Page 22 of Forbidden Desire

I pull out the to-do list from the stack of papers and begin working my way through it. I contact the leasing agent for the building and set up a meeting to break our lease. I call the moving company and persuade them to start tomorrow by offering them a free month’s ad space in the paper. I schedule cleaners to come in after the move to get the space ready for the next tenant. By the time I’m finished, it’s lunchtime, and my head is swimming.

I grab my purse and head for the elevators, hoping Marco doesn’t notice me as I pass by his office. But it’s as if he’s been waiting for me because he calls my name right as I take my first step past his doorway.

“Yes?” I ask, raising a brow.

“Are you off to lunch?” he asks.

“Yes, if that’s okay. I’m almost through the list you gave me…”

He waves me off as he takes a sip of coffee.

“I don’t doubt it. I just thought I would join you.” He stands up from his desk.

“F-for lunch?” I stammer.

“Yes, I have some more things I would like to discuss. Ocean Club sound good? My treat.”

He grabs his jacket from the chair behind him and slides it on. I realize he’s coming with me whether I like it or not. I’m not sure I’m ready for this.

“Sure,” I say, feigning confidence.

We take a cab to the restaurant, sitting in silence on the ride as I look out the window at the trees sprouting fresh green leaves. It feels so strange for new life to begin when it feels like something I loved so much is ending. I try to see this new beginning as a blessing. Maybe with my position, I can try and convince Marco to keep some of the parts of the paper alive. I would hate to see it change entirely.

We are seated immediately at the restaurant, even though it seems jam-packed. The hostess recognizes Marco and finds us a corner booth that feels intimately isolated from everyone else. I try not to notice as I slide into the booth across from him. I also try not to notice how the hostess looks at him as she hands him her menu. Her eyes are practically devouring him, but I can’t blame her. Even though I loathe him, he’s still the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.

He thanks her and slides his hand through his hair, making her let out a nervous laugh before she reluctantly walks away. I wonder if he did it on purpose, or if he’s just effortlessly smooth. I remember my own fingers lost in his hair, and feel my cheeks burn at the memory. He looks at me curiously from across the table, a perfect brow raised, but I ignore him and hide behind my menu.

Once we’ve ordered, there’s nowhere to hide and I force myself to be professional. This is a business lunch, I tell myself. This is my job.

“So, how are we getting on?” he asks, taking a bite of lobster bisque.

“Movers and cleaners are scheduled. I’m scheduling the phone lines to be put in after the move. The only thing I think we will have a hard time with is the leasing agent. There’s no way out of the lease without paying up, plus penalty fees.”

“Don’t worry about the leasing agent. I’ll settle that with him.”

He says it so nonchalantly. As if tens of thousands of dollars are nothing to him, and I suppose they aren’t. He is a freaking billionaire after all. I remember my own father not even blinking as he laid down hundreds of thousands for an antique jewelry collection my mother had her eye on.

As I take a bite of my salad, a familiar song comes softly over the speakers. I can’t put my finger on where I know it from, but it’s like the melody lives inside me. My brows pull together as I try to place it.

“Our dance at the club…” says Marco with a smile.

“Excuse me?”

“This song. It’s the one that played when I asked you to dance.”

It’s like I’m instantly transported back there to the intimate room with the dim gold lighting and the small velvet booths. His hand gently on my lower back as we swayed to the slow melody, my cheek pressed against his shoulder. It feels like a dream. I try not to get lost in it, especially since up until now I’ve pretended like that night didn’t exist.

I stay silent and take another bite of salad, trying to ignore the way he’s looking at me right now. When I don’t say anything, he looks away, disappointment in his eye. I realize that maybe taking this job is going to be harder than I thought.

The rest of the day, I try to avoid Marco as much as possible. It’s pretty easy given how busy we both are.

The next morning, I don’t see him at all as I oversee the movers while they load up the office into large trucks, transporting everything to the new headquarters.

When I arrive at the new office building ahead of the movers, I walk into the grand lobby and suck in a breath. It’s a sprawling white marble-floored room with two black waterfall desks centered at the back of the room where reception sits, a gigantic crystal chandelier hanging overhead. The large floor-to-ceiling windows are adorned with black velvet curtains. It’s the most luxurious lobby I’ve ever seen.

I take the elevator up to the 11thfloor, where our new headquarters will be. Marco said he would meet me here to help facilitate the movers as they bring everything in. I haven’t seen him all morning because he’s been in meetings. It’s easy to avoidhim when he has several other companies to run. Maybe I can do this job after all.

The elevator doors open and I step into the large, empty room. It’s twice the size of our previous office and the space is impressive with its freshly painted cream walls and dark wood floors. The domed windows that line the walls overlook Central Park.

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