Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHLOE
G rinning, Sophie leans in, her shoulder bumping mine. “You’ve got a little…” She pretends to wipe the corner of her mouth.
All three King brothers are here for the monthly board meeting, as well as Sophie and Cole’s assistant Samson.
Dammit. I guess I’ve been watching Roman a little too intently. He’s sitting back in his chair at the head of the table, his mercury eyes narrowed and his thumb running back and forth under his full lower lip as the CFO presents the details of the King Group’s financial strategy.
It’s the way he exudes command, even when silent, that I’ve been admiring. His presence is like a force that fills the room, drawing the focus of every person here. Then there’s his thick, dark hair, his piercing gaze, and the way his suit jacket fits so snugly over his shoulders. Apparently, I haven’t been subtle about my assessment.
Lips pressed together, I consider flat out denying my fixation, but Sophie beats me to it.
“Not that I blame you,” she whispers. “That man is fine .”
“He’s very good-looking,” I murmur, leaving it at that. Over the last couple of months, Sophie and I have become friends. We have lunch together most days, and she’s quizzed me extensively about my dating life—or the lack of it—even offering to set me up with one of her brothers. An offer I politely refused.
She lets out a quiet snort at my gross understatement, but, blessedly, she lets the subject drop. Though the reprieve doesn’t last long. When the meeting is over, we all file out. Roman, Cole, and Tate lead the group, and if the sight of those three men side by side isn’t enough to make any red-blooded woman a little weak at the knees, I don’t know what is.
Sophie, clearly sensing the direction my thoughts have veered—again—angles her head toward mine as we walk. “Come on. You can’t tell me you haven’t had a fantasy or two about him throwing you down on his desk during a late-night meeting.”
“Did you, with Tate before he got engaged?” I toss back at her.
She merely laughs. “Before Violet, Tate was too much of a playboy for me. Give me the quiet, intense type like Roman any day of the week.” Brow cocked, she looks from them to me again. “He’s so reserved, but I’m pretty sure that when he finally lets go, he does real damage. Like a wild animal that will ravage you absolutely senseless and ruin you for any other man.” She lets out a dreamy sigh.
I swallow past my dry throat, because I’ve had that very same thought.
Every facet of Roman is controlled, reserved. Like a wild beast pacing back and forth inside a cage. He looks contained, but the moment someone unlocks the door, he’ll be on them like a feral animal.
What would it be like? For him to unleash himself on me? What would it be like to be pressed into the mattress by his big body? What exactly would it take to unlock that door?
Though I try my best not to let it happen, more and more, my mind has drifted to thoughts of him stripping off his jacket and loosening his tie, all while watching me with hungry gray eyes. I imagine him, shirt untucked and unbuttoned, prowling toward me like a big jungle cat intent on finding its next meal.
And that meal would be me.
My stomach clenches. Oh god, why, why, why does he have to be so gorgeous? Things have gotten even worse since he took off his stained shirt in his office, putting all that smooth skin, those taut muscles, and defined abs on display. Not to mention that oh-so-enticing V of muscle that dipped into his pants. The sight of that alone made me ache to trace the line of it with my fingers to discover where it leads.
And when he picked Dad and me up to take us to Dr. Clarke’s office? When he touched me and told me he knew we’d be okay, but he was going to send Phillip back for us anyway? I felt cared for. I felt safe .
Secret crush on my boss or not, I can’t be distracted at work.
“I can feel you worrying from here,” Sophie says. “It’s fine. Your ogling is discreet. Almost as discreet as his.”
Breath catching, I whip my head in her direction. “What?”
Ahead of us, Roman glances over his shoulder, his gaze raking over me in a way that has my skin buzzing. The perusal only lasts the space of a few heartbeats before he turns away again.
“Yeah, like that.” She lets out a giggle. “Haven’t you noticed?”
I shake my head. “That’s just the way he looks at people. He’s… you know, intense.”
