“No, that does not make me feel better. And who gives gifts like that?”
“People with too much money,” he replies, smiling, and I nod, because he’s right. Only people with way too much money would give someone a bottle of wine that costs so much. “Do you want to sit on the counter to eat or on the stool?” he asks, and I sigh, getting down.
Instead of taking a seat, I walk around into the kitchen and help him get things together, placing our salads and forks on the island while he pours the wine and dishes out some kind of chicken with a creamy-looking sauce over wild rice. After everything is done, we both take a seat, and I pick up my wineglass to inspect it for the sparkle of magic that must be hidden in the glass.
“Let’s toast,” he says, and I swivel his way, meeting his warm gaze.
“What are we toasting to?”
“The unexpected but appreciated.” He taps his glass against mine then takes a sip. I follow suit, rolling the warm liquid around in my mouth, really trying to comprehend why it cost so much. I don’t get it; it tastes like my favorite red that I get from the grocery store for seven bucks, and if I’m honest… my grocery store wine tastes better.
“What do you think?”
“I think whoever paid for this should ask for their money back. I don’t have magical powers, and I don’t think you do either.”
He laughs, and my chest warms. I really don’t know how I can go from being so angry at him to just enjoying his presence. I’m totally falling for him, even though he’s a liar, overbearing, and probably the completely wrong man for me.
“Dig in before your food is cold. I called my mom for this recipe, and she’ll be disappointed if you don’t like it.”
I pick up my fork and take a bite of tender chicken, salty capers, zesty lemon, and perfectly cooked rice. After I chew and swallow, I lock eyes with him. “You can tell your mom it’s delicious.”
“She didn’t cook it.”
I grin. “Are you digging for a compliment?”
“Absolutely, I’m trying to impress you.”
“You don’t have to try too hard,” I say then add, “When you’re not annoying me, I actually really do like you.”
“That’s good to know.” His eyes search mine like he’s trying to see into my soul, only I have no idea what he’s looking for. “So how was work today?”
“Work.” I shrug, taking another bite off my plate, unwilling to talk to him about it—not with him being my boss’s boss’s boss’s boss.
“You know you can talk to me about work—as a friend, not the CEO—right?”
“Like I can talk to you about other things and have you respect what I say without going behind my back?”
“I haven’t gone behind your back.”
I guess he hasn’t. He’s put it all out there with everyone, including now my coworkers, who I’m sure will have questions for me tomorrow. “All I’m saying is I would like to keep a little bit of separation between what is happening between you and me and work. I don’t want to make things even more complicated.”
“So what happens with work when you’re ready to admit you’re mine?”
“Yours?”
“Mine,” he confirms with a hungry look. “I’m not going to pretend we aren’t together, Dakota, just to make other people who don’t mean shit to me feel better.”
“Do you always have to be so aggressive?”
“I think you know the answer to that.” Judging by the way my body is feeling, I guess I do.
“Fine, work was good. Hanna is very nice, and I thought I was making progress with the people I work with, but now I’m sure they’re wondering why you showed up at the bar and what’s going on between us. I’m also nervous about what will happen when that news gets back to Kathy, because it will. Maybe not tomorrow, but it will. I do believe you when you say nothing is going on between you and your assistant, but I think Kathy is convinced otherwise, and so is everyone else.”
“Fuck what everyone else thinks.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
“It’s not complicated, Dakota,” he says, sounding pissed, which annoys me. He has nothing to be mad about. I didn’t lie to him or come in and disrupt his life.
“You have a penis, Braxton, and you’re sitting upstairs in your private office bossing everyone around. No one would dare make it seem like you’re in the wrong.”
“If anyone ever made you feel uncomfortable, I’d deal with them.”
I groan, tossing my head back. “That right there is exactly what I’m talking about! You can’t just come in and piss all over the place or throw the fact that you’re the boss around to get your way.”
“I have to disagree with you on that.”
“This is pointless.” I set down my fork and let out a deep breath, back to being frustrated. It’s like talking to a brick wall trying to make him see things from my point of view.
“I’m sorry.” He sets down his own fork and turns his stool toward me before swiveling me around to face him. Once he has my knees trapped between his, he takes my hands.
“Sorry for what?” I mean, let’s be honest; there is a whole lot for him to apologize for, and I really doubt he thinks he’s done anything wrong.
“For upsetting you.”
“You piss me off, Braxton. You don’t upset me.”
“Is there a difference?” he asks, sounding curious.
“Yes, being upset is when you are disappointed or unhappy. Pissed is when you are just plain mad, and you make me angry to the point of seeing red. You’re not just some regular guy; you’re the CEO of the company I work for, which means you have the upper hand. And when it comes to my career, I need to know my success is my own, and I don’t want anyone to think I’ve gotten where I am because I’m sleeping with the boss.”
“I didn’t know you when you got the job with IMG, Dakota. You did that all on your own.”
“I know, but no one will care about that when they find out about us.”
His eyes stay locked on mine, and I see the wheels in his head turning, trying to figure out how to get his way while making me believe I got mine. “I don’t want to lie to you again, and me telling you that I’m sorry people know there is something going on between us would be a lie.”
