“It’s just the person I hired to manage my advertising account.”
Her eyebrows rose before she fell into a fit of giggles. “I bet that’s not all he’s managing.”
Caught. My sister knew me. Business was business, and I never got silly or giddy over those messages. Malcolm was different, and even seeing him send me back an attempt at maintaining professionalism had me smiling like a damn idiot.
When Audrey finally calmed down, I ran a hand over my face, running my fingers through the short beard on my chin. “I might have… hooked up with someone before a meeting. In my defense, I didn’t know he was the very person I was supposed to interview for the position.”
Her eyes widened before she was up and out of her chair. Long, manicured fingers pulled my phone from my desk as she started scrolling through my messages. There wasn’t anything good in there.
“Did you at least get a picture of him?”
I chuckled. “No.”
Audrey huffed. “You’re useless. Come on, David. How am I supposed to live vicariously through you if you can’t even get me a picture of the goods?”
“He’s mine. I’m not sharing. We’ve been over this. It’s a little creepy how much you’re invested in the men I date.”
A red, sparkly nail pointed in my direction. “So you admit it. This is more?”
I rubbed at my temples as the headache settled. I loved my sister, but she was getting carried away. Malcolm and I weren’t really anything more than business acquaintances who had hooked up—not that I didn’t want more from him. He’dmade it very clear that it was all we would be, and maintaining professionalism was paramount from now on.
I took my phone back from my sister, typing out a quick response before firing it off.
Me: No emergency, but we need to set up a meeting. Maybe a video call?
I wanted to see his handsome face again. I could do everything via e-mail, but there was no fun in that. Those haunting eyes and that gorgeous smile could make me lose myself. “We’re not dating. It’s strictly business.”
Audrey threw her arms up in exasperation. “Where’s the fun in that? Live a little, big bro.”
If only she knew how much living I’d been doing.
Idropped my jacket on the back of the worn leather sofa that sat in the middle of my living room. The room was still dark because I hadn’t turned the lights on yet, and as I toed out of my Oxfords, I fished my phone out of my pocket, momentarily blinding myself with the brightness of the screen.
Malcolm: I swear.
I chuckled because I could hear his incredulity through the text.
Me: I promise I won’t be that much longer. Give me five more minutes and I’ll be ready for our meeting.
It was a dick move. I’d been dangling it over his head all day. While it was nine in the evening for me, it was only eight for him. Then again, our original time had been at six. Two-hour delays were horrific on the best of days.
Keeping that in mind, I took my time strolling through my apartment, loosening the buttons on my dress shirt. I got them about halfway down my chest before I reached the bedroom and called it good.
The pillows on the bed bounced as I plopped onto my mattress and pulled my phone out one more time. Okay, so I was being an asshole, but I wanted this guy to relax with me. I didn’t want Malcolm to think that professionalism had to mean stuck-up, formal business meetings all the time.
After I propped myself against my headboard, I hit the call button to start a video conference with my new Product Marketing Manager. A scowl marred the handsome face that popped onto my screen.
“What—? I mean, Mr. Garrison, we can reschedule this if you need to.”
I huffed out a laugh, bristling at him, calling me Mr. Garrison again.
“It’s David, Malcolm. How many times do we have to go over that?”
His face turned bright red, but he said nothing as I continued. “And no. I’ve kept you waiting long enough. This meeting will happen now.”
Malcolm looked away from the screen, blowing out a breath before he looked back at me. “Very well… sir.”
“David.”
