Chapter 11
11
LAYLA
I step into the corridor, just out of sight, and listen to Cole’s speech.
I don’t know how long I fume in silence, unable to concentrate on anything he is saying.
Just the sight of that man makes me crazy and irrational.
I recognized him the second he walked out on that stage. I felt the air crackle. Goosebumps covered my skin. I should have left before he got started, but for some reason I couldn’t. It was almost as if I wanted him to see me.
I’ve been avoiding him for six months because, quite frankly, I’m embarrassed about how I acted, and I still haven’t got a clue how to fix things between us. I’ve been sneaking in and out of my condo at odd hours like a cat burglar. I’m not even sure why. Okay, that’s a load of bull. I am the little liar he called me. I admit it. There was always something between us. I felt it that first night, and I felt it again a few moments ago. Nothing has changed in that regard.
The problem is, I’m not the same person I was then. I’ve done a lot of work on myself over the past six months. I see things differently now. It doesn’t really matter where Cole is concerned. I was positive Cole had forgotten all about me, given the aloof way he’s treated me the few times we have run into one another. He’s all Hello, Ms. Bancroft and steely stares. I have no one to blame but myself. I told him that was how I wanted things. Insisted, on more than one occasion. He’s just following the rules—my rules. It’s too late for us, but at the very least I need to clear the air so we can both put this—whatever it is—behind us and be civil to one another.
I peek around the corner and watch him walk back and forth on the stage. His voice is deep and commanding. One hand is in the pocket of his expensive suit pants; the other he moves around in the air with animation as he talks.
He’s handsome and has this powerful edge to him.
He’s comfortable taking center stage; in fact, he’s probably comfortable anywhere. Confidence and charisma ooze from every pore.
The crowd is silent as they all hang on every word. This is a rare opportunity for them. They are lucky his brothers were both called away at the last minute. The women all look up at him with lust in their eyes, and the men all want to be him.
Me—I’m a freaking mess. I don’t know what I want. I want to punch him in the face for calling attention to me as I tried to sneak out, but at the same time, I’m glad he noticed me. I also want to press my lips against his and sample another one of those real kisses he gave me so long ago.
I think back to the few conversations we’ve had. All of them heated. All of that snarky heat coming from me. There was the first night we met.
“ Would you like to join us?”
“Looks like you already have your hands full…I’d rather wash my hair.”
“I’m an excellent multitasker.”
Then…
“Have dinner with me.”
“I wouldn’t eat dinner with you if you were the last man on earth.”
And also…
“Cole, call me Cole.”
“No. Calling you Cole would mean I want to be on a first-name basis with you. And I don’t.”
“Layla.”
“Call me Ms. Bancroft.”
“Why are you being so fucking rude?”
“I’m not being rude. I don’t even know you.”
“I want to buy you a drink, so I can get to know you and you can get to know me. After that, maybe you won’t want to be so rude to me. I really am a likeable guy once you get to know me.”
“Go away, Mr. Hendrix.”
And finally, our last official conversation…
“I’ll make this easier for you, Ms. Bancroft. If you have anything further to discuss regarding this or any other file going forward, I suggest you take it up with John. If that doesn’t work, both Chris and Conner will be more than happy to help you.”
“What? Absolutely not! I won’t agree to that. You are the CEO. If I have any issues that need to be discussed, I will be taking them up with you directly, Mr. Hendrix.”
Damn him… He turns me into a raging, hormonal basket case with just one look. I am so not this person.
Over the next hour, Cole Hendrix holds the audience captivated while I hide around the corner, just as enraptured with what he has to say as the rest of the people who stayed in their seats. He circles the stage. Like a graceful panther on the prowl. He really is quite brilliant.
“There will be a short recess. So now is a good time to go grab that coffee, check your messages or take a bathroom break. When we resume, I’ll be around briefly to answer any questions you have on this morning’s topic. After that, you will hear from some of the other presenters, and then there will be an interactive workshop for the last couple of hours. I look forward to chatting with as many of you as I can. Thank you.”
I exhale heavily and get swallowed up by the crowd as the room starts to empty out. Everyone is chatting and happy. I decide to ditch the rest of the sessions today. I came here for specific topics, and what’s left on today’s agenda doesn’t include any one of them.
I order a coffee and make my way to a quiet area just outside the conference center. I need to check in with Janey and answer a few emails. I find a sunny spot and sit down to take care of business.
