Nina's Second Chance at Romance (Forbidden Romance)

(2)

        They took a couple of steps toward her, still trying to plead their cases. She shook her head and said, "Don't follow me."

        Nina stepped out the door. She ran past the bar and out the front door of the hotel building.

                                                              ***

        Morning came too soon for Nina. She was already running late again. She wasted coffee on her blouse in the car, so she had to go back home and change. That made her even later. Wasting her coffee could be from the fact she had been crying all night and her nerves had her shaky. Her eyes were red and almost swollen shut as well. She was a hot mess.

        Nina rushed through the doors and remembered to put on her sunglasses, so no one could see how much of a mess she looked. All she wanted to do was slip inside the conference room. But she knew Tristan was like a hound dog. He would smell her coming through the doors.

        She contemplated whether she should just wait for the meeting to end, or if she should just head to her desk and start working on the proposal. She slammed her palm against her head. She forgot it was due this morning. Tristan was really going to go in on her if she didn't have it prepared.

        Nina decided to skip out on the meeting and get to work on the project. All she needed was thirty minutes. She had most of it finished already, so that was a good thing.

        By the time the meeting was over she was already done. She smiled as she put the picture in a manilla envelope.

        "Nina, come to see me in the conference room."

Nina looked up from the envelope, to see Tristan glaring at her, almost foaming off at the mouth like she was a meal he was dying to get his hands on. She felt like a zebra while he was the mighty lion.

        She hesitated a bit.

        "Now," he said. His voice boomed and made her jump.

        Everyone watched her trudge to the room. Once she was inside, she tried her best to not say anything smart to Tristan. She hated him just based on the fact that he was Nick's best friend. Nick and Naomi's faces in the hotel room popped into her head. She quickly shook her head and stared up at Tristan.

        His jawline ticked, as he stared down at her. His arms were folded across his chest. She couldn't help but notice his biceps poking out from his blue dress shirt.

        Tristan checked his watch and said, "You do realize you're late again, right?"

        She sighed. Here we go.

        "Yes, I realize. I was on time, but I spilled my coff-"

        Tristan raised his hand. "I don't want to hear your poor excuses."

        "It's not an excuse."

        He scoffed. "Enlighten me. What do you call it?"

        "The truth. Most excuses are lies."

        His frown deepened. It was like he was trying to figure her out. Like she was a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit. "Take off those ridiculous sunglasses."

        Nina backed away. "I can't."

        He stepped closer. "Why not?"

        "Why does it concern you?"

        He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because it's unprofessional. Not that I expect anything less from you."

        "Excuse me? Did you just call me unprofessional?"

        He chuckled. "Is it really a surprise to you?"

        "I'm just a little unorthodox."

        "Are you going to take 'em off now? You know they aren't apart of our dress code."

        Nina knew they weren't acceptable. She was trying to hold off on the inevitable before everyone could see how awful she looked. Nina knew she shouldn't care about what the people in her office thought, but she did. 

        She slid the glasses off and glanced up at him. She quickly looked away when she saw his eyes widen.

        Tristan closed the distance between them and lifted her chin so that she was looking directly up at him. "Have you been smoking reffer?"

        She rolled her eyes and winced from the pain. She slapped his fingers away and said, "Of course not."

        Who says reffer anymore?

        "What's going on then?"

        "It's just allergies."

        He shook his head. "Are you sure?" he asked.

        "Do you think I'm lying?"

        "Why are you getting defensive?"

        "Can I leave now?"

        She really wanted him to stop asking her so many questions.

        "No, I'm not done with you."

        The way he said that sounded so sexual. She laughed out loud, realizing that she was really losing it. Nothing about him in any way was sexy. Well, that's what she kept telling herself.

        "Is something funny?"

        "Not at all."

        "Tell me the truth," he said.

        Nina sighed and said, "Ask your best friend."

***
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