Page 16 of The Physical Attraction Seminar
I should have tried to strike a deal by offering her my phone number. Whether or not she decided to utilize it was her choice, but at least I would’ve ended the night knowing I had left no stoneunturned.
Then again, I respect her reasoning for implementing boundaries in the first place. I’m sure it made it easier for her to leave my bed in the middle of the night, unburdened by any emotional ties. It’s not her fault that I’m the one who got my feelings caught up in the situation.
I rustle beneath the covers, feeling the warmth and softness of the sheets before finally mustering the willpower to get out of bed. I quickly grab a t-shirt from my dresser and throw it on, silently hoping that when I get downstairs, I’ll find a piece of mail with her phone number scrawled on it sitting on the kitchen counter.
With each step down the stairs, I mentally prepare for the disappointment of an empty counter, yet it still stings when my fear is confirmed. If it weren’t for the disheveled couch cushions and throw pillows strewn across the living room, I would’ve believed she was a figment of my imagination.
My eyes are immediately drawn to a pair of white lace underwear barely poking out from underneath the sofa. I walk over to pick them up, staring at them for a moment while I replay the details from last night. It doesn’t take long before I’m balling the dainty fabric into my fist, dragging my feet as I head straight for my home office.
Frustration floods over me as I groan at my own stupidity. I’ve always approached sexual encounters with caution, knowing how easily my heart becomes entangled. I thought this time would be different, but it’s clear now that I was mistaken.
Lyla is all I can think about, but she isn’t the kind ofgirl you meet twice. And I think it’s time for me to accept that.
My only saving grace is that the Solus presentation will have my undivided attention this morning. Hopefully, by the time lunch rolls around, I’ll have let go of the idea that the two of us will cross paths again in the future.
“Settle down. Settle down.” The chatter of voices in the conference room gradually fades away, leaving only the sound of rustling of paper as people turn to a new page in their notebooks.
“Good morning, everyone,” I project my voice with a warm smile while confidently walking toward the podium stationed at the front of the room. When I entered the room, I immediately noticed the lecture hall-like atmosphere, complete with tiered seating and a spacious layout. With the current lease about to run out, Elliot and I decided it would be best to transition the Solus employees to the B.B.E. office, so this is my first time seeing the building in person. I’m pleasantly surprised by its unexpected hints of luxury despite the small size.
“Elliot has entrusted me with the task of introducing myself this morning. Clearly, he’s trying to get a head start on his retirement.” I shoot him a pointed glare, and gentle laughter fills the room. The tension in my shoulders unwinds at the sound, and I pull back myshoulders, ready to begin my presentation. “That being said, I’m Barrett Banks, the chief executive officer of Banks Brothers Enterprises…”
Just as I begin my typical introductory spiel, the door at the back of the room swings open, flooding the space with a sudden burst of light from the hallway. With the room dimly lit for my PowerPoint, the influx of light instantly grabs everyone’s attention, causing heads to swivel toward the back of the room.
I look up to see who’s straggling in late, and my mouth drops open.
Nothing—not a single damn thing—could’ve prepared me for the girl standing at the top steps of the lecture hall.
She has long, wavy brown hair and rose-tinted cheeks. Big hazel eyes, a midnight blue dress that is nearly identical to one I saw crumpled on my floor twelve hours ago, and legs for days that I know for certain were wrapped around my waist last night.
Lyla.
Her shoulders are bunched up by her ears, but all I can focus on is how that dress is hugging her body in all the right places. I’m sure every guy in this building is in love with her, and right now, I hate all of them.
She hasn’t seen me yet, but she’s already got a shell-shocked expression plastered on her face. Walking into a room of two hundred people who are staring straight at you will do that, though.
A short-haired brunette sitting in the back catches Lyla’s attention. The girl mouths something to her, but Ican’t quite make out what they’re saying from this far away.
Lyla’s eyes dart around the room, searching for any available seat, but the space is filled to capacity. Only two seats remain vacant in the front row. My seat is easily identifiable by the "reserved" sign hanging from the backrest. The other unoccupied seat is the one directly to my left.
It turns out that sitting next to the new CEO is something most people aren’t too excited about, and I can’t say I blame them.
She spots the open seats, and her eyes widen. Every second feels like an eternity as I observe her dragging her gaze toward me. Her expression is a healthy mix of uncertainty and curiosity, and little does she know that she’s about to get the surprise of her life.
When our eyes finally lock, her breath hitches in an otherwise quiet room. Her face flushes as white as the walls that surround us, and she looks like she is seconds away from passing out. All I can do is look up at her with a welcoming smile and motion for her to take the open seat in the front row. She stands firmly in place, unmoving, at the top of the steps. I’m sure most of her coworkers interpret her behavior as embarrassment for being late, but I am the only one in the room who knows the truth.
Lyla never thought she’d see me again, and nowI’m her boss.
“You left these at my house.” I hold up Lyla’s forgotten belonging with my right hand when she shuts the office door behind her.
“Oh, my god. Barrett, give those back right now,” she whisper-yells, trying to snatch the underwear from my hand, but I jerk my hand away before she can grab them.
“Finders keepers.”
She lets out a frustrated groan, rolls her eyes, and slumps down heavily into the chair opposite me. “Those are a really good pair of underwear. Do you know how hard it is to find a good pair of underwear these days?”
“Just a thought, but it might help if you didn’t leave them at strangers’ houses.” My face breaks into a sly grin, relishing in the sheer enjoyment that I’m getting from this situation.
It’s hard to stay humble in the moment, knowing my gut instinct about her was correct. Lyla and I were meant to meet yesterday. Nothing can convince me otherwise. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself until I have the chance to cross-examine her.
