Page 27 of The Ice Queen in the Corner Office

CHAPTER SIX

Alex

“Good morning, beautiful Agatha,” I said.

I placed a large bouquet of flowers on my assistant’s desk.

I was in a good mood, the best mood. The sun was shining, business was fantastic, I’d bought the building I’d gotten into this business for, and I’d spent the evening with an amazing woman. A woman I couldn’t stop thinking about. Sure, I’d promised her I’d back off, but I had a good feeling. A feeling that she was on the verge of admitting how she felt, on the verge of agreeing to go out with me.

“What are these for?” Agatha asked, already smiling. “Have a good night?”

“I had a great night. Such a great night that I want you to confirm those reservations. The plan is moving full-speed ahead.”

Her smile fell, and her eyes narrowed. “I thought we agreed crashing the ice queen’s vacation was a bad idea. You want her to like you, right? Not slap a restraining order on you.”

My whole body tensed, but I kept my smile in place. “The ice queen?”

She looked at her desk and shuffled some papers. When she looked back up, though, her expression was all defiance. “I’m not the only one who calls her that. She’s not exactly a warm, friendly person. And I don’t like the way she’s treated you.”

I relaxed a bit. “People call me worse than that. I’m not warm and friendly, either.”

“You’re a good guy. I’m not so sure about her.”

I sighed. “One of my former assistants is marrying Jill’s brother. When Aubrey worked for me, I may have asked her to break up with one or two women for me.”

Agatha pinched her lips tight and shook her head. “I hope she told you to stick that request where the sun don’t shine.”

“In her own way, she did. My point is, aside from being the guy who bought her family business, she knows me as a guy who doesn’t do long-term relationships and doesn’t know how to end relationships gracefully. She needs time to get to know me and she can’t do that here, at the office.”

“So you’re going to crash her hard-earned vacation? What happens when you want to break up with her?”

The truth was, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I was running on instinct, the memory of an amazing kiss, and the need to find out if there could be something real between us. If the whole thing blew up, I had to believe we’d both be professional enough to be able to continue working together.

“I’ll ask you to do it for me,” I said, teasing. “You’re good at breaking hearts.”

She rolled her eyes and swatted the air in front of me. “I will do no such thing, Alexander Owings. When this goes south, you’re going to have to pick up the pieces on your own.”

I slapped a hand to my chest in mock offense. “You don’t think I can win her over? You think my charms are lacking?”

“I think that woman’s got walls up for a reason, and she’s not going to lower them easily. If you convince her to let you in and you screw it up, things are going to get ugly here.”

Agatha wasn’t wrong. I’d seen Jill’s face change when I pushed too hard or got too close. I’d seen those walls go up.

“I promise you,” I said. “Whatever happens, it won’t touch you. I’ll keep it out of the office.”

She shook her head and made a disapproving sound, but she didn’t say anything more. She turned to her work. I’d been dismissed.

I didn’t want to go to my office. I wanted to see Jill, her sharp, intelligent gaze, her warm smile when a kindness caught her by surprise. It was like no one had ever done anything nice for her before.

I wanted to see her, but I didn’t want to seem any more desperate than I already had. I was going to be smart, restrained, and careful. I was going to play every card right, because losing meant losing her and that wasn’t an option.

I stuck to my plan until noon.

I’d been to enough meetings with Jill to know she often forgot to eat lunch. Buying her lunch when I ordered mine would be a simple consideration she’d appreciate. Just one lunch and then I’d leave her alone until her vacation, where I’d just happen to also be vacationing, a kismet unexpected.

Agatha brought in the lunches I’d asked her to pick up, her whole body radiating disapproval. “You need to give that woman space, Alex. You crowd her, and she will run. That woman doesn’t like to be cornered.”

“Is that how you landed your husband?” I asked. “You gave him space and waited until he came to you?”

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