The Personal Affair

T H R E E

As usual, he's in one of his many sharp black suits, looking devilishly handsome as he approaches us in long strides. Once he's at the table, his hand goes to unbutton his jacket before he slides into the seat next to me.

"I apologize for my lateness." He says but he sounds the least bit sorry, no, rather he gives Mr Scott a small smirk before continuing, "Shall we begin?"

It is then I realize that his lateness is supposed to be some kind of power move. I mentally roll my eye at that.

"Mr Scott, will your assistant be joining us?" I ask him.

"No, she won't." He replies curtly, his hard gaze stuck on Ryder, who was currently spotting that lip curl thing he did where he wasn't quite smiling, but he wasn't scowling either.

With a sigh, I begin the presentation. Ryder wants to buy Scott's company because it is slowly dying and apparently fixing falling businesses is a past time of his, so, he wants it. But it seemed like there was more to this judging from the obvious dislike both men had for each other and the smug look Ryder had on his face.

The company, Def Tech Industries, has been in the Scott family for ages and naturally Chance was as interested in selling it as he was in declaring it bankrupt. Now, Ryder made it my job to convince him to sell it, something that needed a strong argument which was why I had to go digging into some personal affairs to know just what to say that will make him concede.

After over half an hour, he did just that and finally, the meeting came to an end. I was so happy that it was such a success. Any less and I was sure I would never hear the end of it, that is, if I was still hired.

"Well, I suppose this is it," Mr Scott muses. "I will have my lawyers draw up a contract-"

"No, don't bother. I will do that.  You just sign the papers when they appear on your doorstep." Ryder says coldly which makes me fear for a moment that Scott will withdraw his word and all my hard work would have been for nothing.

Fortunately, he just grits his teeth and shakes Ryder's hand firmly, and with a head nod in my direction, he leaves the restaurant.

"You did well." I hear Ryder comment from besides me once Scott is gone, halting me in my movement of packing up the papers.

I look up to see him staring at me. "T-thank you." I stammer a bit, tucking a stray strand of blonde hair behind my ear.

He calls the waiter and orders to my surprise. "And what would you like?" He turns to ask me.

"A croissant and some more coffee will be fine." I tell the waiter who writes it down before leaving.

"Was that your first time?" Ryder asks standing up and coming to seat opposite me instead.

I felt uncomfortable under his invasive gaze suddenly watching my every move. We had never had a conversation out of work, during which he was always rude and direct so this was quite foreign to me.

"Yes." I reply after a moment.

He nods. "What did you do before working at Stone Inc?" He asks and just then, thankfully, our food arrives.

I was tempted to say 'it's on my CV' but since he was making an attempt to be nice here, I figured I should appreciate it by not being rude, so I stopped myself from saying what I really wanted to and answered his question instead.

"Well, I worked in the account department of a small firm, which was later closed due to bankruptcy." I tell him, taking a sip of the scalding hot coffee, welcoming the burning sensation on my tongue.

He nods his head before taking his attention to the meal before him.

We finish our food in silence and once done Ryder insists that he pay the bills. I was no match anyway, so I just allowed him. And then something strange happened.

As Ryder rounded the table, I got up carelessly, causing one of the files besides me to drop and as I bent down to pick up the folder, I swear to all that is holy I felt Ryder freaking Stone's eyes on my ass and then my body when I stood up but when I looked up at him his eyes quickly diverted elsewhere.

As Meg would say, you ain't slick, I thought to myself with a small smirk as a strange feeling settled in my tummy. I then had to remind myself that I was a married woman and I shouldn't be happy that my boss was just checking me out, no matter how ridiculously sexy he is.

Yup, I shouldn't care. But, I did.

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Uh oh.
Ryder ain't slick.
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