“How was your weekend?”
“I was here the entire time, but never mind that,” he retorted. “I stopped by your office on Sunday and saw that some of the files were missing. Do you have them?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I took them home to review them over the weekend. Why?”
“The Witterman pitch is this Friday. I had high hopes that you would have found something by now,” he sneered. “I guess I was wasting my time...and my money.”
Autumn tightened her grip around the cup, bristling inwardly at Sterling’s implication that she wasn’t doing her job, when nothing could be further from the truth.
She’d combed through Isaac’s files and client records, dating back to when he started with the company, and she only had a small batch to go.
The time she’d spent with Isaac these past few days were a part of her surveillance efforts. She was supposed to get to know him, closely monitor every move of his taut, muscular body and record any and all interactions with him.
But I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with him.
A burst of panic made her grip the cup tighter. The thought seemed so loud in her mind that for a moment she feared Sterling could hear it. The notion that she could have any feelings for Isaac beyond simple lust was highly illogical, not to mention potentially detrimental to the case.
She couldn’t ever record how Isaac had pleasured her in her apartment a few nights earlier, although the memory was forever seared in her brain. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, and yet she wasn’t supposed to be thinking about him.
Not like that anyway.
“It’s not because I haven’t been looking,” she insisted, trying her best not to squirm under Sterling’s harsh glare. “Are you sure you’ve given me every file?”
Sterling cast her a withering look. “Are you questioning the way I run my business and accusing me of losing crucial information?”
Autumn held up her hands. “Not at all. I was just putting it out there. Things happen sometimes, that’s all.”
He crossed his arms and huffed. “Not at Paxton, they don’t.”
Autumn nodded. “Initially you refused to tell me why you were having Isaac investigated in the first place.”
Sterling wrinkled his forehead. “What difference does that make?”
Autumn flashed him a smile even though she wanted to gag. For a man responsible for the care and feeding of millions of other people’s money, Sterling sure didn’t have much common sense.
“Knowing all the facts could assist the investigation,” she replied patiently.
Sterling unfolded his arms and leaned close to her. “Let me tell you something, Ms. Hilliard. When I invest money in a particular stock, I don’t know all the facts.”
He coughed and continued. “Sure, I can read the prospectus and see how the company has fared over a certain period of time, but in the end, investing is a high-stakes guessing game. I’m working off a hunch and I’ve made a living hedging bets.”
At his words, the bitter acid from the tea rose in Autumn’s throat. Didn’t Sterling realize that there was more at stake here than money? There was Isaac’s career and the children no one at Paxton knew about except her.
“And what if you’re wrong? About Isaac, I mean.”
Sterling opened his arms wide, as if he were Moses parting the Red Sea. “Look around you, Autumn. Does it look like I’m ever wrong?”
Autumn coughed back her disgust. “No, sir.”
“Good.” Sterling dropped his arms and stood. “I’ve got another meeting. But I expect a full report from you no later than a week from today.”
He took a few steps but suddenly turned back. “Oh, and by the way, when you discover that my hunch is correct, Isaac is going to wish he never set foot inside these doors.”
Autumn slumped in her seat, knowing his threat was genuine.
Obviously Sterling had never heard of the maxim “innocent until proven guilty.”
She wondered what had caused so much friction between them, but it didn’t matter at the moment. Her father told her repeatedly, “You’re only as good as your last case, so...”
“Don’t burn bridges,” she muttered, echoing her dad’s solemn voice in her head.
Her reputation and her career mattered more to Autumn than a man. Or at least, that’s what she told herself, every night she turned on her side and no one was there.
Autumn got up and walked over to the garbage can. As she tossed in her empty cup, she vowed to set aside the romantic feelings for Isaac that had already started to grow inside her. At least for now, and perhaps, forever.
* * *
Later that morning, Autumn walked out of the restroom, drying her hands on a paper towel, and nearly bumped into Felicia. However, from the fake surprise look on her face, Autumn knew the chance meeting was no accident.
“I’m glad to see someone at Paxton taking hand washing seriously.”
Autumn balled up the paper towel in her hand and shrugged. “I’m not a germaphobe. It’s just good hygiene.”
Felicia clapped her hands together. “I knew we had something else in common.” She produced a small bottle and held it out to her. “Sanitizer? It’s lavender scented.”
Autumn shook her head and felt like telling Felicia to use it on herself, even though no amount of the clear gel would be able to wash off the sleaze.
“I’m glad we ran into each other.” Something flashed in Felicia’s eyes and Autumn instantly knew she was lying. “Do you have time for a chat?”
Without waiting for Autumn’s response, Felicia grabbed her elbow and pulled her into a room that was reserved for nursing mothers. Luckily, it was occupied only by a couch that appeared sturdy though in need of newer upholstery.
Felicia locked the door and gestured to the sofa.
Autumn shook her head. “I’ll stand. What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to say that whatever you’re doing, keep doing it. The natives are restless!” she squealed.
