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“Yes,” I answered immediately.
Kane Lewis was the CEO of Golden Dove. I’d been researching them for weeks ever since Sawyer stated he wanted to reach out with an offer. Considering Golden Dove was a rival of Crane Enterprises, I was surprised at Sawyer’s desire to reach out but even more surprised at his request to keep it as secret as possible. It wasn’t my place to make those kinds of decisions but given how nothing seemed to stay secret for long, I knew it had to be important.
“Are you sure?” Sawyer glanced pointedly at the messy papers, then back at his binder.
“Kane will be arriving for your meeting at four-thirty. I emailed both of you last night and sent out information packets as you requested and I’ve made sure that not only is your calendar clear but I chose four thirty because anyone who can’t keep their nose out of your business will be down on the third floor for the bingo draw.”
Sawyer lifted his gaze and locked those hot blue eyes onto mine.
“Bingo?”
“Yes, sir. I uh— I knew this meeting was important, so I reached out to HR, and we held a Bingo event last week. The winners are being announced today on the third floor at four thirty.” It was the easiest way to make sure the gossips were busy. Kane wouldn’t go unnoticed, but he should be unbothered.
Sawyer nodded. “I must stress that I cannot be disturbed during this meeting. I need you on top. Do you understand? Nothing but the utmost professionalism.”
“Yes. As I said, I have cleared your calendar and even sent out a few emails so shareholders and other people aware of the meeting know not to disturb you.”
He didn’t look up that time but I didn’t need his thanks.
On one hand, I was simply doing my job but on the other, I was praying this meeting would go well. The gossip mill was already running with rumors that Crane Enterprises was running out of money and that the meeting with Kane was nothing more than the start of a merger.
I didn’t know the details, but I knew that wasn’t the case. Loyalty kept my mouth shut, so I was forced to listen in silence.
“It’s all taken care of,” I assured him once more. “Although I do need your coffee order. I researched Kane, you know, and he’s partial to green tea and ginger snaps. I have them prepared for his arrival.”
“Coffee.” Sawyer glanced up and, this time held my gaze. “Black.”
“No tea to break the ice?” I asked, clinging to the bare threads of our usual stale banter in an attempt to squash down my humiliation.
“No.”
I rolled my eyes slightly. “Fine. Boring.”
Turning on my heel, I stalked out of his office with the shreds of dignity that weren’t scattered across the floor and closed the door on my way out. The moment that wall went up between Sawyer and me, I sagged slightly and groaned.
I cannot believe I fell on my face like some clumsy idiot.
In front of Sawyer.
I’ve fantasized about being on my knees for him but nothing to this degree.
It usually involved both of us being sweaty and naked.
Clinging to that thought, I hurried off to the bathroom to sort out my hair and put myself back together in a far more presentable way. Luckily, the floor was rather empty, and the few people I passed on my way to the bathroom were too busy to look up from their work.
The cool bathroom air was a welcome relief against my flushed skin. Reaching the sink, I spun the tap and cupped a handful of the rushing water. The coldness froze my fingertips for the few seconds I held them under the spray. Then I lifted my damp hands and pressed them desperately to the feverish skin around my neck and glanced into the mirror.
“Oh god.”
The pins on the left side of my head were knocked loose in the fall, and my blouse was so rumbled that my black waistcoat was awkwardly caught on one button. I stood in front of Sawyer like this.
Handsome, sexy Sawyer.
It wouldn’t be so bad if I hadn’t been crushing on him since the day I started here. Time was supposed to ease crushes, but after six months of being his personal assistant, I was certain that was bullshit. My crush had increased every single day.
Puffing out my cheeks, I continued to splash cold water on my neck until the crimson flush slowly faded away from my cheeks. Then, with deft fingers, I set about fixing the crow’s nest my hair had become. A few pins changed positions, and the previously pinned curls fell down around my ears in silky smooth ways. Without a brush, there wasn’t much I could do, so I settled for sprinkling water through my hair and tousling it just enough to be on the sexy side of messy.
Not that Sawyer ever noticed anything I wore. Or anything I did.