I drop my eyes from his, unsure how to respond. Part of me is happy he doesn’t want to hide me away like a dirty secret. Another part of me is mad I don’t get a say in when people find out.
“Dakota.” He squeezes my hands, but his cell phone rings, cutting off whatever he was going to say. He turns his wrist to check his watch. “Fuck, I’ll be right back,” he tells me before brushing his lips across the top of my head.
After he gets up, I turn back to my plate and ponder what I should do. It’s honestly too late for me to worry about people finding out about us, especially after what happened tonight. And with him being who he is, it would only be a matter of time anyway. Not because he’s the CEO, but because he is so overbearing and determined to make some kind of public claim on me.
I finish eating then drink the rest of my wine—and his—while waiting for him to come back. When that doesn’t happen, I get up and take my plate around to the sink, rinsing it off before placing it in the dishwasher. Chewing my nail, I lean against the counter then say screw it, going in search of Braxton. I find him on the phone in what looks like his office, his back to me, his phone to his ear.
I shut the door before he sees me and wander back to the kitchen to pour myself another glass of wine. Maybe drinking it will give me what I need to impress Kathy. I go to the couch, grabbing my phone out of my purse, and then make myself comfortable and open the kindle app on my phone and get lost in someone else’s complicated relationship.
“Baby,” Braxton’s deep voice whispers against my ear as he lifts me against his chest, and I automatically burrow into his warmth. “Are you awake?”
“Yeah.” I try to pull myself out of the cocoon of sleep, but it’s difficult bet
ween my early morning, the orgasms Braxton gave me, and the three glasses of wine I had tonight.
“So sweet.” His lips touch my forehead right before I’m placed back down on a soft surface.
Then he settles in behind me, his fingers slide over my bare hip before a blanket is settled over me. “Sleep, sweet girl.”
I turn to face him and burrow against his chest. “Just for a few minutes, and then I’ll go home,” I whisper back, feeling his lips lingering against my forehead before I’m captured by his warm scent and once more dragged under by sleep.
Chapter 9
DAKOTA
I WALK INTO the IMG building fifteen minutes late, cursing Braxton for taking advantage of me being in his bed this morning and using my body against me. Not that I didn’t enjoy myself. I just didn’t even think about the time or the fact that I had to be at work when he was giving me a good morning orgasm and I thought about it less when he told me that the phone call he got last night was from one of his contacts in New York and that he was going to be leaving for a few days.
I keep my head straight as I get on the elevator and don’t even acknowledge my coworkers as I walk to my desk. Once I’m settled with my computer open in front of me, I start to bite my nails, anxiously awaiting the moment anyone comes over to question me about what happened last night.
After thirty minutes, my muscles begin to relax, and I pull up the courage to look around. Not one person is glancing in my direction with suspicious or judgmental looks. Really, it seems it’s business as usual. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Maybe I worried for nothing about what my coworkers would think about Braxton coming to the bar last night. Maybe they don’t care… or maybe they are too scared to confront me.
I start up my computer and open my schedule and the talk points I had been going over yesterday. Just as I’m about to send them over to Kathy for approval, an e-mail pops up on my screen and my heart pounds as I click it open.
From: Hanna Mathers
Subject: Request from Mr. Adams
Dakota,
Mr. Adams asked me to reach out to you in hopes you could help him choose a high school recipient to receive $50,000 toward their college education. I know this might be an odd request, but he’s assured me that you would understand.
Please e-mail me back at your convenience with the contact information for who you’ve chosen, and I will take care of the rest.
All the best,
Hanna
“Oh my God.” I cover my mouth with my shaking fingers and tears fill my eyes. I can’t believe he is doing this, and I doubt he knows how much this gesture means to me. That money could change someone’s life, especially a kid who is currently in the foster care system.
Most kids who grow up in the system don’t even dare to dream of going to college, and those who do quickly realize how difficult it will be for them if they do get into a school. Knowing exactly what I’m going to do, I send Hanna a quick return e-mail to let her know I will be in contact then go online to look up Jamie’s and my old caseworker. After tracking her down, I send her an e-mail with my phone number and ask her to call me when she has a few minutes to talk.
With that done, I forward my ideas to Kathy, not really caring if she likes them or not. There isn’t much that could put a damper on my mood right now. A message pops up a minute later from Kathy with the entire team attached, asking all of us to meet her in one of the conference rooms upstairs.
I head to the elevator, and my forgotten anxiety returns when Samantha smiles at me with a knowing look in her eyes. Not wanting her to think she has something over me, I press the up arrow while asking, “Did you guys have fun last night?”
She shrugs. “I took off not long after you left with—” She pauses, glancing around. “—Mr. Adams. I didn’t know who he was until Mat said he’s the CEO of IMG.”
“Yep, he’s the head honcho,” I say like an idiot, and she laughs.
“Do you guys know what this is about?” Chris asks, joining us just when the elevator doors open and we all step on together.
“No idea,” I reply, taking a step back as Chris holds the door open for more people to get on with us. Once the doors close, everyone starts asking each other what this meeting could be about, and the more they talk, the curiouser I become. The way they are making it sound, this isn’t a normal occurrence.
