Page 7 of Tempt

“Stirling National.” A voice came from behind us.

“Ah, yes.” Theo nodded.

With every floor there was a soft blip, like a timer counting down until Theo and I parted ways again. I couldn’t believe he was here. Like,actuallyhere.

Real.

In our building.

Going to work.

Not a ghost I’d dreamt up at a speakeasy.

We stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the doors, touching but not. I could feel every inch of distance between us, like I was preprogrammed to find, locate, and scan him. I had Theo radar.

And it was completely strange to feel so finely tuned to someone I barely knew. In all my years of dating I’d never had a connection that justappearedlike this. Sure, sometimes there was instant attraction, but not an overwhelming lust.

I really regretted not kissing him the other night. At least then I’d know what it was like to have his lips pressed against mine. I’d know whether the connection I felt every time I was near him was real or imaginary.

We were almost at my floor when I stole a glance at him. He was dressed a little differently today. Instead of a blue three-piece suit he was wearing light grey. It was much more modern than the suit he’d worn to the speakeasy. It accentuated the size of his shoulders and the strength I already knew it disguised beneath. His hair was still styled like it had been the other night, but I was surprised by how nice it looked on him now. He reminded me of a hipster who’d lost his way in the streets of London, wound up in an expensive suit, and forgotten to shave. His chin was far from clean-shaven, but it looked manicured, as if he was starting to grow it out.

“I like the scruff,” I said, brushing my fingers against my chin.

His eyes narrowed on my fingers, then flicked up to meet mine.Whoa.I had assumed the speakeasy was a bizarre concoction of late night, booze, and fun. That I’d imagined my attraction to Theo Sutherland. I’d been absolutely certain that if I ever ran into him again I would not feel the same way.

I was very wrong.

My heart was pumping blood south at full speed. This man turned me on like no one else I’d ever met. All without trying. It was justhim.

He cleared his throat. “I like to change things up sometimes.”

“It suits you.”Very well. I imagined in a couple of weeks that beard would be thick and manly in a way few guys could actually pull off. I tried to keep my breath steady, but I was failing miserably, and in a tiny elevator filled with silent men, I was quite certain every single one of them could hear the tremble of each breath I took.

Luckily the elevator slowed to a stop.

“Have a good day at work, Allison. I hope I didn’t make you too late for your meeting. I’ll send Margie an email saying it was my fault.” He had a mischievous look of delight on his face. Which was so very different from the man I danced with the other night, and yet just as restrained. I liked the teasing, though. It was better than the confusion.

“That won’t be necessary. I slept late all on my own.”

He coughed, but I didn’t think it was because of a cold. No, I was quite certain that an image of me in my bed had just caught him by surprise. “Have a good day,” he murmured as I stepped out.

“Watch out for dangerous ladies looking for rides in elevators. I’m not sure your security detail can handle it.”

That earned me a laugh. A nice, deep belly laugh. I threw a smile over my shoulder, catching his eye just as the doors slid shut.

I was going to see Theo again. I knew it.

“Shut the front door. Did you just make a joke with Theo Sutherland?” Bethany, our receptionist was staring past me with her mouth hanging open and the phone to her ear.

“Yes.” And it felt damn good.

A voice came squawking through the phone. I was pretty sure it was Margaret.

“Yes, she’s here now, I’ll send her right in.” Bethany hung up the phone and frowned at me. “I want details over lunch. Get to the conference room.”

“There isn’t much to say. I rode in an elevator that happened to have the building’s owner inside it.”

Bethany snorted. “Allison… Mr. Sutherland is almost never seen out in the wild. He does not smile and he most certainly does not laugh.”

---