Page 14 of Open for Negotiation
“Food? I didn’t even order anything.”
“Well, there’s a bag up here from Kamaboko with your name on the ticket. Hell yeah, free meal, right?” She giggles.
“I guess so.” I smile. “All right, I’ll be right there to get it.”
The bag of food is roughly three sizes larger than my head and packed full of my favorite sushi rolls plus some fried dumplings. After unloading it onto my desk, I find a red envelope at the bottom with my name scrawled across the center. I know without even touching it who the handwriting belongs to.
Scarlett,
I came by to speak to you a couple of times this morning, but you seemed so in the zone with work, I didn’t want to distract you, plus, the thought of being so close to you and not being able to touch you was unpleasant. I know you’ve ordered from Kamaboko before, so I took the liberty. I hope you enjoy and I can’t wait to see you this evening.
M
I hold the letter against my chest, and I think I actually swoon. A full-on, romcom, back of the hand to my forehead swoon.
***
Time is truly moving at a snail’s pace by the time the last of the Fortress employees make their way out of the building for the weekend.
Under the guise of working a little overtime on a project, I stayed later, waiting on Max to finish for the day. He texted about an hour ago to let me know that he’s stuck on a call, but as soon as he finishes, we will get going.
I’ve slipped into the restroom too many times to count, checking my makeup, fixing my hair, and taking a few, private minutes to hyperventilate.
I’m incredibly nervous.
He’s very intimidating and he makes my body do this all-over tingly thing that I’m not too experienced with. I shake from head to toe when he touches me, like a leaf holding on for dear life in a breeze.
My phone lights up and vibrates across my desk with an incoming text. I snatch it up and read.
Max: I’ll meet you by the stairs. We’ll have to go out to the underground parking.
Of course, because we don’t want security to see us leaving together. Word would spread too quickly.
Gathering my things, I head over to the door to the stairs to wait for him. Nervous energy is shooting through my body, and honestly, I feel slightly nauseous because of it.
When I was in elementary school, I had to write a paper about why I would always say no to drugs for one of those school programs they were always forcing us into. Well, apparently, my little fifth grade heart really meant what I wrote down because they were so impressed with it that they asked me to attend a ceremony downtown and read my essay out loud, on stage.
I was excited, until the exact moment I was about to step on stage. Then the nerves took over and I actually passed out just offstage.
That’s how I feel right now.
I’m so terrified and nervous that I feel like I might faint.
The Maxwell Duke Effect is a real thing.
As I’m trying my best to distract myself with a scroll through Instagram while I wait, movement in my peripheral vision pulls my attention and my heart leaps into my throat.
Max is making his way toward me, the most incredible smile on his face, wearing a navy blue suit with a crisp white shirt under the suit coat.
He looks good enough to eat.
When he finally reaches my side, I speak up.
“I nearly thought I was being stood up,” I tease. “I was sad I got all dressed up for nothing.”
“I’d never allow the way you look right now go to waste, Scarlett.” The smirk that incinerates my panties spreads over his face and he reaches around me to push the door open. “Ladies first.”
“Thank you.”
