Chapter 7 #2
“You should call me Theo,” he said as soon as we were alone, looking at me with a straight face.
I ground my teeth together, trying to keep my cool. “Mr. Knight.”
“No. Theo.”
“We can compromise,” I said with a lifted brow. “Listen, Theodore.”
He cringed and I tried to hide my smile, I found something to get under his skin. I tucked that piece of information away in case I needed it later.
“Please never call me that, only my father ever calls me Theodore.” Despite the deep tenor of his voice, it was still alluring with his accent. I could practically feel it running through me.
Why had I missed the sound over the last few days?
“Are you here to screw me over because I turned you down?” I asked with narrowed eyes.
He looked startled by my question. “Of course not,” he said, his voice tinged with slight offense, his brow furrowed.
“Then what do you mean you’re offering me a job?” I tried to focus back on the crazy turn this conversation had taken.
“Knight Enterprises is well established, we have always worked internationally. However, I would like to have marketing done to help support the opening of our offices here and I thought of you.”
I waited for him to say something else. I didn’t understand what was happening exactly, but I did know he was offering me a job I was incredibly underqualified for.
“You thought of me?” I asked slowly. He blinked at me, like he was trying not to be annoyed. I was supposed to be the annoyed one.
“I did, Love.” The nickname rolled smoothly off his tongue. I hated how rattled this man had me.
“Don’t call me that.” The twitch of his mouth like he was fighting off a smile annoyed me more. “I’m not interested in whatever game you’re playing here.”
“I thought we had a nice time at coffee.” He tilted his head, watching me.
“We did. But I’m not interested in whatever this is.” I waved around us.
He raised an eyebrow at me. “I never play games when my business is involved, Miss West. I called some of the clients you’ve worked with, and they spoke very highly of you.”
“You did?”
“I did.” His face softened, not quite a smile but it had my resolve softening too.
“Well, you have seriously overestimated my skills and misunderstood my job here. I’m a glorified assistant regardless of what previous clients have said. I organize and coordinate to make sure the work gets done. I don’t do it myself.”
“Sounds perfect to me,” Theo said. I was getting flustered and he seemed to be enjoying it.
“I’m shocked an international company doesn’t already have a marketing department.”
“We do have one.” His short answers were irritating. This man was frustrating.
“Then use them.”
“They understand the market in London, but it’s different here. I want someone here to be in charge. If it’s about salary, I’m open to negotiation.” I let out a sigh and finally sat in the chair across from him. I didn’t understand why he was pushing me so hard.
“You’re wasting your time with me.” I saw his jaw tick, like he was annoyed with my rejection. Again, I think it had to do with the fact that the man wasn’t used to hearing no. “I don’t want your job, even though I might not have one here after what you just said in front of my boss.”
“Richard won’t fire you.” He sounded confident but I wasn’t so sure. I didn't think it looked great to be offered another job in front of your current employer. He probably thought I’d been looking and would let me go for good measure. “Plus, he won’t have to if you take my job.”
“Theo,” I said on a sigh, shaking my head. I was too tired for this today. I rested my head in my hands for a moment before sitting back in my chair.
“So you’re saying no?” His steely blue-grey eyes held mine.
I was the first to break eye-contact, looking down at the table instead. A silence sat heavy between us for a few moments.
I gave my head a little shake and looked back at him. “I can’t take the job, Theo.” I hadn’t wavered once but somehow he still seemed a little surprised.
He stood up without a word and went to the door. It shouldn’t have bothered me that he was leaving without speaking to me, I was the one turning him down again and again. But it still stung with a hint of rejection.
My emotions were exhausting.
“Mr. Walters.” I turned, surprised to see Theo stepping back into the room and my boss was scrambling in behind him. “Congratulations, you just secured my business.” He held out his hand for Richard to shake and he looked at him enthusiastically.
“That is wonderful, sir, I won’t let you down.”
I rolled my eyes. The man would for sure let him down.
“I trust you won’t. However, I want Quinn to head up the team and her schedule to be cleared of all clients but Knight Enterprises.” I sprang up from my chair to protest but Richard beat me to it.
“Of course, as I said, that won’t be an issue,” Richard emphasized. I knew Theo had just gotten his way. “I’ll ensure the best we have are working on the team.”
