Mr. CEO(23)

She turns slowly to face me, pulling at the sleeve of her blouse as she says, “Yes, Mr. Parker?” Hearing her soft, sweet voice makes me want her even more. It was difficult enough to restrain myself throughout the hour-long meeting. Now that it’s over, I’m ready to face my Rose. I’m anxious to see her reaction. She’s obviously affected, but the lack of an outward reaction has me on edge.

“Stay for a moment, please. I’d like to have a word.”

Trent speaks in a low voice as he stands to leave, “Let’s meet at three to go over these last two files.”

I nod although I’m not quite paying attention. It can wait.

A woman next to Charlotte, obviously a friend, asks quietly if she wants her to stay behind. I narrow my eyes and wait for her to respond. I can barely hear her over the sounds of everyone else leaving and quietly talking to one another. I don’t hear what Charlotte says, but I see her shake her head no. It soothes the beast inside of me pacing with the need to be alone with Rose. Good girl. She may have conflicting feelings, but she’s playing along for now.

I can feel Hastings looking back at me as he exits, waiting to catch my eye, but I ignore him and gesture to the chair in front of me while making eye contact with Rose instead. I wait a moment, watching her hesitantly stand at her chair while the rest of the company files out around her.

“I’d like to talk to you afterward, Charlotte,” Hastings says to her loud enough for me to hear. I resist the urge to smirk at him. He can feel however he wants about her being head of sales. They picked her to do that presentation for a reason. She’s damn good at what she does. We need to impress clients, and she knows how to do that. I don’t give a f*ck if it’s a lot of pressure on her, she’ll learn to adjust.

It’s a new department, and I can appoint whoever the hell I want to that position. And I’m choosing her. Whether he likes it or not.

Charlotte makes her way over to me and takes a seat, putting her hands in her lap and looking everywhere but at me. She’s nervous. I f*cking love it. I love that I’m getting to her.

Everyone files out and as Trent exits, I call out to him, “Please close the door behind you, Trent.” He's the last one to leave.

His eyes dart from me to Charlotte with a slight unspoken question, but he doesn’t object.

The door closes with a loud click, leaving us alone.

I’m sure the only thing on her mind is our night together and the way she left me.

I imagine she’s rethinking that decision to sneak out and leave me with only a sticky note. If she thought she could get away that easily, she knows better now.

I shift forward in my seat so I can take off my suit jacket and ask her, “I need to know when you’ll have a sales pitch ready.”

She blinks a few times with her lips parted in shock.

I resist the urge to show her how much I’m enjoying this and instead set my jacket gently on the table. I rest my elbow on the table and place my head in my hand, looking at her beautiful blue eyes and waiting for a response.

After a moment she clears her throat. “I’ll need a few days to go through all of the products and the ideal placements.” Her voice is strained, and she shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

She hesitantly parts those lush lips and I know she wants to ask about that night, but she doesn’t. Her cheeks burn a bright red as I stare at her with a blank face waiting for more. Her breathing picks up a bit and she refuses to look me in the eyes. A sadness crosses her face that has me questioning this game I’m playing. Maybe she thinks I don’t remember.

There’s no way that I could ever forget that night. But she doesn’t know that.

“Sorry,” she says and pulls at the hem of her skirt, not looking at me, “I’m just a little…”

She breathes in deep.

I sit upright and lean forward, close enough to touch her, but I don’t. “A little what, Rose?” A knowing look flashes in her eyes at my pet name for her. I arch a brow and wait, but she just stares at me like a deer in headlights.

“I asked you a question; when will you have the sales pitch?”

She clears her throat and squares her shoulders, seeming to right herself. All trace of emotion gone, now that she knows what I’m doing.

“I’ll need at least this workweek. I can have something to you by Monday for the first one, but nothing will be finalized until I can arrange meetings with our business partners.” For the first time today, a smile grows on my face.

“Your presentation skills are excellent.” I look past her, remembering her presentation at the conference. She’s amazing at what she does. And she’s youthful, and a beautiful woman at that. It’s going to be hard for them to tell her no. “You were meant to lead the sales department. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

A small, sweet smile plays at her lips although it doesn’t get rid of the apprehension in her expression. “Thank you, Mr. Parker,” she answers respectfully and looks to the door.

“Thank you, Miss Harrison, that’s all.”

She looks flushed and parts her lips, but doesn’t say anything.

“Are you alright?” I ask her.

She gives me a smile and nods, holding the folders she came in with close to her chest.

“I’m fine, thank you.” Her response is short and expected.