“He’s never looked at me that way,” she says, brow arched. “If he did, my panties would probably spontaneously explode.”
I roll my eyes. “I think my panties are safe.”
“Well, that’s a damn shame.”
We both laugh. This time earning a look from Roman and Tate.
I don’t care, though. It’s nice to laugh. Between my job and Lola’s role as a new mother, we haven’t chatted as much lately, and there are some things I can’t talk to Dad about. How sexy my boss is sits at the top of that list.
“Did you get the save-the-date email for the annual King Group gala?” Sophie asks.
“I saw it in my inbox this morning but just skimmed it. It’s not for a couple of months, though, right?”
“Uh-huh. We’ll get a formal invitation closer to the date.” She clasps her tablet to her chest. “I can’t wait. I love getting dressed up and being wined and dined. Especially since it’s supporting a good cause.”
“So you’re definitely going?”
“Absolutely. We can go together since we’re both single.”
Warmth swells unexpectedly. A night out with Sophie would be a nice break from my day-to-day. “It has been a while since I’ve gotten dressed up.”
“There’ll be a few speeches and an auction. Then plenty of free drinks, delicious food, and dancing. Not to mention all the men dressed up in tuxedos.” She wiggles her brows at me.
Immediately, a picture of Roman in a fitted black tuxedo floats through my head, and my face heats.
Sophie leans closer. “Exactly. It will feed your fantasies for the rest of the year.” With a wink, she heads toward her desk outside Tate’s office.
I continue to my own, and once I’m sitting, I pull up the email for the gala. It looks like I’ve got ten weeks to find a dress and line Susan up to look in on Dad for the evening.
Smiling at the thought of a night out on the town, I pull up the file I’m working on and start updating it.
I’m on a roll, lost in my work a few hours later, when Roman appears at his office door. “Chloe, I need you in here, please.” He turns on his heel without waiting for a response and disappears.
When I find myself running my fingers through my hair, I roll my eyes again. This time at myself. Despite what Sophie says, Roman doesn’t care what I look like. Since that moment at the doctor’s office, he’s gone back to being strictly professional.
Still, as I take my seat in front of his desk, aware of how his attention is fixed on me, I’m overly conscious of the way I sit, of the way my clothes fit my body, the way my breaths are coming a little faster than warranted.
“There’s a major international green technology expo being held in Nice, France, in two weeks,” he says. “I’ve been invited to make a speech on the King Group’s integration of green technologies. And EcoTech will be showcasing some of their latest innovations. I’d like to arrange a meeting with the CEO while we’re there. It’ll be an excellent opportunity to bolster our bid to acquire them.”
“Okay,” I say, tapping out notes on my tablet. “If you give me the details, I’ll make the bookings for you.”
He nods. “The plan will be to fly in early the first morning, stay one night, and leave after my speech on the second day. Make sure you book our rooms on the same floor.”
My gaze shoots up to meet his. Our ? Are his brothers attending with him. Or does he mean… him and me?
I’m still blinking at him in confusion when a hint of humor curls his lips. “There’ll be a lot going on while we’re there. I’ll need you to keep track of meetings and itinerary changes, as well as take notes and attend some of the talks and demonstrations I can’t make it to.”
He wants me to go to France with him?
The thought of flying overseas and staying the night at a hotel with him sends a swift rush of blood through my veins. It heats my skin, but with any luck, doesn’t turn it pink. The last thing I want is for him to know the idea flusters me.
“You do have your passport, don’t you?”
“Yes. I went to Canada for a week with my friend a few years back.” Thank god Lola insisted we go for a quick girls’ trip before she got married.
One dark brow rises. “And that’s the only time you’ve been out of the country?”
I purse my lips. “Apart from that all-expenses paid trip to Europe that I went on in my vast amount of spare time last year, you mean?”
