Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
LUKE
I walk into the lobby and the first person I see is Louisa. I was determined to let last night go and be professional, but looking at her now, I don’t think I can do that. Us kissing wasn’t a mistake. I don’t know why Louisa said it was, because no one kisses someone like that if they aren’t feeling it. Maybe she panicked that I wasn’t into her and said it hoping I would argue the point. I agreed that it was a mistake because I was still telling myself it couldn’t happen but fuck it. I don’t care that her father is on the board of directors anymore, and if me being with his daughter means he votes against me, then so be it, because that woman is going to be mine.
I start towards her, but then I realize that she isn’t alone, and the man she’s walking with isn’t a member of my staff. He could be someone from one of the other companies in the building, but I don’t recognize him at all and as Louisa reaches the elevator, the man kisses her on the cheek and turns to leave. So, he doesn’t work here then.
I feel anger swirling inside of me at the thought of someone else getting to touch Louisa, getting to kiss her and hold her. What the fuck? Is this why she said our kiss was a mistake? Because she has a boyfriend? The thought sends another spear of anger through me, and I force myself to think about something else before I really lose my temper and make a fool of myself right here in the lobby.
I can’t shake off my anger. I have felt it all day since I saw that bastard kiss my woman. Yes, it was only her cheek, but it still has me reeling. I know Louisa has done nothing wrong really, but I feel like she has betrayed me.
At no point did she tell me she was single and even the kiss is really a betrayal of her boyfriend, not me. Maybe I could argue that she led me on a bit, but maybe she thought the flirting we were doing was just in fun.
Nothing I tell myself helps though. It doesn’t make me any less pissed off, and it doesn’t make me any less interested in being with Louisa. Boyfriend or no boyfriend, I want that woman, hell I need that woman. This has gone way beyond lust; last night I felt like we really connected on a level beyond that. And seeing her this morning just cemented that idea.
There’s a knock on my office door, and I shout come in, pleased that there is going to be a distraction from my thoughts of Louisa. The door opens and it seems that it won’t be a distraction after all as Louisa herself walks in.
She looks every bit as good as she always does, and I know I can’t let her walk away. But what can I do? I can’t actually force her to leave her boyfriend. Or maybe I can. We’d be so good together. She should be with me.
“Sit down,” I say, and Louisa does. “What can I do for you?”
She lifts up her hand and puts a sheet of paper I hadn’t noticed on my desk.
“Karl asked me to bring this to you and have you review it and sign it,” she says. “He says it’s too important to sit on the receptionist’s desk forgotten in some in tray.”
“Does he now?” I snap. “And since when did he start calling the shots and telling me what to do?”
Louisa squirms in her seat looking visibly uncomfortable and I instantly regret snapping at her. I remind myself again that she hasn’t done anything to justify me being a dick to her, and especially in this scenario. If I am to be mad at anyone for this, it should be Karl. The fact I’m not mad at Karl tells me it’s personal and I don’t want to bring that to the office.
“Sorry,” I grunt. “I realize you’re just the messenger.”
She looks a bit more relaxed at that and as much as I didn’t much like saying it, I feel like it was the right thing to do, and I’m glad Louisa looks a bit more comfortable.