“Yip.”

“How can you be so sure?” I ask. “We barely know each other. I met him yesterday for God’s sake!”

Quinn snickers, and I know she’s doing it to rile me up. She gets a kick out of pushing my buttons from time to time. “Trust me, you don’t need to know a man to ‘bump uglies’, as you call it.”

“Well maybe you don’t,” I retort quickly. “But I do. And what makes you think I’d want to have sex with Kyler anyway?”

“Because anything with a vagina wants to sleep with him. Except me.” I roll my eyes. “Okay, whatever, Quinn. I’m done with this conversation. You’re wrong, and I’m going to prove it.”

“If you say so, Cass, but I’m only looking out for you sexual well-being, and I look forward to hearing about how good Kyler is in bed.”Too late. I’m already thinking about it.

“Enough!” I cry out. “I’m seeing him in fifteen minutes and the last thing I want to think about is how good he is in the sack. Now, change of topic please. Are you going to be home tonight?”

“Yes, and dinner is on me.”

“No Jarred?”

“Not tonight,”Quinn replies.“Or for the next five days.The red taxi is in town.” “Join the club,” I mutter. “A girls night is in order then. I’ll bring the vino, and you can bring the Ben & Jerry’s.”

“Sounds like a date. I expect a full report on your meeting with Mr. Knight,” Quinn says, her voice imitating that of a love-sick school girl.

“Okay, I’ll see you later.”

“Bye babe.”

I put my phone down, very aware of the nerves that have suddenly taken residence in my belly.

It’s Quinn, and her silly ideas. She never knows when to quit it. I glance at my watch one last time, and prepare myself. For what, I have no idea, but I feel preparation is needed. I’m nothing if not professional.

~ Kyler ~

I put my phone down, grinning. I had no reason to call Cassey, but I wanted to see her, and what better way to make that happen than pull the ‘boss’ card. Not that it’s complete bullshit, since my father did ask me to help her. I pass the remainder of my morning by with reports, phone calls and meetings with board members. It’s only my second day here, but I’m already working hard. Knight Media is my father’s legacy. He started it from the ground up before I was born. And now he’s preparing me to step into his shoes, so that one day soon, this will all be mine.

My desk phone rings and I pick it up.

“Knight,” I say as a greeting. Just like my old man.

My assistant Nilkola’s voice comes through on the other end. “Mr Knight, there’s a Cassey Emerson here to see you.”

“Let her in,” I reply, smiling again. “And please order us some lunch from the deli on the corner.”

“Of course, Mr. Knight.”

A few minutes go by and then my office doors open. Cassey walks in and something in the air shifts, keeping my eyes locked on her. I rise slowly, as if my body remembers that I do have manners, and watch her walk towards my desk. Her long brown hair hangs just past her breasts, her curls bouncing with each step. Her tight skirt wraps around her body, showing off the most exquisite curves I’ve ever seen on a woman’s body. And I’ve seen my fair share of those. The black blouse she’s wearing fits snug and gives me but a glimpse of the roundness of her breasts. Our eyes clash, and I’m in no way embarrassed that she caught me eye-fucking her.

Her expression remains a little stiff for my liking, but I still see the brief flicker in her eyes.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Knight.” Her voice is professional, and formal, nothing like the snippy tone she had at the bar last night.

“Please, call me Kyler,” I reply, gesturing for her take a seat. She hesitates, fighting a smile and finally obliges.

We stare at each other for a moment. The temperature in the room rises, and the sudden sexual tension crackles to life between us. I imagine that if the energy flowing between us now had a sound, it would be like a crack of lightning, loud and obtrusive.

The slight stutter of Cassey’s pulse reveals that she feels it too. Her muscles tense, and her posture becomes frigid, like she’s fighting the undulated surge that surrounds us.

“My father tells me you are preparing a presentation for the Board next week,” I say, breaking the somewhat awkward silence.

“How is that going?”

Cassey looks stunned, but then recovers quickly. “Uh, yes, I’m meeting with them next week friday, and so far I think everything is on schedule for the presentation.”

“Good. So what nights are you available this week?”

Her mouth almost drops. “Excuse me?”

“I’m helping you with your presentation, so tell me what night’s you’re available so we can work on it together.”

Her brows dip and I feel an argument coming on. Unfortunately, my assistant chooses that exact moment to walk into my office. Her timing couldn’t be worse, and it has somehow muted the tension that cloaked the room only seconds ago. But I can’t be too annoyed about that, considering she’s putting our lunch on my desk and I’m starving. I thank her and she scurries out my office, giving Cassey the stink eye on her way out. Women.They can be so full of shit, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say she was sizing Cassey up the way an opponent would. Too bad, because the only woman I’m even remotely interested in right now is the one frowning at me.

I ignore it, and take a bite of my sandwich. Cassey’s eyes dart to my mouth, watching the way it wraps around my food. She shifts, squirming in her seat. If I didn’t have food in my mouth right now I would smirk, knowing that she’s turned on. I wonder if her nipples are hard too? Because fuck, that would turn me on.

“What makes you think I need your help?”

Now it’s my turn to look a little surprised. Cassey clearly has no problem speaking her mind, and I like it. A lot.

“Forgive me,” she says quickly, realizing her mistake. “That was rude of me, Mr Knight. What I meant was I don’t need your help, but thank you for offering.” Well I’ll be damned. It’s the first time a woman has ever been so straight forward with me. If I wasn’t turned on by the way she’s trying not to undress me with her bedroom eyes, I sure as hell am after she practically told me off. “I wasn’t offering. I’m helping you.”

“And I don’t need it,” Cassey replies. “I’m doing just fine on my own.” I smirk, knowing I’m going to win this round because she just doesn’t have a choice. I finish off my sandwich and throw the wrapper away. When I look at Cassey, her eyes are hard, and determined. She hasn’t touched her food. “It’s going to happen, Cassey, so why not save yourself the trouble and tell me, your office or mine.”

Her cheeks flush and I’m positive she’s thinking the same thing I am. Even so, I have an argument to win, and I’m willing to bet that she’s going to put up a fight. In fact, I want her to put up a fight. It excites me, and it also unnerves me.

I’ve never chased a woman before, they’ve always sought me out first. But Cassey Emerson can’t seem to stomach the sight of me, and yet, her body says otherwise.