“Yeah, but at least you’d know it’s him if he does. I get flowers from some faceless person. It was strange but sweet in the beginning, and very flattering, but it’s getting frustrating not knowing who’s sending them, you know?” I lean a hip on my desk. “I mean, who does that? Obviously, there’s a reason why he hasn’t introduced himself yet. What if it’s some freaky weirdo that wants to do nasty and strange things to me?”
I’m being dead serious, but Liv laughs at me.
“I’m serious, Liv. This guy could kidnap me, take me to a rundown cabin in a forest somewhere, chop my body into tiny pieces, and cook me over his gas grill.”
“Girl, you need to lay off the mystery shows. That’s just gross!” She wrinkles her nose up in disgust, causing her blonde brows to rise into her equally blonde bangs. “I think it’s sweet and romantic,” she says wistfully. “Maybe he can’t show himself yet. Or maybe he’s waiting until…”
Liv is interrupted when the intercom on my desk buzzes, and a second later Mr. Knight’s voice comes over the speaker.
“Poppy!” he barks, making me wince. “Where in the hell are you? My office! Now!”
The line goes dead and my eyes snap to Liv’s.
“Damn it,” I say under my breath while I gather a pen and notepad.
I start in the direction of his office, when Liv stops me.
“Wait!” she says, rushing down the hallway. I tap my foot, waiting impatiently for her to return. Seconds later, she walks back to my desk with a cup of coffee in her hand. “Here, this might help. He hasn’t had one yet.”
I smile gratefully at her, and after Liv wishes me luck, I walk over to Mr. Knight’s door. Taking a deep breath, I tap lightly before opening it. I’m immediately met with the woodsy scent of the imposing man that’s sitting behind his desk.
He looks at me over the rim of his reading glasses before snatching them from his face and tossing them on the desk in front of him. His hair looks, as usual, rumpled. His green eyes regard me, and all I can do is stand there. I have no idea why this man makes me so nervous. I should be used to him by now, but I don’t think I ever will be. He intimidates me, and I don’t like to be intimidated.
“You’re late.” He states the obvious, never taking his eyes from me.
His words pull me from my dazed state, and I dash over to his desk.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’ve brought…”
“In almost a year, you’ve never been late, Poppy. Why this morning?”
At his question, I stop in my tracks to give him his coffee. I peek up at him through my lashes, with the cup in one hand and the notepad and pen in the other. He has his elbows on his desk, fingers interlaced together with both pointer fingers resting against his lips, watching me. I’m not sure how to answer his question. He sounded irritated on the intercom, but he doesn’t look it right now. No, right now he looks like he’s trying to find the answer on his own without me giving it.
“I-I don’t…”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes—” I clear the frog from my throat before I try again. “Yes. I must have had a rough night last night. I didn’t hear my alarm go off. I promise it won’t happen again.”
He doesn’t say anything for several seconds. He just sits there, watching me with his head now cocked to the side, like he’s contemplating something. I start to fidget where I stand, uncomfortable with his eyes so f
ocused on me. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t physically attracted to him. Hell, a woman would have to be dead to not be attracted to Mr. Knight. With that being said, it’s hard not to show that attraction. I know my body feels it from the way my stomach clenches, my thighs tighten, and my nipples turn to hard little peaks, but I refuse to allow him to see the desire I feel. He’s way out of my league. Not to mention, he’s my boss, and I shouldn’t be having these unwanted sexual feelings toward him. But when he looks at me the way he is now, it’s hard not to. He’s never shown any interest in me, and he isn’t right now, but that doesn’t mean his stare isn’t intense and… seductive? There’s something there, I just don’t know what, and I’m not sure I want to know.
“Is there something going on I should know about that will cause you to be late in the future?” he asks, jolting me out of my thoughts.
In the almost year I’ve been here, Mr. Knight has never asked me a personal question, so for him to hint at one now surprises me.
“Uh, no?”
He raises his brow at my answer that I unconsciously voiced as a question. I force my legs forward and set his coffee down on his desk. I try once again to answer his question.
“No, nothing’s happened. I just didn’t sleep well. Today was the first and last time it will happen.”
I slept restlessly last night and then woke up slightly off. I can’t put my finger on it, but… my body felt weird, uncomfortable even. I pushed the feeling aside, thinking I was being ridiculous.
He seems satisfied with my answer because after several seconds, he reaches for his glasses again, perches them on his nose and pulls a folder in front of him. I haven’t mentioned the fact that he looks really hot wearing those glasses, something I notice every time he has them on.
“Sit. There’s a few things we need to go over.”