She found herself longing to look into the oceans of his eyes, eyes that not only held humor but kindness and caring—she’d seen them all pass through in one night.
Eric was the ultimate in dangerous—almost physical perfection, yet he didn’t seem like a jerk or a man-whore or some other type of asshole she’d never seriously give the time of day, no matter what they looked like.
Of course the best players always seem that way, she thought, but she knew she was forming a lie to herself. She found it true generally, but didn’t think it applicable to him.
She was horrified that her common sense was being overrode by her emotions, that Eric had the ability to melt her with one look and she couldn’t even hide it.
She recognized it immediately—her willingness to leave her fortress for him, to throw caution to the wind, and go with whatever wave he rode on no matter where it left her. She wanted to know what it was like to be wrapped up in his firm arms, against his broad chest.
He seemed like a protector, and as tough as she imagined she presented herself, she needed protecting, needed someone to show her the kind of caring he had showed her tonight.
She also felt insane—attributing so much to such little interaction, and the fact that she had clearly lost her ability to reason properly when it came to him made her devastated about losing her control after all.
If he knew his power—and she had no doubt that he did—she would be putty in his hands.
It was only a matter of time.
Whenever he decided to pounce, she was finished.
***
Eric felt the familiar beginnings of guilt crawl through him, increasing its size and the path it cut like a snowball rolling down a hill.
He had felt such guilt before: in the years following being the only survivor in the car crash with his parents, in leading on a girl he knew he’d never love in his college years and ultimately breaking her heart, and in the aftermath of his cousin’s death, when he felt he didn’t do enough to save her.
Now, the radiant smile of the beauty he had been assigned to work with sent guilt raging through him once again with a vengeance.
He hadn’t done anything wrong just yet, but he had agreed to—he had made a deal with a devil.
Come on Rick, it’s not wrong, he tried to convince himself. But wasn’t it? Agreeing to woo and marry Leonard Cooper’s daughter for the sake of a merger with zero regard for the obviously frightened woman adorably putting on a show of strength? A woman who had the look of longing—for who knew what all—in her lovely brown eyes?
After all, Janet had no idea that she was training her replacement, that his uncle George had formulated a plan to get a firmer grip in Cooper Investment Inc. by having the two of them infiltrate. And that it was all approved by her father.
But then again, there was no need for her to find out.
Maybe things wouldn’t work out between them anyway, and she’d find a way to be happier eventually. They’d at least part with sweet memories.
The thought of them parting made him sad.
He looked forward to making those memories every time her curvy silhouette was in his vision.
Her body seemed the way God intended—modest chest, small waist and a round behind underneath her tailored skirts. She had shapely calves and he wondered how she got them—was she a runner? Did she play sports for fun like volleyball? Tennis? Did she dance? Or did she just have a personal trainer work her body into that mouth-watering shape?
Eric wanted her from the moment he laid eyes on her in person.
He had seen photos of her and thought she was pretty, but her photos did her no justice. They certainly didn’t capture the fire that burned in her eyes or the glowing flawlessness of her skin. They didn’t quite put together in 2D the angles and curves of her face, her shoulders, the way she carried herself. They didn’t quite capture her barely suppressed feisty spirit. The pictures did not bring out in him the desire he felt for her when she was live in the flesh, within reach.
He was hopelessly sexually attracted to her and felt tortured by it because of the other side of her that her photos did manage to capture somewhat—she was delicate. Soft, and sensual in her movements and in her smile. He sensed a part of her she wanted to give but held onto with shaking hands.
She reminded him of a flower, a feminine mystery he wanted to solve. He didn’t mind risking the thorns to get to the rose; after all, he saw a lot more than he could have imagined when he stepped into that elevator—far more than even his co-conspirators could have planned. And he knew what he felt went far beyond sexual attraction.
“Is it you?” he almost asked when he saw her, but wasn’t sure she would recognize him and understand what he was talking about, and he liked seeing her struck face and easy embarrassment from what was obviously strong attraction on her part.
Eric recognized her immediately when he saw her, beyond being the live version of a girl shown to him in a photo for a plan—he just didn’t expect their first encounter to be in the tight quarters of an elevator, warmth emanating from her due to her embarrassment.
He recognized the look on a woman trying to hide her attraction—the way she couldn’t look at him, practically blushing. The way her eyes kept betraying her attempt to pretend he wasn’t there affecting her—glancing at a safe part of him every now and then quickly and furtively—his shoe, his pant leg—the ludicrousness of her focus on elevator buttons, as if some fascinating message were written on them.
He knew she was attracted to him, but wondered if she felt the magnitude of what he felt in his attraction to her.
She wasn’t just the one he was supposed to make fall in love with him for the sake of business anymore—there, in that elevator, every part of him screamed at him that she was the one.
He had to do everything in his power to control himself, to stop himself from taking her in his arms and kissing her, and she was too busy in her own whirlwind to notice his struggle.
He grinned to himself. Uncle George and Mr. Cooper had no idea what stellar matchmakers they had turned out to be.
