Heartless: Episode 2

“Well, I’m not most women.”

“You can say that again.” His eyes bored into mine as he licked his bottom lip.

Curse my fucking life if it didn’t make me all hot and bothered again. I did not want to be turned on by him, but my brain was not factoring into this equation. Daniel forced everything inside me into sexual overdrive, and it pissed me off.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I asked.

He smiled and nodded. “Okay, Elizabeth. I’ll leave you alone—for now.”

“There is a God.” I pretended not to care about anything he was doing or saying as I stood up from my desk and walked over to my office door. I opened it and watched him walk out at a snail’s pace.

“This isn’t over,” he whispered against my ear before planting a soft kiss on my cheek.

Barbara surveyed our every move with watchful eyes.

“You keep saying that.” I shut my door, so I wouldn’t have to see him leave.

“I’ll walk you down.” Barbara’s voice filtered through my closed door before doing what I assumed was, escort him off the premises.

Plopping down on my two-person couch, I closed my eyes and wondered what the hell I was going to do about this guy.

2.

DANIEL

I left Elizabeth’s office with my virtual tail tucked between my legs. Her assistant, Barbara, was required to lead me off the property and to my car, so I intended on taking full advantage of the few minutes I had with her.

“So, Barbara…” I eyed her and watched as her cheeks turned rosy.

“Yes, Daniel?” she responded before punching the elevator down button.

“Do you think I scared her off?”

Her hip jutted to one side as she contemplated my question. “Honestly? I don’t. You just need to be gentle with her. Elizabeth’s had a rough time when it comes to relationships.”

I found myself nodding along with her words. “I figured as much.”

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside.

“This isn’t a game for you, right? She isn’t just some piece of ass you’re trying to bang?”

Barbara’s forwardness surprised me but only for a second. “No,” I said, laughing at her choice of language.

“So, you don’t want to have sex with her?”

I squinted my eyes, unsure of how to respond, when she spoke up again, “I’m just kidding, Daniel. But, really, don’t hurt her. If this doesn’t mean anything to you, then you need to walk away from her right now. She’ll be fine, I promise, but not if you don’t stop.”

“I can’t walk away anymore. Hell, I’m not sure I ever could.” I thought back to waiting outside the bathroom for her. I’d tried to convince myself to walk away, knowing damn well that I couldn’t.

The doors opened, and sunlight filled the space. I lowered my shades over my

eyes and allowed Barbara to exit first before I pointed in the direction of my car.

“Why do you care so much?” she asked.

For the first time, I admitted, “’Cause I see something in her that I rarely see in women. No offense, Barbara.” I clicked the unlock button on the key remote for my Jaguar rental.

She laughed. “None taken. What is it you think you see?”