A DEAL WITH DESIRE

n. My chest felt tight, and my hands were trembling slightly, though

ana said briskly, br

xpression unreadable. For a second, I thought she might be waiting f

professional as possible. "I'm glad Mr.

al with satisfaction, he deals with results. What you saw today? That was him extending an olive b

asn't about to let her or anyone e

ive a detailed schedule of the remaining deliverables by th

ned on her heel an

in my chair. The meeting hadn't gone poorly, but Adrian Vaughn wasn't the kind of man who

e looked at me. Like he saw something I hadn't yet proven to myself. Or

orizon, casting long shadows across the office walls. Most of my colleagues ha

at the notes I jotted during the meeting, replayi

time on meetings unless there was something or someone they n

d outside, and for the first time all day, I felt like I could breathe. The streets were more q

ad fully set in. I kicked off my heels and sank

ing my worth in a high-pressure environment like this would somehow make up for everything I've lost. But sitt

up on the coffee table, I picked up my phone from th

llo

ooth, deliberate voice. "I h

nized that voice,

would he be calling me, personally? I cleared my voice

t all, Mr. Vaughn. Wha

d-guess myself. "I wanted to follow up on today's me

offe

e cool and commanding. "More than I expected, considering your inexperience. But I

e account?" I asked carefully, though a part of me

ice was steady "I wan

and I could only stare blankly try

own negotiations? I've already been burned enough by the mixed signals o

aid, finding my

asual as if he were ordering a coffee. "And I b