“Natives?” Autumn echoed, confused. “What are you talking about?”
Felicia rolled her eyes. “I’m talking about the fact that we had our inaugural meeting of the Paxton Employee Satisfaction Committee. Everyone is up in arms about the fact that you have an office.”
Autumn dropped her mouth open. “But, Felicia, you know I had nothing to do with that. Your father gave me that office.”
“I know and initially I was really upset about it,” Felicia admitted. “But now it seems to be working to your advantage. Everyone is blaming Isaac, which is exactly what I want.”
Despite her will to stand, Autumn found herself sinking to the couch. “But why? It’s not his fault, either.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Felicia replied, turning to the mirror. She smoothed a hand over her blond hair. Today, her style was less severe, but the calculated smirk on her face was all that was needed to make Autumn’s stomach knot with worry.
What had Isaac done to make Felicia so vindictive?
“Do you know how long it took me to get my own office?”
Autumn shook her head and resumed watching Felicia primp in the mirror.
“Three years.” Felicia turned on her heels and held up her fingers. “Three years! And I’m the boss’s daughter!” she exclaimed. “I know what people say about me, but it’s not true.”
“So your father has made you work to get where you are today.”
“Yes,” Felicia cut in. “I followed in his hallowed footsteps and now I can barely get him to answer an email.”
Autumn ignored the long look on her face. If Felicia wanted sympathy, she wasn’t going to get it from her.
“What’s that got to do with Isaac?”
Felicia put her hands on her hips.
“Let’s just say that when I get through with Isaac, he won’t be able to show his face ever again in Manhattan.”
Without another word, Felicia unlocked the door and stalked out.
Autumn rubbed her eyes in confusion. To her, Felicia’s mini-rant sounded a bit like professional jealousy. But since Isaac was involved somehow, this was a lot more complex than mere envy. She had to find out what, if anything beyond her attempt at seduction, had occurred between them.
And even though Autumn couldn’t claim Isaac as her man, she had to do it without getting jealous herself.
Chapter 11
Isaac hurried down the hallway toward Autumn’s office, hoping to catch her before she left. He’d been wanting to see her, but meetings had kept him busy all day and he kept missing her. What he had to say couldn’t be done in an email. He needed to be close to her, perhaps for the very last time.
When he arrived, he stopped just before the thin floor-to-ceiling window and inclined his head. The door was closed, but he could hear the faint tap of her fingers upon the keys. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door before opening it.
He popped his head into the room. Autumn looked up and her lips curved under the spotlight cast by the old-fashioned desk lamp. As she leaned back against her chair, her face was thrown into semidarkness but, thankfully, her smile was still there. His heart lifted as if it was eighty degrees and sunny rather than the frigid cold that awaited them both outside.
“Hey, it’s after five. I thought you’d be gone by now.”
Autumn shook her head and motioned him forward. “I just finished the presentation and was trying to email it to you, but it bounced back.”
“Hmm...maybe I can help.”
He stepped into the room and closed the door. “You wouldn’t know it by looking at me, but I’m a closet geek.”
Autumn gave him a quizzical look and her eyes zeroed in on his chest. He took a deep breath as his skin warmed under her gaze.
“Oh really? Where’s your pocket protector?” she teased.
Isaac felt her eyes on his body as he walked around her desk. He placed his hands on the back of her chair.
“I could tell you,” he replied, standing behind her before swiveling the chair so she faced him. “Or I could show you.” Isaac watched her eyes flick down and graze over his torso. The moment lasted only seconds, but it was enough to make him hard. His penis throbbed and his mind warned him to back away from this woman, but his body yearned for something else.
He stepped closer, placed his hands on the armrests of the chair and bent at the waist.
“Which would you like?”
Her eyes rose, darkened and met his.
He sensed that she wanted him, but something was holding her back.
She folded her arms as if to ward him off or maybe to stem the flow of her own feelings. “What I want is to get the presentation to you without it blowing up my system.”
“Why don’t we go over it together? I could order in some dinner and—”
Autumn shook her head. “What about your children? Don’t you have to get home to feed them?”
He released his grip on the chair. “First of all, they hate when I cook. They go into hiding when they hear me in the kitchen.”
Autumn giggled. “That bad, huh?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Isaac said with a nod. “Second of all, they are with friends tonight.” He lifted a tendril of hair from her face. “So I’m all yours.”
Her eyes flicked past him to the window. “We may even be snowed in tonight.”
Isaac looked over his shoulder and saw a mass of flurries against the glass. He turned and traced a finger along the apple of her cheek. It was as soft as the curve of a pillow.
“Would that be so bad?” he asked.
Autumn’s eyes slid shut for a moment as if she were reveling in his touch. “No.” Her eyes flapped open and she whispered, “I’ve missed you.”
At those three words, Isaac placed his palms against the cold black leather on either side of her head. The chair rolled back, metal scraping against wood as he engulfed her mouth in a kiss.
