by Leslie North
"Not bad at all," William agreed. His hands lingered on her waist, and Poppy decided not to call attention to them. The authors descended, chattering excitedly; the whole meeting had been unorthodox from start to finish, but there was no lack of inspiration and activity in the room. It was exactly the sort of atmosphere Poppy had hoped to instigate, but she hadn't expected it to come at the price of a kiss. She sensed William's eyes on her; when she glanced up, he looked away, his attention conveniently called to one of the enthusiastic writers on his left. Poppy smiled to herself and stroked a hand along the glossy wood surface beneath her.
Maybe she could learn to love this damn desk, after all.
Chapter Five
William
"Poppy."
The authors were all packing up to leave. Poppy was at the doorway to his office already. She turned when he called her back. Her long blonde hair, styled in ringlets for the meeting, swished and cascaded over her shoulder.
Was every move she made planned to perfection? Or was it possible that she was naturally, quite unassumingly, the most sexually appealing woman he had ever met?
Today had been a wake-up call. He vowed to set aside more time to think about the matter. Hell, it was probably asking too much of himself that he find time to schedule it. Poppy Hanniford wasn't someone to be scheduled. She was an invasive thought as much as she was a formidable rival, and William couldn't get enough of her. The challenge she posed was too addictive, and thinking about her…
Scratch thinking about her. Not thinking about her was becoming impossible.
"Can I speak to you in the hallway for a moment?" he asked her.
"Certainly, William."
He didn't allow his face to register surprise at also being called by his first name. He had just had Poppy Hanniford pinned beneath him on his desk; he had just had her pillowy lips crushed beneath his own. Their working relationship had changed in an instant, and they had shared that tectonic shift with an eager audience. It seemed ridiculous to keep sticking to the same old formalities now.
William walked with her toward the elevators. He had nothing left on his schedule for the day, but he always managed to find one project or another that required his intervention. He would get back to regular business as soon as he had seen her out.
"After your inspired little twist on the meeting in there, I've had some inspiration of my own," he admitted.
Poppy blinked in surprise. For a moment, those green eyes were completely unguarded, and William realized the implication of what he had just said. His quiet tone was undeniable; it sounded as if he was leading into asking her on a date.
"Really?" she replied. "I'd love to hear what you were thinking."
I'm not so certain you would. His thoughts when he had her up against the desk had been completely filthy. They were inescapable, and what's more, William didn't want to escape them. He wanted to vividly entertain every detail of what he would have done to her in such a compromising position had they not been sharing the room with seven others.
William punched the button for the ground floor and held the door for her—unnecessarily, but Poppy walked graciously beneath his arm. He followed closely behind.
"There is a new high ropes course that has gone up just outside of the city," he said. "Every major corporation has been hit with an invitation to host their team-building exercises there."
"I wouldn't know anything about being a major corporation." Poppy's lips quirked in that irresistibly knowing little smile of hers, and it was all William could do to leash himself from leaning in and tasting it. The doors of the elevator closed behind them, which made his impulse all the worse. He had never been around someone who tempted him to lose control like this before. It was intoxicating.
"Give yourself a bit more credit. Or don't," he added as an afterthought, "if that's part of what contributes to you getting ahead."
"I'm not being modest, William. I'm being objective. Wildflower Agency is still a small fish compared to the shark that is Jameson Ad Agency. That being said, we did receive an invitation to try out the ropes course."
William snorted in amusement. "Finally, she gets back to the point."
"I promise you I never left."
"I'm proposing that we take advantage of the discount the course is offering at the moment. I need to refocus my team. I think it would benefit our work with the publishing house if we did it together."
"I disagree," Poppy said. "I've already checked out the ropes course online. I don't approve of the techniques they use. So much emphasis on physical strength and skill makes the course less accessible to the members of my team who aren't athletic. It would only promote disunity, if you ask me. And I think we can both agree that's not the best way to go about building up team morale."
"An interesting point," William noted. The elevator ground to a halt, and the doors folded open. "…but then again, it could also be that you simply aren't up to the challenge of leading your team through the exercises."
His words seemed to echo through the empty lobby. Neither of them moved. The doors held a moment longer, then closed over them again.
"Frankly, William, my team would kick your team's collective ass," she said. "If you think I'm afraid of a challenge, then I'm afraid you don't know the first thing about me."
"Oh, I think I know one or two things about you," he murmured. He canted his shoulder toward her, but kept his hands in his pockets. He didn't want to remind her just what he had learned about her up there in his office.
"I never expected you to resort to schoolyard tactics," she said. "This is the equivalent of calling me out for being a chicken."
"You can look at it as a double dog dare, if you prefer."
Poppy laughed. "All right, William. I'll take you up on your offer… even if I think there are better options out there."
"Not offer," he corrected mildly. "Challenge. I'll even make a bet with you: the first person to get their team through the ropes course gets to take the lead on the convention project."
Poppy turned and held her hand out to him. "You were right after all. You do know a thing or two about me. You know how to phrase a challenge in a way I can't resist. It's a deal."