The warmth from the sun feels nice, so I sit back and close my eyes, enjoying the peace and quiet. Just for a moment, I tell myself. It’s not often I get moments like this all to myself. I’m debating whether I should go back to my room to work or skip out completely and do something decadent like hit the spa or go shopping when I hear a throat clear.
My eyes snap open. Cole is walking towards me. All heads turn to watch him as he makes his way across the open space. He has this powerful aura that surrounds him; you can’t help but look his way. His dark brown hair is a little too long and curls up as it brushes against the collar of his shirt. This is a new look for him, I’ve only ever seen it short and perfectly styled. I like this new look. It’s slightly mussed and has that perfect just-fucked look about it. I try to block out thoughts of why it looks that way.
His posture is straight, and his jaw is square and strong. His golden eyes lock on mine as he gets closer. A lion stalking his prey comes to mind. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this look on his face. My skin heats with each step closer that he takes. Electricity bounces between us, or maybe it’s just me. I snap my eyes away angrily.
Damn him .
When I glance up again, his eyes are still locked on me, but there are five women swarming around him. Once of them says something, pulling his gaze from me, and I snap my eyes away again. I pick up my now empty coffee cup and make my escape for the second time in as many hours.
Four hours later, I’ve been pampered into submission. I’m down nearly a thousand bucks but it was totally worth it. I’m feeling calm, cool and collected as I step inside my room and let the door swing shut behind me. I still have two more days here with him . Good grief. I spent less than ten minutes in his presence this morning and I could barely keep it together. I have a feeling the spa is going to be seeing a lot more of me, and my wallet is going to suffer the consequences by the time I leave here. It’s either that or become best friends with the bartender.
There is a predinner cocktail mixer planned for this evening. I still have a couple of hours before then and no place in particular that I need to be. I sure as hell am not going back down there so he can ruin this nice zen buzz I have going on. I could work, but I think I’ll just order a nice glass of wine and chill instead.
I have just enough time to change into the cozy bathrobe the hotel has provided before there is a soft knock on the door.
Perfect timing .
When I open the door, my smile falters. Instead of room service, Cole Hendrix is holding my glass of wine between his perfectly manicured fingers.
Our eyes lock, and for the third time today, my stomach flutters.
Again, I feel the aura surrounding him, elusive and enticing.
Controlling.
I pluck the wine glass out of his hand before he can say anything. I replace it with the tip I have in my hand and say, “Goodbye, Mr. Hendrix.” The look on his face is priceless; I bet that has never happened to him before. I shut the door, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. Score a point for Layla. This makes us even for the little stunt he pulled this morning. I’m not sure what he was doing outside my door, or why he had my glass of wine. Maybe he doesn’t hate me after all. This push and pull between us is weird and more than a little dysfunctional, but I’ve decided that I enjoy these little games with him. It’s been far too long since we’ve played. This conference just got a lot more interesting.
I thoroughly enjoy my glass of wine as I spend the next two hours getting ready for the mixer. I need to look good. Really good. I have absolutely no doubt that Cole will be there. I can’t avoid him forever. I’m actually curious to see what his next move will be.
I pick up my clutch and check myself in the mirror one last time. My perfectly painted lips spread into a wide smile, revealing straight white teeth. My eyes start at the red stiletto sandals that match my newly acquired pedicure perfectly. They travel up the smooth golden skin of my legs and skim over the red bodycon dress that clings to my curves without revealing too much skin. This is a business function, after all. Finally. they land on my face. My makeup is subtle. There is a little smoke around my eyes that makes them look bigger and darker, but the showstopper is the fiery red that is slicked over my plump lips. My dark hair is loose and hangs down my back in a thick, wavy curtain.
Yep. This will definitely get under his skin. Your move, Mr. Hendrix.
I scan the bar, but I don’t see him anywhere. Where the hell is he? He wasn’t at the mixer, and he wasn’t at dinner either. “I’m going to get a drink,” Matt says. “Do you want another?”
“Sure, thank you.” I hand him my empty glass.
“Back in a minute,” he replies as he walks away. I watch as he walks over to the bar. Matt is a nice guy. I met him at Columbia. I wouldn’t call him a friend. We hooked up once before we graduated. After that, we lost touch. I was shocked to run into him yesterday. I had no idea he practiced in the same area of law that I do.
I’m surprised—this has actually been a great night. I was disappointed that Cole was a no-show, considering the effort I put into getting ready, but all in all, I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve met a lot of people, some I’ll never see again and others I’d be happy to get to know better.
