“You know…did you ever think about me. As in thoughts my father would have you murdered for thinking,” she shot back casually.
I let the pen fall to the table with a smack. “What!? Jesus, Cat. Of course not. I respect your father way too much, and besides…you were a kid. I’m not some pervert.”
“Obviously I don’t mean when I was a teenager,” she groaned, rolling her eyes. “But after I went off to college. Did you think about me then?”
“I’m not going to discuss this with you,” I barked. “We have too much work to do to be playing games.”
“It’s not a game,” she huffed. “We need a break. Not a long one. Just a short one. Come on, humor me for a minute.”
“If we’re taking a break, I have other things I’d like to be doing than humoring you,” I argued.
She leaned back on the table, resting her weight on her arms in a way that smashed her cleavage together and made her big breasts even more pronounced. My insides twisted in agony. It was like I had died and gone to purgatory—forever beeing trapped in the office with my two favorite things. Work and a sexy, hot woman. But the work never ended and the woman was untouchable, completely off-limits. I was certain if I caved in, I’d go shooting straight down to hell.
“Other things?” she smirked, raising a brow. “Do tell. What other things did you have in mind?”
The suggestive tone to her voice was the last straw. I shot up from my chair and put a safe distance back in between us, holding my hands up in surrender.
“Look, Cat,” I said sternly. “I can’t stand here and pretend like you’re not an insanely attractive and desirable woman. But we’re about to be signing up to be business partners for a long time, and we both really need this deal to go through. Not to mention…who your father is and my relationship with him. Whatever you’re getting at…It cannot and will not ever happen between us.”
“And just what is it you think I want to happen?” she questioned, not letting up one bit with that coy grin curled on the edges of her lips…just begging to be kissed.
“I can tell you if it’s anything other than going home or reviewing these contracts, it’s not happening,” I huffed.
“I wouldn’t be opposed to taking you home with me,” she countered. “We could continue working on the contracts there. That’s both of your offers with permission granted.”
“Catherine…”
“Don’t call me Catherine,” she scowled seductively, inching closer again. “You knew I had a crush on you, didn’t you?”
I couldn’t help but laugh a little. Why did I feel an even bigger rush of excitement when she admitted to having a crush on me? Did I ever know that?
“I can’t remember, but if I did…I’m sure I didn’t give much thought to it. You’re my partner’s daughter.”
“Stop bringing my father into this,” she warned, slinking closer still. “He’s not here, and he won’t be here for the bulk of our working relationship. Furthermore, I think you should know the terms of my proposal before you turn it down. That’s what any smart businessman would do.”
“I think you know businessmen too well for your own good,” I suggested. “If you have a proposal that you think will interest me, book an appointment with my secretary.”
“But if you’re fucking your secretary, I have a feeling she won’t relay the message,” she teased.
“I’m not.”
“Fucking your secretary?”
“God, just stop,” I pleaded, trying to keep my cool…all while fighting off a raging boner inspired by nothing more than the look in her eyes. “Stop saying ‘fucking’, and stop coming closer.”
She put her hands up this time, stopping dead in her tracks. “I know proper office etiquette all too well. You tell me to stop and I’ll do it. But I’d be even more incentivised to comply if you heard what I had to say.”
I hung my head in defeat. She wasn’t going to lay off, and I couldn’t deny my insane curiosity about just what she had in mind. “Remind me to never give you bourbon ever again. But sure, okay. Fine. You got me. Proceed with your proposition.”
“I’m a grown woman now,” she answered quickly. “And I’m no virgin. Believe me. I like a good, no strings attached romp in the sack as much as any one of your business associates…all young and free and driven. All I’m suggesting is one night. Tonight, preferably. You and I both know there’s a suffocating sexual tension that’s been building between us from the moment we saw each other again. I think the best course of action is to get it out of our systems. Then we can move on like nothing ever happened.”
“That’s rarely how it works with women. Especially when you’re so insistent,” I laughed. “If you cared so little, you wouldn’t be so pushy about it.”
“I’m always pushy about what I want,” she assured me. “But don’t mistake that for an indicator of how much I would care if you still refused. You’re not going to hurt my feelings any, believe me. Sure, I had a crush on you when I was in highschool. And yes, I am still very attracted to you now. But I don’t have time for love or complicated feelings and neither do you. The complications are the very thing I’m trying to avoid. If we just get it over with, we’ll both think more clearly.”
“And what happens when the need arises again?” I asked.
“I have other outlets,” she shrugged. “As I’m sure you do as well.”
My hand flew over my face with an unwelcome, but all too important reminder. “Shit. You’re engaged. Why are you even talking about this when you’re engaged? Clever trick. You almost made me forget about that for a moment.”
“That’s funny,” she smirked. “So did I.”
“Like I said…I’m never giving you bourbon again,” I huffed. “Look,