The door opened on their handshake. William remained in the elevator, watching her take the long walk down the lobby and out the revolving glass door. She never looked back over her shoulder, but something in him knew that she knew that he was watching.
She wasn't the only one who had trouble resisting a challenge.
"Hang Ten" was not the most inspired of company names. Seeing it emblazoned on the envelope of his invitation had almost been enough cause to throw it in the garbage, but William was glad now that he hadn't completely discounted the offer.
The ropes course was gorgeous: the minds behind it had spared no expense. Every penny they had pinched when it came to testing their brand name had apparently been put to use erecting structures that rose forty, maybe even fifty feet off the ground. There was also a deep, man-made "canyon" further up the way that William had immediately taken note of while browsing the website. It was advertised enticingly as being "for experienced climbers only".
William was no stranger to heights: he enjoyed rock climbing, and made it to the gym near his office at least three times a week. He wanted a piece of that canyon.
But it wasn't the only thing he wanted a piece of.
He hadn't had a chance to speak to Poppy yet. Not that he should be seeking out his competition other than to intimidate, but William had been counting on some good old-fashioned trash talk—and more than a little bit of flirting—and he hadn't gotten anywhere near his quota yet.
He moved off from where his team was and approached Poppy. His eyes roamed her skin-tight climbing gear appreciatively. Her body looked so much more athletic, so much more sleek and streamlined, than he had expected. This might prove a challenge after all. She was currently directing a young man with black hair to tie the knots of everyone on the team. Wil
liam watched the boy struggle, raising an eyebrow of disbelief, but his attention was quickly diverted elsewhere.
"Good afternoon, William." Poppy didn't so much as glance up from her supervision. "Looks like my team got here first. How about we sweeten our team wager with an individual bet?" She beat him to the first word of greeting and launched them immediately ahead in the conversation. It impressed and amused him in equal turns. William glanced behind him, and saw that various members of his own team were standing close enough to hear the exchange. Poppy had to be aware of their audience.
"I was just about to propose something similar," he said. "What terms?"
"First one of us to reach the bottom of the canyon can blend members of both our teams for the convention tasks," Poppy said immediately. She turned away from her assistant and straightened. The front of her athletic top was unzipped far enough that William could see the top of her sports bra. By any account, it shouldn't have been as provocative as it was…but all he could think about in that moment was what her body had felt like beneath his own, trapped against his desk. He had replayed the memory of their kiss over and over and over again. He had started to imagine what would have happened had there not been an audience there in the room with them.
"Deal," he said. Poppy nodded and grinned at his agreement. She offered her hand, and William shook it. He let their clasped palms linger, and Poppy didn't disappoint; she held him just as hard. Their union was only interrupted when the instructor cleared his throat.
"So, you two want the advanced course first?" he asked hesitantly.
"Yes," they both said as one. Their eyes remained focused on each other.
"Okay. Right. Well, follow me, then…"
The instructor called for several golf carts to be brought around, and the teams were ferried out to the edge of the property. William pulled his harness on as he stepped to the canyon crevice and looked over. It was a long, sheer drop. The rappel would be difficult, especially for someone who had never attempted anything like this before. He glanced toward Poppy out of the corner of his eye, but if the woman was afraid of the task she had set for them both, she didn't show it. She spoke with the instructor as he helped her into her own harness. William watched the placement of the other man's hands carefully, and felt a surge of something he hadn't felt in a long time: jealousy. It was sharp and bitter and strangely invigorating. It was a call to action, a call to compete.
He approached them in a moment, letting his own hand fall to the small of her back as he steered her toward the ledge. Poppy didn't shake him off her, even though they were meant to be keeping up appearances for the sake of their teams. He withdrew the hand before his touch could translate as suspicious. He dangled himself over the cliff side, feet braced, hanging onto his tether with two clenched hands.
"Ready?" he called over to her.
"Ready." She positioned herself similarly beside him.
"Begin!" their instructor called.
And they were off. William let the rope slide between his fingers effortlessly as he gave his body over to space. Exhilaration raced through him as he dropped. He glanced over, and was surprised to see Poppy dropping at the same speed, if not faster. He watched her form with approval—it took guts to rappel that fast, especially considering her lack of experience. He increased his own speed. He was determined not to lose.
"How are you holding up, Wildflower?" he called over breathlessly after a few minutes. The rush of wind past his face and down his neck was unlike anything he experienced at the gym. He really needed to get out and do this more often…
Poppy was silent on his right. William glanced her way, curious. He was about to overtake her, but she didn't appear to be actively descending anymore. Her eyes were fixed on something just above her.
"William…" There was panic in her voice. William's eyes snapped to the source of her attention. The knot above her was unraveling. The rope slithered in on itself like the coils of a snake. It would release her in the next moment
He reacted instantaneously. He shoved off with his boot and flew to her. He slung an arm around her waist, and Poppy's own arms came up; she gave a half-strangled cry of fear as the rope unraveled, but he was there, and he wasn't going to let her fall. She held onto him as he executed a quick series of maneuvers that ended in him clamping her harness to his with a spare carabiner. He glanced up, but they were too far down for him to see what the reaction was on the faces above.
