Chapter 2
Startled, Giselle stood and followed in silence, her stomach tightening with a mix of dread and… something else. Something inappropriate.
The owner of Sindate Corp was taller than she’d expected.
At five feet, six inches, Giselle was taller than most women, and in heels, she usually stood eye to eye with men in the corporate world. But not this one.
Dimitri De Luca was a beast of a man, towering over her as he strode down the hallway with effortless power.
And while height shouldn’t be something to fixate on, she found herself hyper-aware of just how large he was.
His tailored dress shirt stretched over broad, powerful shoulders, emphasizing the sheer strength of him.
She should not be noticing this.
She should not be wondering how solid those shoulders were beneath the fine Italian wool.
Or how trim his waist looked.
Or how the man had an impressive ass, perfectly outlined by expertly tailored slacks.
Seriously—what kind of squats did this guy do?
Giselle hated squats. Actually, she hated exercising in general. She enjoyed yoga and Pilates, but that was more about meditation—about calming her temper when a family member called, guilt-tripping her into yet another loan she couldn’t afford. Yep, yoga was great for suppressing her frustration.
Would it work now?
Doubtful.
Her footsteps were muffled by the carpeted floors as she followed Dimitri de Luca through a sleek, wood-paneled door into what had to be the most ridiculously huge office she’d ever seen.
Holy hell.
The space was massive—easily taking up half the floor.
It was all sharp, modern edges and dark, masculine tones.
The ceilings were impossibly high, the polished ebony desk large enough to seat an entire football team.
Bookshelves lined one wall, filled with leather-bound volumes and a few scattered personal items—ones she definitely wasn’t going to let herself look at too closely.
But the real showstopper?
The view.
Two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows framed the city skyline and the Hudson River stretching far beyond like a silver ribbon. It was breathtaking.
Giselle turned, momentarily forgetting her purpose as the sheer gravity of the room pressed in on her—until her gaze collided with his.
Dimitri stood near his desk, one hand resting on the dark surface, his focus pinned to her with an intensity that revealed nothing and promised everything.
The air shifted. Heavy. Charged.
A subtle prickle traced up her spine.
This was fine. It had to be fine.
“Sorry,” she said quickly, her voice thinner than she intended.
He didn’t answer. Didn’t move. Just studied her in silence, his stare too steady, too controlled, as though he were already dismantling every thought in her head.
Her pulse quickened. The weight of his scrutiny pressed harder, and for a heartbeat she almost convinced herself he knew.
No turning back now.
She drew in a sharp breath, summoning whatever courage remained. And before she could lose her nerve, the words slipped free.
“Someone is stealing from you.”