“Fine, as long as Quinn is the lead on the project and brings everything to us. I’ll send the paperwork to you right away, make sure she signs it too.
I’ll have my assistant reach out and get Quinn in the loop.
” Richard and Theo shook hands again as I stood there shaking my head.
They were talking about me like I wasn’t there.
“Quinn, can you walk me out?” He held out his arm, inviting me to lead the way, and this time, I didn’t refuse.
Neither of us said anything as we made our way back through the office to the front door. I wanted to laugh at him, to convince him that he was making a mistake, that he would regret, but I couldn’t find the words.
Because, maybe for the first time since I started here, I would be doing something exciting. Leading a project was huge and the idea of it was actually getting me excited about my job. This role had been slowly suffocating me, and Theo had just given me a new project to throw myself into.
Once at the doors to the office he stepped out and held the door open, I frowned a little but followed him out. We made it to the elevators before he grabbed my elbow gently and turned me around to face him.
“Come out with me tonight.”
I laughed at his demand before I could stop myself. “Do you enjoy being rejected or something?” I smiled up at him, pleased by how irritated he looked. Hopefully I wasn’t the only one who was feeling off-kilter.
“I’m not asking you out on a date,” he said in a gruff tone.
“You’re not?” I lifted an eyebrow, the skepticism clear in my voice.
“Come out to a place where I will be tonight.” He frowned slightly, clearly not liking his own wording. “Noah and Oli will be there, and they will be very disappointed if you don’t come. So it’s not even for me.”
“You’ll be there, though?”
“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered as he shook his head, and I bit my lip to stop the laugh.
“Yes, I’ll be there but so will the rest of the guys.
We go out every Friday night together. It will be fun.
” His voice sounded nothing like the fun he was supposedly claiming to have.
“It’s casual and Asher, William, and Jaxson, my other business partners, are feeling left out having not met you.
So it would save me any more headaches.”
I could tell that if I stayed quiet, he would’ve just keep talking, kept trying to convince me. Which was normally my move. It was charming to see him do it when he seemed to listen more than he talked.
“Okay,” I said without really thinking.
He looked a little surprised but covered it up quickly.
I was surprised to realize that I actually meant it.
I was tired, but the idea of a night out with Theo and his friends didn’t sound as terrible as it normally would.
I’d enjoyed lunch, Oli and Noah were easy to spend time with.
And if the other guys were there and Theo got grumpy again, I wouldn’t be on my own.
“Good. Okay. Give me your number.”
“Why?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Dear Lord, woman, you can’t make anything easy.” He ran his hands through his hair as I fought a smile. “So I can get your address, so I can send you a car.”
“You just asked for my number, not my address.”
He let out a sigh and looked at the ceiling for a moment before looking back at me. “Quinn, come on.”
This time I did laugh at him. “I can drive myself. I’m an excellent driver, never even had a speeding ticket.”
“You aren’t driving yourself. I want you to have fun and relax and drink as little or as much as you want. Getting you a car ensures you’re safe whatever you decide. Please.” His voice dropped at the end.
That was what did me in, it was soft, his eyes pleading. I didn’t even think it was a ploy to get my number. He seemed genuine, he truly didn’t want me to drive myself.
“Fine, send me a car. But I will pay for it.” He smirked but didn’t say anything. “Did you hear me, Money Bags?” He grunted in reply as I stood there staring at him. I hoped that was a yes.
I hadn’t bothered to look him up but he obviously had money. I had no interest in knowing because I didn’t care. He pulled out his phone, I entered my number and then passed it back to him. He gave me a relieved smile when my phone started ringing.
“Did you think I was giving you a fake number?” He pressed the down button on the elevator and it pinged right away.
“I wouldn’t put it past you,” he said as he stepped inside. “See you tonight, Love.”
“Wait! Where are we going?”
He didn’t answer. I watched as the doors closed and then turned and went back to my desk.
“All good?” James asked as I sat back down.
“Yep.” I pulled my phone out and smiled at the waiting message.
Unknown
It’s Theo, in case you’re in the habit of giving your number out to people often.
Unknown
Give me your address, I will have a car at your place by 8:00.
I bit down my smile as I fired my address back, asked again where we were going and entered him into my contacts as I waited for a reply.
Theodore Knight
See you tonight, beautiful.