Kaya gulped. She hated the presence Ransom carried because it intimidated her. No other explanation for her suddenly racing heart.
Ransom planted his hands on his desk as he studied Kaya. "You no longer want to sign?"
"That's not it." Kaya shook her head, but she refused to move a single step closer.
"If that isn't it, then what is the matter?"
If she admitted he scared her, Ransom would use it to his advantage, wouldn't he? Kaya pressed her lips together and willed her eyes not to lower to the floor. "It's nothing. Let's get on with it."
"Look it over before you sign." Ransom motioned one hand toward the table in the middle of the room.
Kaya nervously side-stepped her way to one of the chairs across from Jade. She had never signed a contract on this level before. Kaya wasn't sure she made the right decision, but she had begun a tentative position under Ransom Lee the moment she agreed to a verbal contract. This should only be solidifying what they already agreed upon.
Kaya tossed one last tentative look in Ransom's direction. He hadn't moved from behind his desk.
Jade rolled her eyes. "For the love of heaven, Ransom. Back down, you're frightening her."
"I'm merely standing here."
"I'm beginning to see why Zoren is so averse to your relationship with Kaya." Jade flipped her hair over one shoulder. "At least soften your gaze."
"I'm not doing anything to be scared of." Ransom growled. Growled. Like a wolf or a lion.
Kaya inadvertently slid as far away from him as she could get in her chair.
Tobin cleared his throat. "Mr. Lee, if I may..."
"I'm sure I'm going to regret this, but go ahead."
"You could try taking a less... aggressive stance." Tobin lifted his fingers and subtly motioned Ransom to sit.
Kaya flipped a page of the contract and stopped. "What's this? Did we discuss this?" She pointed to a section near the bottom.
Ransom stepped around his desk and marched to Kaya's side. He propped one hand on the back of her chair and the other on the arm, leaning in to read what she pointed out.
"Ah. That." Ransom lingered but a moment before he stood to his full height. "Since cooking for me only entails meal-times, I added a few other responsibilities so you won't be bored."
"What kind of responsibilities?" Kaya didn't dare look up at him.
"A few odds and ends that you can do on Tobin's behalf. He will be in charge of those things."
It sounded harmless enough. Kaya trusted Tobin to be fair in his decisions. He had mellowed Ransom Lee's personality so far.
Everything else on the contract looked exactly the same as they had discussed the evening before. Kaya reached for a pen and scrawled her name at the bottom of the last page.
Tentatively, sure to not let her fingers shake, she handed the file up to Ransom.
"There's a second copy, please sign it as well." Ransom pointed to the second folder on the table.
Kaya didn't waste time signing that copy. It went to Jade to sign before making the rounds between Tobin and Ransom.
When all was said and done, Ransom dropped the file and pen on the table and held out a hand to Kaya. "I'll be in your care from now on."
"I'll be in your care, too." Kaya rested her hand in Ransom's to shake. His fingers engulfed hers and made her feel altogether too fragile. She retracted her hand as soon as possible.
"Now that we've settled that, let's speak on other matters." Ransom motioned to Jade, then Tobin. "You may leave. Take the files with you and have them notated by legal."