"We're not done."
I don't look at him because frankly I can't right now. Obviously, eye contact is inevitable when you work in close collaboration with someone, but I've gotten good at avoiding it as much as possible since that night almost a year ago.
I couldn't avoid looking at him in the conference room earlier when he walked in right when I was talking about his cock. I don't have to stare at him now even though the temptation to do just that is almost irresistible.
"It was evident in the boardroom earlier that you were discussing the pictures of Gem and me that were posted online last week."
Gem. The name doesn’t suit the woman who bears it. Ryker's girlfriend is a social media darling. Her ass is technically the star of her Instagram account. She's used her body to gain close to twenty million followers and several lucrative sponsorship deals with big name companies, including Matiz. She wears our products exclusively in the images that do show her face. Those postings aren't as frequent as the ones of her in a bikini or work-out gear but every time she shares the name of one of our lipsticks or eye shadows, the product sells out in record time.
"Everyone is discussing those pictures," I say evenly. "I was actually trying to get Christine to stop talking about them when you walked in."
"That's where the pot of gold comment came from?"
I should thank him for not bringing up the fact that I said the word penis in a corporate setting but technically it's
his fault that I did. If he had kept his swimsuit on, no one would have seen his cock, including me.
"Yes," I answer quickly. "I was trying to explain to her that they're just pictures."
"They're just pictures?" he asks darkly, his face stoic. "If they were pictures of you, would you consider them just pictures?"
"I can't answer that question because I'd never put myself in such a compromising position."
If he's going to push, I'm going to shove. I have no problem walking around naked at home. I keep my blinds closed and the camera on my laptop covered with a piece of electrical tape. I'm safe there. The last thing I would ever do is strip in broad daylight.
"You'd never put yourself in a compromising position?" His gaze narrows. "Are you sure about that, Lark?"
Chapter 3
Lark
My heart thumps a beat so loud I'd bet half of Manhattan can hear it. I know that he doesn’t remember what happened at the Christmas party last year, so I need to calm the hell down. He's not talking about the kiss we shared under what I think was mistletoe, although it had the distinct odor of cilantro. He's never brought up that night because he was too drunk to remember it.
"I'm sure," I mutter as I stand. I think I'm sure. I hope I'm sure.
He pauses to consider what I just said as if he doesn't believe my words. "I'd like you to refrain from discussing the pictures while you're in the office."
"I have no intention of ever discussing those pictures again," I blurt out so quickly that my words tumble into each other. "I have no reason to talk about your pictures, so I won't. I won't do it here at the office or when I'm at home or anywhere else."
Shut the hell up, Lark. Just shut up already.
"My concern is the office." He scoops his phone into his palm. "What you discuss after hours is your business. I can't police that."
"I won't be talking about your... I mean, I have no reason to talk about your..." I fumble for the right words, preferably any that don't include a reference to his dick. "I won't be talking about your pictures again."
"Fine." He looks at the screen of his phone. "You're free to go. I assume I'll see you at the marketing party tomorrow night?"
I'll be there with bells on. I'll literally have bells on since the dress I bought for the occasion has two bells attached to the sash. "I'll be there."
Just as I turn toward the door of his office, my phone chime cuts through the air. I ignore it even though it's in my hand.
"You have a new message," he says from behind me. "It might be important."
Or it might be another reminder that I'm a month overdue for my dentist checkup. "It's nothing."
"It's something, Lark."
I pivot on my heel so I'm facing him directly again. "I think I would know if it was important. I assure you that it's nothing."