Clearing my throat, I say, “I need the files and laptops.”
“Come get it.”
Taking a deep breath, I push the door open, and not seeing Ryker, I walk to where the leather briefcase and laptop bags are. Just as I pick them up, Ryker comes out of the bathroom with only a fluffy white towel wrapped low around his waist.
Dear God.
My mouth drops open, and my eyes widen. Not from shock, but to get a better view.
Wow.
Holy mother of abs.
Ryker’s mouth instantly curves up into the sinful smirk, I usually either want to slap or kiss off his face. Right now, it’s the latter.
My gaze rakes hungrily over his chiseled chest and abs before getting stuck on the fuck-me muscles, which point a direct arrow into the towel.
Fall off. Fall off. Fall off.
“See something you like?” Ryker asks, bursting my lust-induced bubble.
Letting out a disgruntled huff as a reply, I leave his room as quickly as I can. Feeling frazzled, I plop down on a couch and open the briefcase. I take out the files and spread them over the coffee table.
Focus, Danny. On work, not Ryker.
RYKER
I stare at the door where Danny just rushed through.
That was definitely interest I saw on her face. I’m not that far gone that I’m imagining things. Right?
Just as well she left so quickly. A second longer of her staring at me like that, and she would’ve had a front-row seat to me sporting a hard-on.
Grabbing a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, I get changed before walking out of the room.
Danny glances up, then asks, “Did you bring the financials Noah prepared?”
I head to the coffee table and scan over the files. Picking up the one clearly marked ‘Financials,’ I hold it out to her.
“Oh… thanks.”
“Scoot over,” I murmur, and when she does, I sit down next to her.
When she opens the file, I lean closer to see, and then we get to work. After an hour, I lift my arm and rest it on the back of the couch. It has my body pressing close to Danny’s.
“Take3’s worth is fifteen billion, right?” I ask.
“Uh-huh,” Danny mumbles.
I reach for one of the pages in the file and feel Danny tensing. My eyes dart to her face. Her lips are parted, and her lashes lowered. She takes a deep breath, then lifts her gaze to mine.
The intense pull I always feel around her starts to grow until it’s impossible for me to focus on anything else.
All I have to do is lean in and take the one thing I’ve always wanted.
When she doesn’t say anything but just keeps looking at me, it makes my heartbeat speed up.
God, what if?
My mind’s still contemplating shit when my body begins to slowly lean into her.
Danny’s breaths start to come faster, and it makes the corner of my mouth curve up.
Before I can kiss her, her phone begins to ring, and it shreds right through the anticipation that was building between us.
Danny darts up and drops the file on the table before she answers the call. “Yes, James.”
Knowing it’s her PA, I grab my laptop and open it. She’ll be on that call for a while, so I might as well get back to work.
I open the proposal I’m setting up but stare at it as my thoughts turn to what just happened.
The attraction can’t possibly just be one-sided. Danny reacted. Right? It’s not like she moved away from me or told me to focus on the financials. Her eyes were locked on mine. I was a couple of seconds away from kissing her, and she didn’t move a muscle to stop me.
My eyes lift to where Danny’s pacing up and down on the other side of the room.
She glances at me but instantly looks away when she sees I’m watching her.
Holy fuck. Maybe she doesn’t only see me as Tristan’s best friend?
I have three weeks with her in Cape Town. Maybe this is my chance?
My heart begins to pound against my ribs with excitement as I lower my gaze back to my laptop’s screen.
Okay, don’t rush, Ryker. Be calm. Take things slowly. You can’t afford to fuck things up. Up your flirting game and see how she responds.
My heart keeps racing as I try to focus on the work.
Danny stays on the call for an hour, and the moment she hangs up, I ask, “Do you want to order in or go to the restaurant for dinner?”
She drops down on the couch and leans back. Rubbing her temple, she says, “Order in, please.”
There’s a flash of pain on her face, and it has a frown forming on my forehead. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just a headache.” She drops her phone on the table as she gets up again. “Probably from the long flight.”
“I’ll get you something.” Rising to my feet, I walk to my room and put on shoes before grabbing my wallet, the car keys, and the keycard for the hotel room. When I head out again, I notice Danny’s gone to her bedroom. Tapping on the door, I push it open. She’s curled up at the foot end of the bed. I move closer and ask, “What do you feel like eating?”