"What about you, Sara? I know this is your first time joining us, but do you have an opinion?"
I blink at him, feeling as if I'm coming out of a complete daze. I didn't even hear Christopher's answer. I say the first thing that comes into my head: “Sex.”
The laughter and snickers from my coworkers sound around the room, but Mr. Tate looks at me, and his jaw tightens. "Excuse me?"
Thankfully, he's turned off the sex toy, and I'm starting to come back to my senses. I shrug as if my outburst was not a big deal. I know my face is red and flushed, but I continue on as if I didn’t just scream sex to a crowded room. "As we all know, sex is what sells. What about this phone is different than others? This one has location software on it. It has listening software. That's one angle that we can take. A little friendly, romantic stalking."
There's a buzz around the room as everyone starts to talk at once. I see some of them nodding their head in approval and some others shaking their heads in displeasure. But the only one whose opinion matters to me is staring at me as if he is fighting a temptation. He pulls at the collar of his shirt as if to say it’s hot in here.
When Mr. Tate doesn’t say anything, everyone starts to quiet down, and they turn their attention to him. He’s staring at me with the most molten look he’s ever given me. It’s like I know what he’s thinking, and it has everything to do with the sex toy between my legs.
People start to look between Mr. Tate and me with curious expressions. He’s about to give it all away, so I blurt out the first thing I can think of. “What do you think, Mr. Tate? Bad idea? Maybe the wrong demographic.”
He seems to jerk out of the trance he was in and looks around the room. “It could be a good angle.” He looks at Christopher. “Do some research on it, please.”
Christopher nods and looks at me with a smile. He raises his pen in the air to get the boss’s attention. “Do you want Sara to work on this with me?”
Mr. Tate’s whole face tautens. He levels Christopher with an angry glare. “No, I don’t.”
Christopher seems taken aback but recovers quickly. “Sure, okay.”
The conversation continues as others call out ideas. For the rest of the meeting, I keep my head down and take notes. Thankfully, Mr. Tate doesn’t mess with the remote control in his pocket anymore.
It seems shortly after my outburst the meeting is over. I grab my pen and paper, ready to make a run for it, when Mr. Tate's voice rings above everyone else's. "Sara, can you stay back for a minute please?”
He points to the table to the seat directly across from him. “Have a seat."
Everyone turns and looks at me, and by the apologetic faces, they probably think he’s going to get on to me about my outburst. That’s fine with me. I’d rather them think that than what’s really happening here.
I let everyone pass me by as I walk back over and sit down in the seat across from him. As the last person shuts the door, he pulls the remote control out of his pocket and sets it down on the table in front of him.
"I liked your suggestion," he says.
I nod, not trusting my voice.
He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. He’s rolled the sleeves of his dress shirt up, and I can’t seem to take my eyes off his strong forearms. “Are you okay?”
I drag my eyes off his arms and to his face. That’s a loaded question if I’ve ever heard one. There's a part of me that wants to say to hell with this, strip down to where I'm naked and ask him to take me. He’s enjoyed watching me go to the brink and then drawing me back in. No doubt he likes the control. My whole body feels as if it's on fire and I'm going to erupt at any point. I can't take it much longer. This is madness. There's a part of me that hates him for putting me through it. I need to come. I need it now. I lean forward, and his eyes drop to my exposed cleavage. “What do you think? How the fuck do you think I am?”
Chapter 8
Daniel
Her lower lip is puckered out as if she's pouting at me. I know I've probably gone too far. If nothing else, the curse words leaving her mouth is enough proof.
She reaches across the table as if she's going to grab the remote control, but before she can, I wrap my hand around it and pull it back toward me. I stare into her eyes. "You realize that blurting the word sex in a room full of men, that's what they're going to think of now when they look at you."