Chapter Nineteen: Feelings
Sienna
Thursdays are my least favorite day of the week.
Taking a long sip of my coffee, I head down the hallway of conference rooms, dragging my feet to try and move slower. I dread getting to the very last room on the right, where Reed will await me, along with his intern team and our financial advisor, Heather. We're discussing the Soul Chic AD campaign that I've been putting off for weeks. Mainly so I wouldn't have to see him.
I hate that one man has made me so insecure. I hate that I feel like I'm being judged whenever those blue eyes of his scan me over. Reed took control over me in not a sexual way, but in an emotional one, which is far more intimate and dangerous than sex ever could be.
Regardless of how I'm feeling though, I won't let him get the best of me. I strut forward into the room with nothing but confidence and a stern expression as I take my place at the head of the table. A folder is ready for me, and their plans and financial reports waiting for my revision. I should have looked at this earlier, but I've been so anxious the entire day that I knew I wouldn't be thinking straight if I did it sooner.
I clear my throat and lift my eyes to Reed's. "Who is presenting?"
If Reed has more feelings for me, he certainly doesn't show them. The possessive man from the night of the anniversary party is nowhere to be found, and again, I hate that I'm searching for him. I hate that I'm trying to peer into his mind when his only intention is to go over business reports.
"My intern, Cassidy, wanted to pitch our ideas," he says, extending his hand to a petite brunette in the corner. She rises shakily and sets up the PowerPoint with nervous hands, fumbling over a few keys before the screen finally pops up on the wall.
"Um, hello," she announces tentatively. Her intro is already terrible. I hold back an eye roll as she flips through countless screens, reading verbatim off the wall and staring more at that than the people in the room around her. Reed sinks into his chair, embarrassed, and a part of me is happy about that.
Before I fall asleep, knocks on the door sound off beside us. Rachel steps into the room and says, "Lincoln Nash is here and said it was urgent."
My eyes flicker to Reed, who clenches his jaw and mutters, "Of course."
"Did he say what it was about?" I ask.
She shakes her head. "No. He just said it was urgent."
"Tell him we're in a meeting with her," Reed snaps and shuffles his papers aggressively in front of him. "We've been waiting for this damn meeting for weeks. He can wait. It's not like the man isn't here three times a day already."
The table of faces turns to mine, studying my reaction. I've been in this business long enough to know how to handle a man trying to take over my position. Reed overstepped his authority, and in no way shape, or form am I going to tolerate it. I never have, and I never will.
Shutting the folder on the table, I grip it with white knuckles and push the chair back to stand to my feet, sending all of them a smile they know not to mess with. The last thing I need is for them to think anything is going on between Lincoln and me, but Reed is making it difficult. "I think I've seen...enough," I attempt to say nicely. "I'll look over the reports and get back to you all within the week. Reed, we'll speak later about this. If you'll excuse me, I have a client to attend to."
With wide eyes and curt nods, I leave them in the room and stalk back toward my office. I'm fuming by the time I get there, the grip on my folder making indents on my skin until I spot Lincoln's smile. Almost instantly, I find myself smiling back. "Is there a reason you interrupted my meeting?" I ask.
Scanning me from head to toe he says, "Many reasons, Sienna, but I need a favor. A business one."
I take a seat in my desk chair, leaning back slightly with a raised brow. "You're a new client who already needs a favor?"
He takes the seat across from me and does his familiar leg cross, the serpent head poking freely out of the top of his shirt. I can't stop thinking about my tongue running all over it, but those thoughts quickly diminish when he says, "I need you to come to dinner with my family tomorrow night."
My eyes bug out of my head. "You what?"
"Relax, it's not anything romantic. I just need you to come and talk to my mother about your plans for the company. My brother Jett is in town, as you know, and he's going to try and convince her to sell tomorrow, but if I bring you..." He smiles broadly and leans forward so that his elbows are resting on his knees. "If I bring you then I know there's no shot in hell he'll convince her. Your ideas are fantastic, Sienna, and once my mother hears them she's going to think so, too. I know this is an odd request, but I'm begging you, here. Please."
