Accidentally His: The Girl Who Trespassed

rt's

-

Manhattan swallows us almost immediately, taxis leaning on their horns, pedestr

as approving the last stack of co

. Onto my lap. I still wasn't en

n says nothing. He rarely does unless I ask a question, which is one

hinking about the woman in the thrift-store sweater.

before we've gon

ait until tomorrow. A message from my mother asking whether I'll be joining her for dinn

ng else and open a

e Carter. Columbia graduate stu

cator appears a

e street camera footage.

urse

fore most people have finished asking the quest

ave called

y simple. Instead, I let her explain. Now the scent of cheap floral shampoo still lingers in the b

nvestors, Politicians. She'd been gone nearly twent

fore we shake hands. They know which smile to wear, which stories

a corner and saw no other way out. Then looked me in the eye and ap

rst plan I've wi

o the mos

w, Someone had left lights on in the north towe

ion stares

ctly am

down. The board has become increasingly interested in the empty seat beside me at charity dinners. The financial press has star

icu

out the truth. They c

d in months. 'Men like you without partners invite specu

s, One month. A woman with no ties to my worl

mp

n drives on. A notification din

wo jobs, no criminal record, father gone since she was twelve, mother out of town, no siblin

through

the split second of real fear underneath the bluff when that girl

arsed performances t

-

the city spread out below it. Forty of those floors belon

ut and opens t

k," I hear

the rearview mirror,

e we wer

ts the car witho

round the corner, my card still held in both hands like she has

e challenge surfaces

ith an actual question mark at the end of it. "You look like

sm threading. "Should I curtsy

n. A smirk starts and I don

r and slides in, pressing herself against the o

rt

open, she thought she hid her reactions w

out the window, fingers twisting together i

out quarterly projections and the Milan expansion. I catch her watching my refl

ills the space. She breaks

formalize our

t where I'm locke

u attend six events and

r a second. "Six even

of a month. Did you think I

she turns back to the wi

to my office, floor-to-ceiling win

m without hurry, like she's not going to give me the reaction I'm waiting for.

here," s

es

tfolio, his eyes moving to Adeline and taking in the ripped jeans, the oversized sweater, the

lish clearly aimed at her, "

area. "Miss Carter and I ar

is too disciplined to say what he's clearly th

table while she perches at the edge

Appropriate attire will be provided. Discretion is required. In

d she clears her throat once, then again,

ind of

siness dinners. Social obliga

everything surrounding us, the answer is supposed to be obvious. "You're

h agendas. You ha

w. "So I'm you

my sol

at pro

contract closer instead."Sign, and we

in her wrist beating visible against her skin. She reads more carefully than

f me at these even

Allow me to introduce you as my compa

priate

f. That's w

o mine. "You're

potential legal ex

the pen in her hand. Six second

ure line. Her hand stays on the page longer than nec

wardrobe consultation and send the details

ches her boot on the chair leg backing to

n, I hold out my b

You already g

it a

"Albert Rossi. CEO.

The card drops and she ca

You're that

Miss Carter. Try not t

oors

ficati

round check fla

f something?

check. Seventy-two hours ag

ho

ayers. Whoever it was d

er descends. Fort

ng her before she

just got a lot