Corporate Secrets

CHAPTER 5

COLE

The ache at the base of my skull is already creeping toward the side of my brain. I lean back against the car seat, hoping for some relief. I don't find it.

The silence in the car is loud. It's not that I like chatter or noise. But this silence is unsettling.

I can't stop myself from looking over at my secretary. I've glanced at her a thousand times in the past fifteen minutes. It feels like I've never seen her before. I mean, I obviously have, but she looks different from the little brown mouse I'm used to seeing.

For one, I can actually see her face. It's not obscured behind heavy tresses of hair. Her hair is pinned up, leaving wisps around her face that frame the oval shape of it.

They've done something pretty with her eyes as well. Her brows are more curved, her lashes darker. Her lips are glossy. And her body...

I don't want to think about it, but I can't stop myself. The gown isn't tight, but it's shapely. She's a lot slimmer than I assumed. The royal blue color gives her skin a faint shimmer as we pass beneath the streetlights.

She's beautiful.

I'm pretty damn pleased with myself because I feel like I helped bring the diamond from beneath the rocks. But she's one unhappy diamond.

I can't forget the look of pain that lanced across her face when I spoke about her clothes earlier. Perhaps I could have been kinder. Not perhaps. I should have been kinder.

Taking a deep breath, I turn towards her. She's sitting as far as she can possibly get from me, almost hugging the door. Her profile is turned away, so I can't see her eyes, or read her expression.

After worrying my teeth with my tongue for another second, I finally say, "I'm sorry if I was a bit harsh earlier."

There. I apologized. I rarely apologize, because I rarely do things that require an apology. Not that I don't step on people's toes, or make them angry. But I do my best to make sure I'm in the right position always.

"It's fine."

That's all? I press my lips together before the words escape, but I'm stupefied. That's all she's going to say? Usually, when I apologize to Celine, I get an earful about what I did wrong and how I'm supposed to act next time and a demand for a full apology - which means buying her something flashy and expensive.

It's the same with others. They always want me to give them something or acquiesce to their demands when I say I'm sorry. But she just accepts? I'm not sure of its genuineness.

"Are you sure? I mean, you certainly look a lot better now, but I could have-"

"I said it's okay, Mr. Reagan."

Her voice is not harsh or firm, precisely. It's just cool. Before I can say another word, Tim rolls the car to a stop. "We are here, sir."

"Thanks, man." I step out, going around the car to help her out. By the time I get there, she's already standing. "You should have waited for me."

"I will, next time."

I have to consciously stop myself from grinding my teeth. Why is it that her politeness makes me want to grab her, and shake her, and freaking kiss her until the gloss on her mouth is completely gone?

I take another deep breath and let it out. Then I gesture for her to start walking. "Are you familiar with the people who are going to be at this event? You have been here with Manning before, right?" At least before he went bonkers and started running the business to the ground.