Something about him begging makes me fidget in my seat. A flash of him on his knees in front of me piques my interest, a smile threatening to tug at the corners of my lips before I lift my eyes to his. "What will you give me if I say yes?"
I know it's wrong on so many professional levels. I know I'm being exactly how Reed is portraying us to be, but looking at Lincoln, at his muscular, burly body, I find myself not caring about any of it. Sex with him has become an addiction. I got a taste of it two days ago, and now I'm in withdrawal.
"Whatever that pretty little mouth of yours asks of me," he replies sternly, but his eyes never leave mine. The heat seems to rise in the room, tiny beads of sweat poking on my neck.
I tap one of the pens on my desk, staring off deep in thought. "Fine," I reply after about a minute or so, "what time is this dinner?"
"Seven. I'll pick you up at six."
"Okay."
"Okay," he replies, a sexy grin plastered on his face. "Are you going to tell me what you want in return?"
I trail my eyes down his neck, over that serpentine head, over the clouds, down the buttons of his dress shirt, and down to his crotch, which is already a pitched tent for me. It brings me so much satisfaction when I meet his eyes again, seeing the desperation bleeding off of him like he's just waiting for my command to tackle me right here on this desk.
"I think my request will come later," I say, continuing to tap my pen. "It'll be more beneficial for me to make you wait."
He arches a brow. "Is that so?"
"I know so," I reply firmly.
The air seems to be sucked out of the room, but then the door bursts open and Reed is inside, looking like a pouncing cat ready to catch a mouse. He glares between the two of us, slapping another folder onto my desk. "You forgot the financial reports. There were two folders."
I cock my head to the side, seeming to find the confidence I was lacking in the conference room. "And you couldn't have knocked?"
He was trying to catch me in the act with Lincoln. I know he was. I'm not quite sure what he planned to do with that information if he had caught us, but from now on, I'm going to lock my office door whenever Lincoln is in here. If Reed hadn't interrupted, I'm honestly not so sure what would have happened.
Lincoln grabs a random folder from my desk and holds it on his lap, flipping it open like he's reading when in reality he's just covering up his hard-on.
"Sorry," Reed mumbles, "I didn't realize Lincoln was still here."
Lincoln tilts his head up from his chair and narrows his eyes. "It's Mr. Nash," he says coldly. "I expect to be called that going forward..." He trails off like he's trying to remember his name, and I hold back a laugh.
"Reed," he hisses through gritted teeth. "My apologies, Mr. Nash."
Lincoln nods and then glances toward the door. "Now if you'll excuse us, Ms. Stone and I were in the middle of a conversation."
Reed clenches his hands up into fists at his sides, and for a second, I think he's going to debate with him, but knowing he'd probably lose his job if he did, he storms out of my office without another word. I don't understand why he cares when he is the one who broke up with me. He chose to date someone else after we split. He let me go, so why is he suddenly so interested in what I have going on with Lincoln?
"I am not looking forward to working on this AD campaign with him," Lincoln groans.
I tap the pen once more before I set it down and shrug. "It'll be over before you know it. Besides, he's more bark than bite."
"Do you still have feelings for him?" he asks.
Furrowing my eyebrows together in confusion, I try to analyze the expression on his face, but it's unreadable. He doesn't seem jealous, or upset, he just seems curious. "I think that's a question for people that are doing more than just fucking," I say, watching him shift in his seat. "It doesn't matter, does it?"
"No. Just curious."
I nod and gather the folders to center them in front of me, sending him a soft smile. "I hate to cut this short, but I should probably review these before I get my head chopped off by finance and Reed. I'll see you at six tomorrow?"
God, I agreed to meet his family. Not that it's a meet-the-family type of ordeal, it's strictly business, but still. I need to make a good impression on his mother for her to side with Lincoln and allow him to keep running the company. It's a lot of pressure, but it means a lot to know that Lincoln has faith in me that I'll do well.
Leaning over to press a kiss to my cheek, he brings his lips close to my ear to whisper, "Six o'clock sharp, Sienna. I won't be able to wait another minute longer."