When we get upstairs, we file into the conference room and are asked to sit wherever we find our names. That’s when I notice small boxes placed around the table, the same type of small box my watch came in. The watch I haven’t worn since Braxton forced it on me.
“Hello, everyone.” Kathy stands and moves to the head of the table. “I asked you all here this morning to talk to you about a product IMG will be launching in a few short months. If you would all be so kind as to open the boxes placed in front of you.”
She pauses, and everyone does as asked with abandon, while I reluctantly join in. With the top off, I glare at the blinking red light, absently hearing everyone else ooh and ahh over the new watch they just received.
“The watch each of you are now holding is part of our new lifestyle line. This watch is designed to connect to all your current apps and devices along with all IMG exclusive products without you having to do anything but tap it to whatever you are connecting it to, which will make it more user-friendly with our older customers and even those millennials who don’t want to waste their time programing another device.” She smiles, holding up her wrist to show off her watch. “The goal is that you will never have to carry your phone, credit card, or even your keys again. Everything you need will be available to you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, right from your wrist.”
Again, everyone oohs and ahhs while fastening the watch to their wrist. This time, I don’t follow along I set the box down and turn it away from me as Kathy continues.
“This product was originally only given to the members of the board to test out, but Mr. Adams asked that I allow the team that will be selling it to experience the watch firsthand. He wants you to believe in it as much as he does.” She smiles, glancing around the room. “I can tell you from personal experience that this little watch has made my life easier, and I hope you all feel the same. I want you to wear it and give your honest feedback over the next few months. If you find anything you don’t like, please let me know so I can pass it along.”
I smile along with everyone else then look over to my side when my shoulder is nudged by Samantha, who is now proudly wearing her new tracking device.
“Aren’t you going to put yours on?” she asks, nodding to my box.
I don’t want to. I really don’t want to, because I have a feeling Braxton has manipulated this entire scenario. He knows I haven’t worn the watch since he forced it on me, and by doing this, I no longer have a choice when it comes to wearing it.
“Yeah.” I shake my head like I just had a moment of ditsy forgetfulness. “I just got caught up in what Kathy was saying.” I pick up my box and take out the watch, the blinking light taunting me as I wrap it around my wrist. Once I have it secure, I pull the sleeve of my blouse down over it. I might be forced to wear it all the time, but that doesn’t mean I have to take the time to charge it. If it dies, it dies; there is nothing he can do about that.
“You might have noticed there is no charging cable in your box,” Kathy says, and I look at her, feeling my heart plummet. “This watch is charged by the sun, unlike some of our competitors’, which allows you to never have to worry about plugging it in.”
“Great,” I groan, and everyone looks at me. “Sorry.” I hold up my wrist. “I’m just so relieved I don’t need to charge this beauty.”
Kathy clears her throat, and everyone turns to focus on her once more. “I look forward to hearing from each of you, and as you know, my door is always open. Now.” She motions toward the door. “Let’s get back to work and sell, sell, sell.”
I stand with everyone else, the weight on my w
rist feeling heavier than ever before. I swear I’m going to kill Braxton for once again using his position to get his way.
“Are you okay?” Samantha asks as we wait for the elevator.
“Yeah, totally. Are you?” I ask automatically, glancing over when she laughs.
“You’re a horrible liar. Has anyone ever told you that?” She grasps my wrist to pull my hand away from my mouth. Damn, I didn’t even notice I was biting my nails. “My friend Mary back home always bites her nails when something is wrong or when she’s worried. What’s wrong?”
Knowing I should give her something, I sigh then lower my voice as we step out of the elevator and walk across the office toward our desks. “I’m a little nervous about what Kathy is going to say about the talk points I sent her this morning. She hasn’t exactly been very open to anything I’ve given her so far.”
“Every time I’ve seen you on air so far, you’ve been amazing, and like Mat said, Kathy doesn’t have the final say, so I don’t think you should worry too much about her opinion. Just do your best; that’s all any of us can really do.”
“You’re right, thanks.”
“Anytime. Also, I’m here if you ever need someone to bounce ideas off of. I know for me it helps my process.”
“I’d really like that. We should exchange numbers and get together sometime,” I say then shake my head. “Sorry. I don’t mean to sound so desperate, but I could use a friend here.”
“Well, you’re in luck. I’m in the market for a friend.” She laughs then asks, “Do you want to get lunch this afternoon? I was thinking of trying out that new chowder place a couple blocks over. I read a review that said they have the best sourdough bread bowls in the US. Something I doubt, since I grew up in San Francisco. Still, I want to try them out.”
“I’m not sure what a sourdough bread bowl is, but I’d love to join you.”
“If this place is any good, your mind is going to be blown.” She says then looks at her new watch. “Wow, so cool. It just reminded me that I’m due on air in an hour.” Her eyes widen. “Shit, I have to get to makeup.” She starts to take off then turns back toward me, walking backward. “I should be done around one, but I’ll let you know if I get done before then.”
The Wrong/Right Man Page 10