Despite worrying that she was only attracted to him sexually, he couldn’t wait to get started on her.
He had had his doubts before—since the proposition they had haunted him—but the moment he saw Janet Cooper in that elevator, all doubt evaporated, and he knew he would make a deal with the devil himself all over again if he had to.
Now he looked forward to his assignment one hundred per cent and was glad he had no need to use his acting skills besides pretending he wasn’t as physically affected by her as she seemed to be by him.
He wanted to kiss his uncle for coming up with his scheme. Who knew if he would have met Janet otherwise? And if they were destined to meet anyway, who knew how much farther in the future?
Eric felt simultaneous joy and sadness at his mission—joy for having been sent to her, sadness for the day she might find out he was sent to her for a particular purpose.
He wanted her, and was willing to do what his uncle asked happily, but he didn’t want her to get hurt in the process, nor did he want to get hurt by her.
Still, he was glad they’d been brought together now—he was ready for it. For her. For all that whatever they had would bring.
CHAPTER THREE: NEW BEGINNINGS
A ringing phone entered Janet’s dream, and she eventually realized it wasn’t actually part of it and drifted awake, grabbing her cell from her nightstand. So much for sleeping in on a Saturday.
Liz’s name shouted at her from the screen.
She tried to remember if they had planned anything for the day, her brain still fogged by sleep.
She decided to answer the call.
“Hello?”
“So what did I miss?” Liz sounded excited.
“What do you mean?
“At the reception! What else?”
“Oh. It was just...”
“Don’t even girl—I glimpsed the fresh meat. Who is he?”
Janet sighed heavily.
“Girl...” Janet dragged the word out the same way Liz had done herself the night before; she didn’t know where to begin.
“Okay, this sounds good. You want to meet up for lunch? You know what? Bump that. I’m heading over.”
Janet felt relieved and worried all at once. She wondered what she would say to Liz about the events of the previous day—should she tell her about David’s second break-in? About her deep attraction to Eric? About how afraid she was that she saw Eric as ‘the one’ when he probably saw her as ‘the next one for now’?
A guy like him couldn’t possibly be a one-woman man—it wouldn’t make sense for him to be anything but a confirmed lifelong bachelor, like Hefner or Clooney or DiCaprio. He might not have their kind of money, but his looks alone could probably get him a different woman every night for the rest of his life—why would he settle down with her?
Oh my god, what’s wrong with me? Janet thought. Her engagement hadn’t been broken off a month yet here she was with thoughts of settling down with some other guy on her mind. And for real this time. And she hardly even knew the guy yet!
She couldn’t deny it; settling down and raising a family was what she wanted more than anything, what she had always wanted, ever since she could remember, and probably part of why it had been easy to convince herself that saying yes to David’s proposal was the right thing to do.
Her parents had been happily married, and although she had single aunts who seemed happy just being single, she still always wanted the married life—definitely since the age of thirteen when she fantasized about what her husband and future family would look like.
And then there that guy was right out of her teenaged fantasy, walking into an elevator.
The resemblance between Eric and her dream guy from fourteen years ago was uncanny, so much so, that she wondered if she could have dreamed him into life.
There you go again, being irrational and downright crazy, she said to herself. Shut the emotions down girl—your brain’s getting fried.
She couldn’t risk getting illogical over some guy.
Still, she knew it was useless to try to stop them—emotions had a stronger current than logic, and she knew she’d get pulled into Eric’s whirlpool. And she welcomed it.
Although she had made a pledge to herself to keep abstinent and still had another sixty-eight days, Eric certainly walked in at the right time. She needed the promise in his eyes.
She only hoped he was the right man after all.
***
When Liz arrived, Janet felt giddy with excitement, finally ready to tell her everything.
“How are you gonna make it girl?” Liz said after she had finished her recap. “What are you going to do?”
“What can I do? Ask him to get fired? I have no grounds for that, not that I’ve thought about it.”
“Girl, why even fight it?”
“Everyone knows work relationships aren’t a good idea, and he and I will be working together so closely...”
Liz shrugged.
“Doesn’t have to be serious...”
“I only wish I could bang it out and get it over with—I really wish it was that shallow, what I feel when I’m around him. All that fort-building crumbled somehow and now I’m scared...”
Her voice broke unexpectedly, and she felt no embarrassment over it; she knew Liz wouldn’t judge her.
Liz’s face sobered up.
“Wow—what kind of voodoo did he do on you?”
Janet shook her head, unable to respond.
“I think someone’s getting why it’s not so easy for me to just up and leave Jason. Shit like that’s always easier said than done when your emotions are involved.”
Janet nodded, still not trusting her voice.
“Well babe, I only hope he treats you better than Jason treats me. In the meantime, all I can say is try not to let him know how easy you are for the taking. Once they know you’re putty, they have the upper-hand, and from there, you can only hope they use their powers for good and allow themselves to fall in as deep. Otherwise, you’re screwed.”
“I know that. I just don’t know how not to show it,” Janet said, regaining control of her voice.