Autumn opened her mouth to accept his tongue, her deep moan bubbling into his throat, and he retreated for only a second before plunging and swirling, wanting them to drown in each other.
But it was she who came to her senses first, albeit slowly. Hesitantly. Her palms flattened against his shirt and moved over the hardened muscles, her lips twisting and reaching for him even as she pushed him away.
He stepped back and groaned as he wiped his lips. The emptiness left in his heart by the sudden lack of her touch was something akin to torture.
“Isaac,” she began, trying to catch her breath. “We can’t do this.”
His heart sank and his eyes roamed her face. “You said that you missed me. Did you really mean it?”
“Of course, I did. But before we go any further, we need to talk about Felicia.”
Isaac sighed and stepped back. “What do you want to know?”
“What’s going on between the two of you?”
He leaned his head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling. “Nothing. But that’s not what she wants.”
“You told me that she’s been making your life at Paxton here a living hell lately.”
Isaac leveled his gaze at her and nodded. “I think she’s turned Sterling against me. He’s not acting the way he normally does with me and he’s always in a bad mood.”
Autumn twisted her lips to the side. “I thought that was just his personality.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “No, not at all. It’s just lately he’s been treating me differently. More like an outsider than a confidant.”
“Don’t you think you may be blowing this out of proportion?” Autumn asked gently.
Isaac scratched his chin. “I used to think so until today. Felicia has me on this committee that is supposed to be a nonconfrontational sounding board for employee grievances and how to resolve them, but instead she threw me under the bus. Everyone is blaming me because you have an office, and they don’t!”
“I know,” Autumn replied quietly.
He pushed himself away from the wall. “You do? How?”
“Felicia told me this morning. She practically accosted me outside the women’s restroom.”
“That b—” He swallowed the word just in time. “What did she say?”
“The same thing you just told me,” Autumn replied, tilting her head. “But with a little added bonus.”
Isaac raised his brow, urging her to continue.
“She wanted me to keep an eye on you, and report back anything I find.”
“Anything you find? What do I have to hide?” Anger sipped through his veins and he struggled to keep his voice down. “I can’t believe she is trying to turn you against me, too.”
Autumn clucked her tongue against her teeth. “Really?”
Isaac grunted. “You’re right. This is Felicia we’re talking about.” He shook his head. “You haven’t worked here that long and you’ve already got her pegged for what she is. A sneaky, conniving, little you-know-what who—”
“Has your briefs in a bunch,” Autumn cut in. She stood, walked over to the window and faced him. “But what you’re not telling me is why all this matters.”
“It matters because it’s my livelihood,” he retorted.
“But you’re one of the highest paid and most profitable brokers on Wall Street today. I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.”
“Nothing except losing my job.” He ran his hand over his head in frustration. “If Sterling or—worse—Felicia, ever finds out that I have two children now, they’ll be more than just pissed.”
She put her hands on his shoulders. “Isaac
, they can’t fire you because you adopted two children. I’m not a lawyer, but that sounds like it would be a clear case of discrimination.”
Autumn hesitated and he could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “I guess they could reprimand you in some way for withholding information.”
“Or find a reason to fire me.”
* * *
Autumn dropped her hands from his shoulders and leaned against the opposite wall. “The best thing to do would be to tell them about Devon and Deshauna right away.”
Isaac paced in front of the window. “But I can’t. Not until after I’m made partner. I don’t want anything screwing up what I’ve worked so long and hard to attain.”
He snapped his fingers and turned to her. “That’s it, isn’t it? That’s why Felicia asked you to spy on me. She’s building some kind of case against me in order to convince Sterling to let me go. Am I right?”
Autumn shrugged. “I don’t know, Isaac. I have no idea what her motives are.”
“I do! She’s out to destroy me,” he insisted as he paced back and forth again.
She reached out her hand and grabbed his arm. “But that’s what I’m trying to tell you. She won’t. She can’t.”
He stopped in his tracks. “How do you know?”
“Because I told her no,” she said emphatically. “I told her that I refused to spy on you.”
Isaac put her hands on Autumn’s shoulders and peered into her eyes. “You did?”
She nodded and he pulled her into his arms.
“Thank you. I knew you weren’t like everyone else,” he whispered against her curls. “So many women I’ve met in the past were backstabbers. I couldn’t trust them with my time, let alone my heart. But you’re different. I trust you.”
“I’m flattered, Isaac. But you hardly know me. Why me?”
He cupped her chin in one hand. “Maybe it’s because Sterling trusted you first. You know the Witterman pitch is a big deal. He wouldn’t have given you the assignment if he didn’t think you could handle it.”
“But, Isaac, that’s business,” she insisted. “And this is—”
“Personal. I know,” he muttered low. He leaned in, took a chance and pecked her lips. “And I want us to get even more personal. So close we won’t know where you start and where I end. What do you think?”
When Morning Comes Page 12