Page 26 of The Bachelor Auction

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“You’re late,”Tyler says. His head is lowered over his phone and he’s frowning at the screen.

“I didn’t realize we had an appointment.” I toss my bag onto the huge leather sofa to my left and slump into the chair facing him, ignoring the electrical current shooting through my abdomen.

He lifts his gaze and glares at my bag as though the thing could jump off his sofa just because he wants it to. To the outside world, he doesn’t seem particularly organized, what with his tendency to scribble every detail on random sheets of paper and then misplace them. But there seems to be some order to his chaos because he never forgets a detail.

I bite my lip to stifle the tiny laughter forming at the back of my throat. Tyler likes people to do as he bids. Basically, he always gets his way, which is why I do my best to show him that I’m not at his beck and call.

And I sure as hell won’t please him—unless he finally decides to bend me over his desk and show me what’s hidden in those tight pants of his.

Which won’t be happening. Tyler has been nothing but professional in the last few days, working me into an early grave, so I know better than to expect anything else.

But a girl can dream, right?

True to my impression of him, he begins to flick through a stack of papers, obviously looking for something he can’t find.

“Can I help you?” I ask with a sigh. As much as I think he’s hot as hell, I don’t want to spend a Friday night in his office, sweating over a website that’s bound to lose its top position if he won’t listen to a word I’m saying.

Biting my lip, I trail my gaze down his shirt to the spot where he’s undone two buttons. His skin is golden bronze and taut, just like the rest of him, I assume, judging from his broad chest and muscular arms. I wonder when he finds the time to work out. Maybe he’s one of those guys who never sleeps.

“There’s something we need to talk about.” His deep voice jerks me out of my reverie, and I look up, startled, my face catching fire.

He can’t read my mind, obviously, but there’s a glint in his eyes that makes me think that maybe I haven’t guarded my expression as well as I should have.

“There always is,” I say with a fake smile.

“I haven’t seen your progress report yet,” Tyler says, ignoring my remark.

“You mean my progress since this morning when you last asked for it?” I cross my arms over my chest as I regard him coolly. I’m too tired to talk to him, too angry. But it’s too late. I can’t hold back now. Ihaveto say it. “Why did you hire me? You haven’t liked any of my suggestions yet. You don’t agree with any of the findings. Honestly, why am I here, Tyler?”

He frowns. “Why?”

“Yes, why? Because we both know you didn’t build an empire by doing everything yourself and watching each and every employee every step of the way. The way I see it, you don’t need my help when you’re trying to do it all on your own.”

It’s a bold statement, given that I know nothing about this man or his business practices. But there is something—something I can’t identify—that makes me guarded around him.

It also makes me defensive, and weak, since it’s obvious to me that I have a major crush on him.

“You’re right. Your progress isn’t the reason I’ve asked you into my office. Truth be told, I’m not happy with the work I’ve seen so far.”

Anger courses through me. I know I shouldn’t start a fight, but does he have any idea, any idea at all, how many hours I put into coming up with something he might actually like?

I cross my arms over my chest and let out a scoff. “That’s because you haven’t let me show you what I’m capable of.”

“I haven’t?” He leans back into his chair and looks at me, his gaze drinking me in. There’s that glint again that I thought I saw during our business dinner.

“Yes. You haven’t allowed me to put any of my ideas into practice, meaning you don’t know if they’ll work.”

“They won’t,” Tyler says coolly.

But he’s wrong. I know because I’ve done my research.

“You think you know even though you haven’t tried them. So, at the risk of offending you, I think that’s stupid.”

“Are you calling me stupid?” His lips twitch.

My cheeks flame up. “No. I’m just saying that all great plans have a beginning, one minor step to take. And that step will take you places.”

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