Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 61939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Silence settled between us again.
“I’m sorry I asked,” I said. “I shouldn’t have.”
“Don’t be.” He pressed a kiss against my lips. “It’s better that you know exactly why I hate them so much— and why I’ll never stop.”
THIRTY (B)
HARRISON
The following morning
“I’m ready for today’s sessions.” Andrea adjusted her lanyard and smoothed her dress. “I’ll do the executive level ones with potential vendors, if you like. And there are two nighttime ones with roasters we can split.”
“Hmmm…I don’t think that strategy is going to work for me.”
“Okay, well…” She sighed. “You can do the nighttime ones, but you’ll have to leave one of the tours an hour early.”
“That doesn’t work for me either.”
“How do you plan to poach the best people while we’re here then?”
“I think we can handle that another way when we get back,” I said, walking over to the door and locking it. “We’re not going to any more events while we’re here.”
“You’re not making any sense, Harrison,” she said. “We can’t get anything done if we don’t go to the events.”
“Good to know.” I pulled her into my arms, kissing her lips. “We won’t be attending any more events or leaving my suite for the rest of the conference.”
THIRTY-ONE
ANDREA
Days later
Sheets of freezing rain hammered the streets while the driver steered us away from the airport and toward Manhattan.
Harrison’s hand rested on my thigh, and his eyes watched my every move.
A palpable tension still hung between us, like the previous nights of sex hadn’t dissolved it. My heart beat to an entirely new rhythm.
Unable to take the silence, I cleared my throat.
“Peterson & Shaw emailed me this morning,” I said to him. “They want to reschedule their meeting with you due to this week’s weather.”
He arched a brow, but he didn’t say anything.
“So far, six top executives have asked to work remotely this week, but they’ve assured me everything will still be turned in on time.”
“And as far as the crisis meetings for cost measures and savings,” I continued, “I went ahead and moved them out by a couple of weeks. That way, every team will have the same travel window and—”
“Stop it.” He leaned forward, pressing his lips against mine mid-sentence. “I couldn’t care any less about Sweet Seasons right now.”
“What about scheduling things for new investors?” I asked softly. “Aaron said we need to have at least fifteen meetings if the IPO is going to work.”
“I’m thinking about you, Andrea.” He kissed me again, and my thoughts dissolved to nothing. “I don’t want to talk about work for the rest of the day. Clear?”
I nodded, completely out of breath.
He pulled me into his lap and kissed the back of my neck, rendering me completely useless.
His hands slid under my dress just as the car came to a jerky stop.
Harrison’s door opened seconds later, revealing the driver standing under an umbrella.
The sleek silver tower of Harrison’s condo stood behind him.
“Allow me to escort you to your door, Mr. Cross,” he said.
I started to slide off his lap, but he gripped my hips.
“Stay with me,” he growled in my ear. “For the rest of the week.”
“I have a lot of work to finish… I didn’t get much done this past weekend.”
“I’ll cancel whatever was due.” He gripped me tighter. “Stay here.”
“You don’t believe in off days, remember?”
“I didn’t before now.”
He gently lifted me up, helping me out of the car. Then he stepped out and pulled me against his chest.
As if he didn’t care who was watching, he caressed my hips and kissed me harder than he had all weekend—fucking my mouth with his tongue, making my knees weaker with every taste.
“Say yes to staying, Andrea,” he whispered.
I nodded, and he squeezed my ass.
“Say it…”
“Yes,” I barely managed.
“Good.”
The driver held the umbrella over us, but Harrison stepped out from beneath it, pulling me with him and into the freezing rain.
“Welcome home, Mr. Cross.” The bellman tipped his hat before opening the door for us.
We stepped onto the elevator, and the moment the doors shut, he pulled me closer and I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Wait,” I breathed as his mouth met mine.
“On what?”
“What do you want me to tell them about the delays?”
“I could’ve sworn I said I don’t want to talk about work.”
“You did, but I don’t believe you.”
“How hurtful.” He smirked, pressing his hands against my hips. “I’ll handle all those questions.”
“But—”
“Trust me.”
His kiss obliterated the last of my protests, and we barely made it off the elevator before he had me pressed against his door.
THIRTY-TWO
HARRISON
Memo: A Gift from Harrison Cross
Due to this week’s inclement weather, corporate employees are not required to come to headquarters. You will still be compensated per your salary.
Local New York and Northeast storefront managers, please use your best discretion in deciding what’s safest for our baristas, and please use compassionate pay protocol no matter your decision.