“Ahh, alone at last.” I hear a voice I recognize. I glance over to see Cole Hendrix standing beside me. He hands me a glass of red wine. I take a sip. It’s the same wine I ordered earlier this afternoon.
“I wasn’t sure he would get it right, so I took the liberty.” He nods towards Matt who is holding two glasses of white wine in his hands as he talks to a woman at the bar.
I bite the inside of my cheek so that I don’t smile.
“He’s not your type.”
Unable to help myself, I smile, because he’s not wrong. “Oh really. Since you seem to know so much about me”—I hold up my glass—"who exactly would my type be, Mr. Hendrix?”
“I told you to call me Cole.” He smirks, evading my question.
I raise the glass to my lips. His eyes are riveted to my mouth as I take a sip. When I’m done, I lick my lips. His Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he swallows in response. “I’m pretty sure the last time we spoke, you insisted I call you Mr. Hendrix,” I point out.
“Hmm, maybe.” His mouth quirks up on one side, giving me a glimpse of the boy behind the man. “I also remember you insisting on keeping things professional. Since this is a business function, perhaps we should stick to surnames. I am working, after all. If I wasn’t, I’d have a few questions of my own, Ms. Bancroft.”
I’m eager to know what he has to say. What he wants to know. “Consider yourself off the clock. Right now, we’re just two people having a drink together.”
“Why do you hate me so much?”
His question catches me off guard. I consider it for a moment before I answer. “I don’t necessarily hate you . It’s more what you stand for.”
“Such as?”
“I…” I hesitate. Are we really doing this? “I don’t like players, Mr. Hendrix. I’m pretty sure I’ve told you that on more than one occasion.”
He sips his drink. “Yes, you have.” He glosses right over it. “So, you don’t hate me, then?” he points out. “And it’s Cole. Off the clock, remember?”
Our eyes are locked. I can feel the energy as it bounces between us. It’s almost as if our bodies are speaking to each other without words. I can pretend not to notice it all I want, but the truth is, Cole Hendrix is a sensory overload.
Feeling foolish for my previous behavior, I reply, “I never said I hated you, but I do find you extremely annoying.”
His mouth curls into a full smile. “The feeling is mutual, Ms. Bancroft.”
Touché. I smile back. “And it’s Layla. I said we were off the clock, remember.”
“Where you’re concerned, I’ve learned never to presume, Layla .”
I chuckle. “I knew you were a wise man, Cole.” I hate to admit it, but there is definitely something going on here. If I didn’t know better, I would think he was flirting with me.
“There’s a lot more to me than a big brain.” He sips his drink with his eyes locked on mine. The air swirls between us. “Perhaps we should talk about it…somewhere else.” He gives me a slow, sexy smile and then raises his eyebrow. “Off the clock, of course.”
“You want to go somewhere else to talk?” All my fears and anxiety about this man rush to the surface and my mouth suddenly goes dry.
“Yes,” he whispers as his eyes drop to my lips.
My eyes narrow. “I’m not interested, Mr. Hendrix. On or off the clock.” It’s out before I have a chance to think about what I’m saying. I can’t take it back.
He puts his lips to my ear and tsks before he whispers, “Still such a little liar after all this time.”
His breath tickles my skin and sends goosebumps scattering down my arms.
“Stop it…” I whisper as I look around for Matt and curse my body for its reaction to him. Traitor.
His eyes hold mine. “Cole.”
“I think maybe we should stick with surnames after all.” I sip my drink, trying to look nonchalant. I’m not sure if it’s working.
“Layla.” He leans in to whisper in my ear again.
“What?”
“Call me Cole.”
I roll my eyes.
“Because one day very soon, I predict that you’re going to be screaming it.”
I smirk. “You’re delusional, Mr. Hendrix.”
“Cole,” he repeats as he turns and walks off, disappearing through the crowd.
Matt appears. “Here’s your drink.”
I look across the room to see Cole already surrounded by a group of women. They are all gushing and smiling, fighting for his attention. He turns toward me. His golden eyes once again have the look of a predator as they meet mine. A slow sexy smile forms as he holds his glass in the air.
I swallow the lump that is now in my throat.
I know what he’s saying. The game is still in play, and the next move is mine.
I down what’s left of the drink in my hand and switch glasses with Matt. I’m not the biggest white wine drinker, but it’s alcohol. It’ll do until I can get my hands on something stronger.