Game on. You know this stuff in and out. Make them proud. Nick adjusted his outfit and strode out of the restroom confidently. He made it to the third floor and ignored the confused looks he received from the employees. Please let Kalilah like it. He looked at his watch; the management meeting started fifteen minutes ago. Nick straightened his shoulders and pushed the door open.
Kalilah was already finished with her presentation and fully intended to spend the rest of the meeting daydreaming about Nick. He was supposed to fly back today. She suppressed her smile as she thought about their plans that night. He’d sent her a text this morning telling, not asking, her they were having dinner. Bossy. She liked it. Maybe Natalia was right. Her body heated in anticipation. What if he was ready now?
Andrew Sinclair’s rant pulled her out of her musings. “Who put IT on the schedule? Lisa!” Andrew’s nervous secretary jumped at hearing her name.
“Yes, Mr. Sinclair?” she asked timidly. She usually was not so timid. Kalilah mused as she admired her stylish Marc Jacobs outfit with killer shoes.
“Did you put a twenty-minute slot in the meeting schedule for IT?” Her glossy black bob bounced when she nodded her head affirmatively. “I told you to take IT off the schedule!”
“B-but Mr. Sinclair, I was told to put it back on.” Andrew raised his eyebrows at her. Kalilah was sure she saw a vein throb in his handsome forehead. She was glad she wasn’t Lisa right now.
“Oh, really?” he asked sarcastically. “Last I checked, MY name was on the building. No one has more authority than me. Is this person’s name on the building, Lisa?”
“Technically, it is.”
She heard someone joke. Kalilah sat up straighter in her seat. She’d recognize that voice anywhere. She turned her head in the direction of the door. It took her brain several seconds to reconcile that the clean-shaven, gorgeous man standing at the door was Nick. Her body reacted faster than her brain because her nipples were already tight. Nick was looking at his equally shocked dad.
“Sorry I’m late; I just landed this morning. I called Lisa and told her to put me on the schedule. I have some updates to share.” He walked and stood behind the empty chair across from Kalilah.
Kalilah sent up a silent prayer that she would stay seated and not embarrasses herself by pouncing on Nick. Nick’s sexy voice washed over her body and turned her center into liquid.
“I apologize for the confusion,” he said as he glanced between the equally shocked Lisa and his dad.
Andrew, the professional negotiator, schooled his face back to a neutral expression.
“Okay. Just let the rest of us know next time. Will there be a next time?”
Nick’s smirk fully displayed the dimples that used to be hidden behind his facial hair. He nodded at his dad.
“Yes. I’ve learned how to delegate. I am now fully able to focus on all of my Vice President duties.”
Andrew Sinclair’s expression was neutral to the outside world, but Kalilah knew that the slight twitch of his lips meant he was happy with his son’s change of heart. He glanced at her before turning to Nick. He gestured toward the screen with his hand.
“Go ahead. Present.”
Nick nodded and launched into his presentation. Kalilah didn’t hear anything Nick said. She was too busy taking in his transformation. He’d cut his hair like she’d suggested, and she mentally patted herself on the back. The haircut complimented him more than she’d imagined.
His hair fell in soft waves and was no longer covering his face. The natural highlights of blonde and auburn were more pronounced. He’d ditched his glasses for contacts; his beautiful gray eyes sparkled with excitement as he talked about…hell, she didn’t know what he was talking about. All she knew was that the navy suit he was wearing was expensive, designer, and custom-fit just for him.
Nick’s suit was cut slim to fit him perfectly. Kalilah’s eyes slid over his thighs; she could tell that they were now defined and…powerful. He was starting to look physically fit in his clothes. She couldn’t understand his avoidance at this point; she was pretty sure he looked good without them.
Nick called her via FaceTime most nights while he was gone. He
would ask about her day and tell her about his. Then, without fail, he would start talking about how he missed touching and kissing her. And each day he would ask to see a little more than the last. She didn’t mind because she wasn’t ashamed of her body and wanted him to feel the same way.
She couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t return the favor. Kalilah wanted Nick to go at his own pace, but the one-sided nature of their interactions was starting to weigh on her. She liked him more every day, and as far as she could tell, he was only focused on practicing with her. Kalilah suppressed a sigh and tried to focus on his presentation.
He was talking with his hands; his gestures caused his new arm muscles to flex under is navy blazer. His crisp, white shirt stretched across his chest. Lust momentarily overshadowed her melancholy mood; she itched to touch him. He was in his element, his passion for his job was visible. His confidence in his knowledge was evident in his stance and posture.
His excitement for…whatever he was talking about shone in his unobstructed eyes. Damn. Nick was officially her version of the triple threat; he was smart, well-dressed, and smelled good. He reached the potential she’d known he had, it both thrilled her and stressed her out.
Kalilah fought the anxiety that urged to run out of the conference room. Instead, she picked up her pen and doodled on her notepad. Although he’d blindsided her with his dramatic change, she was proud of his courage and willingness to share himself with the outside world. Part of her felt left out that he didn’t share this with her before doing the big reveal.
Kalilah knew that he didn’t need her to help him change his appearance, but she also dreaded the day where he realized that he no longer needed her. She cleared her head and focused on her notepad. Doodling always made her feel better. It allowed her to refocus her mind while she created silly, stick-figured characters. Kalilah couldn’t control Nick, but she could give her little buddy on her notepad a bow tie.
Nick was confident that he’d nailed his presentation. He’d also built a wobbly bridge to meet his dad halfway. But Kalilah was a different issue. Initially, he was proud that he was able to surprise and shock her. Then, he was encouraged by the way she’d visually undressed him. But, by the end of his presentation, she’d retreated into herself.
Nick forced himself to focus on the rest of the meeting. He couldn’t afford to be caught off-guard. He saw the skepticism in some of his colleagues’ eyes, and he knew he would spend more time than necessary proving himself. Again. Despite what some of them thought, he wasn’t just the CEO’s son. Nick understood that he owed it to his dad to continue the legacy even if it wasn’t at Sinclair Enterprises.