Page 92 of See You Maybe
Shut up, Stuart.
A muscle in Declan’s cheek fluttered, but Stuart continued. “I really like the one with the hibiscus flowers she got in Hawaii.” Stuart watched Declan expectantly.
“It’s lovely.” Declan’s voice was bland, but his eyes burned into hers, sending her temperature skyrocketing.
“I always thou?—”
“Stuart,” Olivia’s said, sharper than she’d intended.
Color-tinged Stuart’s cheekbones. “Right. I better get back. I’ll send you a summary of what we talked about, Olivia.” He darted a quick peek at Declan. “Hopefully, it will help.”
“He’s in love with you.” Declan glanced at the door where Stuart had disappeared.
“Don’t be ridiculous, we’re friends. He’s worried I’m going to get fired. I think he’s trying to humanize me.”
Declan’s eyes touched again on the cup he had given her before saying, “I need to push our meeting until this evening, if that’s all right.”
Olivia hoped the slight tremble in her hand wasn’t obvious as she lifted the teacup to her mouth. “Of course.”
Get a grip, Olivia! Control yourself.
“Is seven o’clock too late?” Declan hesitated, the look in his eyes making it clear he wanted to say something else but was holding back.
Olivia roughly cleared her throat, breaking the intense moment, and made a beeline for the door. “Great. See you at seven.”
Was she a coward? Yes. Was she also in danger of spontaneous lust-fueled combustion? Also, yes.
Hours later, as she made her way to Declan’s office through the darkened hallways, Olivia wanted to kick herself. She shouldn’t have agreed to this meeting alone.
It will be fine, Olivia. Just do your job.
Olivia had brought Stuart’s report with her, hoping that if Declan saw there were other possibilities for Armstrong Electronics, he might hold on to the XEROS team to use for further development.
His outer office was dark, but the overhead lights in Declan’s were on.
See, nothing romantic. Nothing intimate.
Olivia stopped in the doorway, mesmerized by the scene in front of her. Declan sat on Kyle’s black leather sofa with his knees spread and elbows resting on powerful thighs. Dark curls had fallen over his forehead, and his hair was rumpled as though he’d been running his fingers through it. Open takeout boxes littered the granite table in front of him, surrounded by stacks of paper. Declan’s brow furrowed as he read a piece of paper in one hand.
He’d removed his suit jacket, and her mouth went dry at the defined muscles his tailored white dress shirt did nothing to hide. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, revealing powerful forearms, and when he reached for another paper on the table, his shirt pulled tight across his flat stomach.
Cruel and unusual punishment, she thought, as an intense wave of heat swept over her. Olivia squeezed her thighs together against the ache at her core, resisting the urge to fan herself. Being physically close to him this week had wreaked havoc on her nervous system. Declan was overly careful not to touch her, but more than once she’d caught him watching with a hungry expression on his face that sent her hormones into overdrive.
“Hey,” Olivia said from the doorway, and Declan’s gaze rose to hers, a swift smile covering his face before he caught himself.
“I got us some food.” He gestured to the containers on the table. “I thought we’d eat while we work.”
That smile. Olivia’s heart lurched.
Forty-five minutes later, her feelings for Declan were decidedly different.
Declan’s expression was grim as he shook his head and frowned at the report. “I’m sorry, Olivia. I don’t see any way around it. We need to cut the entire division.”
“That’s fifty families.” After sitting next to Declan on the sofa, her patience and nerves were on their last legs. One hand was balled into a fist next to her, and Olivia was irritable and unsettled. Her skin felt like it had shrunk over her body, and she was acutely aware of Declan’s powerful presence and raw masculinity inches away.
Why does he have to be so stubborn?
Declan’s bicep flexed under his shirt as he ran a hand through his hair. Olivia tried not to squirm.