"Going down!" he shouted up to the instructor. He didn't wait for a response; he assumed immediate charge of the situation. He needed to get them safely to the ground, now. They descended together, Poppy secured to his side, her arms wrapped around his neck. He didn't stop until they reached the ground, and he was forced to do so out of necessity; only then did he allow his grip on her waist to loosen. After a moment, Poppy unwound her arms from around him.
"Are you all right?" He stroked a stray piece of her hair aside. Her hands settled against his chest. She was breathing hard; if he took her in his arms now, he thought he would feel her racing heart for himself. He was sorely tempted to do just that, but he knew they were being watched above.
"Yes," Poppy replied finally, shakily. "I think you just saved my life, William."
"Don't think any more about it," he replied. He hadn't for a second questioned what he would have to do to ensure her safety, and he didn't think he deserved any gratitude. Still, if his split-second decision was the reason Poppy stayed so close to him now, he wouldn't try too hard to talk her out of her feelings. She stepped back finally, away from him, and William gave her a moment to compose herself. She unclipped her harness and let it drop; before it hit the ground, she caught the frayed rope and held it. Her expression was an impenetrable mask. She let it slip from her fingers eventually as William shimmied out of his own equipment.
"I'm all right! We're all right!" she called up to her team. She waved, and several figures waved back. At least, William thought they did, but they were so far overhead it was hard to be sure.
"Looks like we're stuck down here for a bit," he said.
"Alone," Poppy added.
Together, he thought. But he didn't say it.
The word hung in the air between them as loudly as if he had.
"William…" Poppy began.
William knew what was coming. But he let her say it anyway.
"I am so sorry," she said. "This is all my fault."
"Not all your fault," William allowed. They sat together against the base of the wall. He would never admit it out loud to his fiercest competitor, but he needed a moment to regain his breath—not because the climb down had been arduous, but because his heart still raced with the memory of seeing Poppy in trouble. If he had frozen, even for a second, to debate the logistics of what he needed to do, she would have unraveled and fallen out of reach. He wasn't used to letting outside forces get the better of him, not even gravity.
Only Poppy had ever really challenged his authority and won.
"It might all be my fault," she pressed. She watched him as he pulled out his cell phone to text for a car to come get them. "I…so there's this intern. He's…"
"Dyed black hair, illogical haircut, piercings inappropriate for any workplace?" William stared hard at her, and Poppy ducked her head and blushed. He reached out to push the curtain of her blonde hair aside. She was the last woman he would allow to hide herself from him. "I remember. You had a name for him."
"His name is Duncan. We usually just call him Emo Kid." Poppy sighed. "I think he prefers his nickname, actually. Well, I would if I believed he had many preferences outside of the ones he harbors for disruptive music and the color black."
"What does an intern have to do with any of this?" William asked. "Not that I don't expect you to take full responsibility for the shortcomings of your team members."
"Thanks for that!" Poppy winced a smile. William realized his hand remained beside her ear, caressing her temple, but she didn't comment on it. He drew it away onl
y when she continued speaking, hoping she wouldn't have noticed the lingering touch…almost ready to dare her to mention it. Maybe it was the adrenaline still coursing through his veins that made him feel so reckless. "That's what I'm trying to do, though. Take responsibility. I let Emo Kid tie the knot. I thought it would inspire him to focus."
Poppy sighed again and dropped her head back against the wall, letting her wrists dangle loosely on her knees. William watched her every move, still assessing her for any sign of injury, but his mind raced to process what she was saying. "You need to fire the kid," he said pointblank. "His oversight was inexcusable. I have a feeling it's always been, and you've just been too nice to say anything."
"I'm not too nice!" Poppy fired back. "I'm just not totally ruthless like the rest of you macho ad execs. And you are all men, need I remind you. Just because I prefer to fill a supportive role doesn't make me a doormat."
"If you say so," he replied. He wasn't convinced.
Poppy shook her head. "You don't understand. Not acting supportive is what got us into this mess today. I like to promote the best in everyone, and I don't normally hesitate to act when the best idea is presented to me." She surprised him by reaching between them to pick his hand up out of the dirt. "But I let the spirit of our competition get the best of me," she admitted. "I've never gone head-to-head with someone so…well, like I was saying. I let my feelings get the better of me. I haven't been myself since this whole thing started."
Neither have I, William wanted to say. Despite my best efforts. And despite what you think.
"What are you saying?" he asked instead. He could feel this was leading up to something.
"I'm saying that I want you to take the lead at the convention, William," Poppy concluded. "Wildflower Agency isn't backing out, but I'm stepping back from our own little competition. I think you're the best person to take charge. I can do better promoting and supporting the group from within. I think this arrangement is the best thing for everyone involved."