That seductive mouth quirks. “That didn’t come out the right way. It wasn’t a criticism.” His expression turns serious. “I understand the position you’ve been in, and I realize you probably haven’t had the time or means to travel.” He assesses me, his jaw working. “Looking after your dad the way you have been, it’s… admirable. I was wrong to believe you were too young to do this job effectively. I underestimated you—your dedication. I won’t do it again.”
My pulse stumbles, then quickens as I process his admission. “Th-thank you.”
He clears his throat, drumming his fingers on his desk. “How is your dad anyway?”
A genuine smile creeps across my face. “He’s doing okay. I’ve been able to take him out more since they finally fixed our elevator. It’s been out of order for months, so getting up and down the stairs has been tough for him. And he’ll start a new treatment soon. With any luck, it’ll help.”
His fingers pause mid-tap, his expression flickering for a moment, something unreadable passing over it. It’s gone too quickly for me to catch, replaced by his usual composed demeanor.
“I’m glad to hear that,” he says evenly. “Can I ask who takes care of your dad when you work overtime?”
“I pay a neighbor to look in on him.” A sudden thought occurs to me, and I rush to add, “If you’re concerned I won’t be able to travel with you, I can make sure?—”
“No. I’m not concerned. And I don’t want you to be either. Since you’ll be accompanying me for business and may need to work significant overtime in the future, the King Group will provide a home care nurse to help with your father.”
The air leaves my lungs in a rush, and I gape at him. “But that’s… Do you mean under the company health insurance? It doesn’t cover parents. I checked when I started here.”
He frowns. “Sounds like we need to make a change to that. But no, what I mean is that since I need you to be available at all times, I don’t want you to have to rely on your neighbor’s availability, I’ll have your employment contract modified to include provision of care.”
My heart pumps so hard, I’m suddenly lightheaded. Is he seriously offering to have the company pay for someone to look after Dad? A trained professional at that? A nurse who is much more likely to be sympathetic, who’ll treat him with care? I should protest. Tell him I don’t need charity. But I refuse to let my pride get in the way of anything that will help Dad.
“I don’t…” My throat tightens, and embarrassingly, tears spring to my eyes. I do my best to blink them away. “Thank you, Roman.”
“I told you, there’s no need to thank me.” His voice is deeper, rougher, his attention set on my face. “The King Group has the resources, and I need you focused when you’re on the job.”
“Yes, of course. It’s just…” I swallow hard, my throat still tight. My reaction is silly. It’s probably a reminder to him that I’m young. But I can’t help it. I love my dad more than anything. I have never resented looking after him. But the thought of having help, of having a professional ease some of the worry, lifts a heavy weight off my shoulders. “I appreciate you.” I wet my lips. “I mean, what you’re doing for me and Dad. Thank you.”
His eyes glimmer, but his expression remains stoic. “You’re welcome.” He rubs his hand over his mouth. “We have a lot to do before the trip, along with the work we need to complete for the acquisition strategy, so we’ll have some long days ahead of us. Let’s get back to work, shall we?”
Despite my still-damp lashes, I can’t help but smile. It’s clear he’s not used to this kind of sentimentality.
And I’m going to France .
I bite my lip, doing my best to rein in my emotions. I’d give anything to rush around this big desk and hug him. Instead, I stand and clasp my hands together to keep them steady. “I’ll get started on your itinerary for the trip. So it’s two days and one night?”
He nods. “It’s a flying visit. I’m sorry there won’t be time for sightseeing this time.”
“Oh, no, that’s okay. I’m just happy to get the chance to go with you.” The words are barely out before my stomach sinks. “I-I mean, I’m looking forward to the experience,” I stammer.
Humor lights his eyes. “Good.” He picks up his pen and lowers his focus to his computer screen, so I take that as a signal to leave.
I return to my desk and sink into my chair with a sigh. A few short weeks ago I thought getting fired from Talon was a catastrophe. Now here I am, and all I can think is thank god for Geoff’s pettiness.