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“Mr. Crane is ready for you,” I smiled, gesturing toward the inside of the office.
Kane stood, and as he entered the office, a shadow fell across his face. The gentleman I’d crashed into was locked away under armor as he prepared to face the only other CEO in the country capable of giving him a run for his money.
If I remember correctly, I was sure they had another history beyond their companies, but my hectic day had removed all non-important details from my mind.
“Mr. Lewis.” Sawyer slunk around his desk like a wild cat, approaching Kane, who paused in the middle of the room.
“Mr. Crane.”
Such formalities sent a tingle down my spine and I pressed my lips together, watching Kane hold out his hand to shake. He was the first to make a move. That had to be a good thing, right? Or was it just another show of confidence?
The inner workings of silent men were a mystery to me.
There was a painfully long pause during which time slowed down, and even the birds visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows wrapping around the outside of the office seemed to hang in the air, waiting.
Finally, Sawyer accepted, and he gripped Kane’s hand firmly enough that paleness bled across his knuckles.
Two of the most powerful men in New York City were meeting and shaking hands like friends, not business rivals. That was a good start in my eyes. Loathe as I was to leave them, I was now confident that they wouldn’t try to kill each other so I took my leave.
I hurried toward the break room where most of their snacks had been set up earlier during my own morning break. Being away from that office, and both of those men, had me breathing like I’d been smothered up until that moment.
They were both sexy and a selfish part of me hoped that the deal would go through so that I would get to see Kane again. If they chose to work together, then the fact that they were easy on the eyes was a bonus for me especially if I was mostly invisible.
And yet Kane’s touch lingered like a soft brand against my elbow, and even Sawyer’s hint of concern played in my mind. Was I tricking myself? Was I seeking things that weren’t there?
Maybe my mind was simply looking for something that would justify the crippling embarrassment of falling – literally – for both of them. A tremble shot through my body followed by a rush of goosebumps as I poured Sawyer’s coffee.
“Calm down,” I scolded myself when it took three attempts to strain the green tea. The draining adrenaline from two run-ins with the floor and Kane’s touch on my arm made my fingers tremble. It was taking all my strength not to burn myself with the hot liquid.
All I had to do was take them refreshments; then I could return to my desk and ride out the rest of my shirt hassle-free.
Easy.
Setting the cups on the tray, I filled one small plate with ginger nuts and headed back to the office. When I entered, the air was still thick with tension but Kane and Sawyer had moved to sit on the sofas near the windows overlooking the city. Sawyer sat on the left with his arm over the back and one ankle crossed over his knee, a position of power while still appearing open. Kane sat across from him, his legs spread wide and one arm draped on the armrest.
“Tea!” I declared, wincing when my voice pitched higher than I intended. Setting down the tray, I handed Sawyer his mug of coffee, then offered Kane his tea as well as the plate of biscuits.
“Ginger nuts?” Kane’s brow lifted.
“I read they were your favorite,” I explained. That didn’t make me sound like a stalker, did it?
“You’ve been reading up on me?” He flicked those warm brown eyes at me, and my heart skipped a beat.
“Research,” I replied, straightening up.
“Is that a requirement?” There was a slight teasing lilt to his voice that I was certain wasn’t my imagination.
I think.
“I have to be aware of who you are and what you do, especially if you’re going to be working with my boss. Plus, I wanted to know as much as possible about what your company does.”
“Golden Dove?” Kane leaned back with his tea in hand. “That depends. How do you feel about affordable healthcare?”
Such a question felt alien when the answer was so obvious but given the way the world was run, not everyone was so lucky.
“I think it’s important,” I replied. “My mother is actually… unwell and the cost of getting her the care she needs is eye-watering on a good day. The bad days are when I consider selling my kidney.”
Kane snorted softly, amused. “Maybe you should ask for a raise.”
