sighing, I took the necessary steps towards the entrance and continued my way to the lobby. After getting the room number, I proceeded to the elevator and was whirled up – to him.
As I walked out of the elevator, down the hallway, and stopped in front of the room… even as I raised my hands and knocked on the door, wondering if he really was in there… I asked myself several questions.
What am I doing? Why am I here? What the hell am I thinking?
But as soon as the door opened, I saw his face – his dark sleek hair framing his muscular face and almost reaching his broad shoulders. The first two buttons of his white shirt were undone so I got a healthy peek at his chest peppered by a fine collection of hair. His grey, magnetic eyes were staring at me and without hesitation or shame, he roved those very eyes down my body.
And that was when the fiery attraction between us threatened to consume us both in flames.
In a flash, Tom reached out and pulled
