Beauty and the Billionaire (Billionaire Boys Club #2)(81)

“’Course not. Lemme just ring Mr. Hunter.” Maylee picked up the phone.

“He saw me come in,” Gretchen said.

“I know, but I’m s’posed to ring everyone, Ms. Gretchen. Mr. Hunter says it’s the rules.” She held the phone to her ear, beaming. “Mr. Hunter? Ms. Gretchen’s here to see you.” After a moment, she nodded. “You can go in now.”

“Thank you,” said Gretchen, her lips twitching again. This time she was able to contain her laughter until she shut the door behind her in Hunter’s office.

His expression was unreadable and wary. He stood behind his desk but made no move to approach her. “Hello, Gretchen.”

She shook her head, still chuckling. “Where exactly did you find that secretary of yours?”

He grimaced. “It’s a long story.” His gaze moved over her, devouring her. “You look gorgeous.”

Oh, right. She was supposed to shrug off her bulky coat and show him what he’d been missing. Gretchen fumbled with the buttons of her coat, then struggled to pull her arms out of the sleeves. Not smooth. By the time she got her coat off, her sweater—and her ponytail—were sticking to her body thanks to static. Lovely. “I thought I’d come by and say hi.”

Her lack of grace didn’t matter, though. She was pleased to see that his fascinated gaze was riveted on her.

He gestured at the seat across from his desk. “Please sit.”

She did, deliberately crossing her legs in a slow motion, enjoying when his eyes followed her. Now this was a heady, feminine power. “I wanted to come by and say thank you for the roses.”

Hunter inclined his head, studying her.

She suddenly felt awkward and unsure. What did she want to come out of this meeting? For him to beg for her to return to him? Keep teasing him for another week or two and make him suffer?

Actually, she kind of just wanted to bask in his presence for a bit.

Gretchen glanced around. “Nice office. I didn’t know you had one here.”

“I didn’t until last week.”

She looked at him, startled. “What made you decide that you needed one?”

“You were right,” he said bluntly. “I’ve been hiding away from the world for a long time. I told you about my accident. Things weren’t easy for me after that. It became easier to hide from the world than to go out into it. When I . . . returned to my father’s house after the hospital, he hired private tutors for me and I hid from the world. He’d insisted I go to college, though. I tried to get out of it, but he refused. It was like living in a waking nightmare. Being amongst all those strangers . . .” His voice trailed off, and then he cleared his throat. “College wasn’t easy for me. If it weren’t for the friendship of . . .” His words died and he looked frustrated for a moment, then said, “Logan and the others, I would have never made it through. I was picked on and women flinched at the sight of me. When I inherited my father’s business, I set up in my house and it was just easier not to leave unless necessary.” He shrugged. “It became easier to avoid the world than to live in it . . . until I met you. You’re why I bought this place.”

Gretchen’s cheeks warmed. “So I made you buy real estate? That’s a pretty good super-power, I have to admit.”

His mouth tugged up on one side. “I already owned this office. I just decided to keep it for myself.” He glanced out the window onto the main section of the floor. “It reminds me to be out there in life, instead of hiding away.”

“I’m very proud of you,” she said softly. “And I hope that you someday realize that you’re not this monster you’ve painted yourself to be. You’re just a man.”

The man who I love.

But the words clung to her throat.

“I took your advice about Eldon, too.” Hunter folded his hands on his desk. She noticed his knuckles were white, as if he were gripping his hands tightly despite his casual pose.

Oh, no. Did he fire his assistant-slash-butler? Now she felt bad. “He’s very loyal—”

“He’s a cranky old bastard,” Hunter admitted. “But yes, he’s very loyal. He’s also elderly and has family in the west. I gave him a very large retirement bonus as thanks for his tireless work, and I suggested he visit his daughters for a time. And I hired some additional staff at Buchanan Manor. It’s rather . . . quiet lately.”

She inclined her head back to the main room. “Maylee’s not exactly what I had in mind when I suggested you hire a new assistant.”

To her vast amusement, he grimaced. “Maylee is a . . . problem.”

“She seems like a sweet girl.”

“That is the problem.” Hunter sighed and rubbed a hand over his mouth. “When I had Eldon call the agency, I told them to find me someone pleasant. She’s very pleasant,” he said in a sour voice. “But I feel I should have been more specific. She’s not good with computers. Or phones. Or the copier.”

A giggle escaped her throat.

He gave her a vexed look, seemingly aggrieved. “Yesterday, she set up a meeting for a client and then didn’t tell me about it because she couldn’t find her sticky note. I was extremely . . . annoyed.”

“Oh, no. What did you do?”