“Girl, that’s all I’ve got. Pretend he blew up your house or something—I don’t know. But don’t make him think you’re mad at him because then he’ll wonder what’s up and try to make up for it. Then you’re toast.”
***
“We have to stop meeting like this,” Eric said as Monday came around and Janet had to hold the elevator for him.
She nodded a greeting, her voice deserting her.
Was the AC off? Why was the elevator so damn warm?
“Good morning to you too partner,” he said, and she had to resist closing her eyes as his voice travelled through her.
She felt her cheeks warming.
To make things worse, she knew she was failing her usual control of body language—her eyes averted, unable to meet his, standing as far away from him as possible, holding her purse tight to her as if crossing her arms over herself and generally taking up as little space as possible would help.
Flames of shame engulfed her when she thought she heard him laughing.
She finally met his eyes to confirm her suspicion.
“What?” she said, when she saw that he was indeed having a barely stifled laugh at what appeared to be her expense.
“Everyone’s gonna think we’re doing it if you keep acting like that.”
“What?” she said, horrified to hear how high-pitched she sounded.
“Your face, your demeanor—everything about you is screaming guilt of some sort.”
“I’ll have you know that was quite inappropriate what you just said—you shouldn’t say such things to a lady.”
Nailed it Janet lately. And what am I—some old British bat now?
She let out a breath and felt her cheeks getting hotter as he laughed outright, not bothering to restrain himself this time.
“I apologize m’lady. I didn’t mean to offend your sensibilities.”
She hated his mocking poor British accent and focused on that.
“Yeah well, I don’t know you like that, so don’t talk to me like that.”
He put his hands up as if in defense.
“Aye aye captain. Wouldn’t want to piss off the President’s daughter.”
For the first time since they met, he looked away from her, cutting her off in a way that was clear.
She felt embarrassed all over again, as if she had done something wrong.
His tone had been cold, and she would have thought that impossible.
No, she told herself, swallowing an apology determined to show itself. He was wrong, you were in the right.
She too looked into a corner of the elevator.
Soon she felt his eyes on her and she turned to catch him.
He didn’t bother to look away; in fact, his look was intense, and she had no idea what he might have been thinking. Whatever it was, he looked calculating, and in a way that frightened her.
She felt for some reason like he would make her pay for her comments to him—a look he underscored as the elevator stopped and the door opened.
His look seemed to match her interpretation exactly and he was making sure she saw it. Then he finally turned away and walked out.
She shook her head and followed him out.
She suddenly felt very worried and tried to tell herself it was her guilt again, projecting onto him a planned punishment she felt like she deserved.
What frightened her most was her thrill at the thought.
***
It was their first official day working together, and although she had nothing to compare it to, she felt the way he was dealing with her as they began planning their project and outlining their goals, was not how he would have had they not had friction in the elevator.
Eric was doing nothing particularly differently or coldly, bu
t she felt the distance he had put between them and all she wanted to do was make up.
“It’s almost one thirty—you want to have lunch together?” she asked him quietly, watching him while trying not to analyze his broad suited form as he sat across from her on the other side of her desk.
She had to make a conscious effort not to imagine him without the suit on, and sitting across from her shirtless. She had to try not to think about how it would feel to run her hands over what she knew would be a muscled chest, and probably six-pack abs.
He shrugged.
“Sure,” he said, looking like it didn’t matter to him whether they did or not as he kept his eyes on the papers in the binder he held in his hands, hands that looked strong and capable.
“Good,” she said, silently deciding on her usual spot where she could get a salad and he could get a sub if he wanted.
She felt like she was taking control back by dictating the smaller things, but their walk to the Sub Hub was in silence, and she realized she wasn’t controlling their pace at all.
They got their orders and sat down.
“You unnerve me when you stay quiet like that,” she said as he unwrapped his sandwich. She looked forward to watching him try to eat it; she had ordered soup and a salad, easy things to eat delicately.
“Look who’s talking,” he said. “I’m not always this quiet, but the way you bit my head off earlier, I’d prefer not to provoke you again.”
“Look, I’m sorry about that. It’s just that I’m having a hard time...” She stopped, taking a breath. “There have been lots of changes—in general—lately, and I’m a bit stressed. That’s all. I know that’s no excuse but a lot’s been going on—new directions for the company, new temporary partner and project, my break-up...”
“He hasn’t been bothering you lately has he?” Eric asked, suddenly looking concerned. Janet was relieved he seemed engaged in their interactions again, and couldn’t believe how happy that made her feel.
“You know actually, come to think of it, yesterday was the first time I hadn’t heard from him at all. Ever since the breakup, he has tried to reach me every single day, one way or another. I ignore his calls but of course he leaves voice mails or texts. The surprise visits are a recent development. The first two weeks after the break-up was just calls and him popping up at the office trying to see me. The secretary knows what to tell him though, and he usually leaves eventually since obviously I don’t go out to see him.”
Playing With Fire (Sweet Redemption) Page 3
