Page 56 of Illicit Education
With each passing moment, I became more intrigued—and far more confused–about my new boss.
Who was Cabot Reed exactly?
“Unacceptable! It was due on my desk yesterday morning.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. As if he’d been summoned by my thoughts of him, Mr. Reed’s voice carried over from the small lobby cafe.
I flattened my back against the trunk of the tree, wishing the play structure would open up and suck me inside. I was tear-streaked and stuffy, and not at all ready to face Cabot Reed.
Closing my eyes, I prayed he’d hurry back up to his office and miss me entirely.
“Sleeping on the job, Ms. Blake?”
I gasped and opened my eyes, looking up at his imposing figure as he towered over me like the tree stretching up in the lobby above us.
Unwarranted, my brain conjured up an image of him doing to me the things he did to his assistant last night, and warmth spread through my veins like wildfire.
I licked my lips and his gaze fell to my mouth, then his eyes darkened as they locked with mine once more. His lips drew into a tight line and a muscle in his jaw jumped.
He didn’t really think I was down heresleeping, did he?
My pulse sped as I stared up at him. He truly was a beautiful, terrifying man.
If I stared too long, he might burn me like the sun.
I dropped my gaze to his shoes, then breathed deeply to steady myself, but all that deep breathing did was assault me with his scent. Manly and sensual, it clouded my brain and tightened that ball of nerves in my belly to an alarming degree.
No, I wouldn’t make it twelve weeks. Not under these troubling circumstances.
“Here.”
I looked up and he shoved a cup of coffee toward me.
“Be in my office in ten minutes.”
I blew out a breath of air as he turned on his heels and strode to the elevators.
The way people moved aside for him…
Some of them didn’t evenrealizethey’d moved out of the way to make room for him. They didn’t look up or even acknowledge his presence, just simply stepped out of the way with perfect timing for Reed to stroll through the crowd, as if some invisible force commanded the people around him. Some subconscious pecking order that alerted others to move or be mowed down.
The man was the epitome of power. From the wide, straight set of his shoulders to his chin raised in superiority, to the bespoke suit that reeked of wealth and fit his body like a glove, Cabot Reed was in a league all his own.
And he’d brought me a coffee. I lifted it to my nose and breathed deeply, smiling at the subtle hint of lavender.
He’d paid attention.
I shouldn’t feel so smug about this.
And the gaggle of swing-dancing butterflies in my stomach needed to find another hobby.
As he stepped into an open elevator and disappeared from view, I shook myself out of my stupor and gathered my things.
The man was unbelievable. Sure, he’d brought me coffee.Nice. But he hadn’t evenaskedme to come upstairs, just told me to be there.Not nice.
An itch of annoyance replaced my sense of awe as I stood and strode to the elevator, dodging to avoid slamming into the shoulders and arms of businessmen and women who definitelydidn’tstep out ofmyway.
With my bag over one shoulder and my arms crossed over my chest, one hand gripping my latte, I boarded the elevator and tapped the toe of my right foot against the floor as the elevator took its sweet time reaching the seventy-fifth floor.