Chapter 4: I Like a Challenge

JAMIE

After a quick lunch in the coffee shop close to the office, Carmen and I walked toward Knight & Son.

Usually we would try to meet for lunch at least twice a week; we liked having the extra time to gossip.

“Are you excited about meeting him?” Carmen asked, her voice muffled by the scarf mostly covering her face. The girl hates winter with a passion.

“Sure I am. A bit nervous too, you know it’s been a while for me.”

~It’s definitely been a while. I wouldn’t want him to expect too much too soon. Like sex.~

“Ryan is cute. I think he could be good for you.”

We stopped at the door and Carmen looked at me.

“Just be yourself and he’s going to love you.”

My lips quirked up into a smile.

“I guess we’ll see.”

I noticed the expression on Carmen’s face change. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were round.

What the hell was wrong? “Carmen? Are you—”

She turned me around before I had a chance to finish my sentence and I saw what it was that had her so speechless.

Mason Knight was walking our way in one of his perfectly fitted Armani suits. Over that he wore an expensive woolen coat with the collar up to keep out the cold.

~Can’t deny the man’s got style.~

Carmen stared at him like a starving woman eyeing up a piece of meat.

“I would give anything to get my hands on—”

“Honestly, I don’t know what you see in him.”

And I really didn’t know. Muscles, chiseled jaw, dark eyes, light stubble.

No idea at all.

Mason arrived at the entrance and noticed us straightaway, I think because of the look on Carmen’s face. He gripped the handle of the door and opened it.

“You should get in out of the cold, Jamie, I have no cover for you if you get sick.”

Of course he wouldn’t. I turned my head in Carmen’s direction. “I’ll see you at home.”

She gave me a sly wink so Mr. Knight wouldn’t see.

~I’m surprised she hasn’t asked me to put in a good word for her yet.~

I walked into the building ahead of Mr. Knight, toward the elevator. He wasn’t far behind me. The doors opened and we stepped in.

~Just the two of us. Again.~

He stood alongside me, smelling good, like last time.

“Who was that girl you were with?”

“Er…Carmen. She’s a good friend.”

I looked at him, unable to hold back any longer.

“Don’t try to sleep with her. She’ll hope for something more, and you can’t give her that.”

Carmen had said different to me, but I knew her. I knew that once wouldn’t be enough, that she would expect more. She always did.

Mr. Knight raised an eyebrow at my forwardness. “Relax, Jamie. Brunettes aren’t my type.”

Pulling my bottom lip between my teeth, I looked forward, folding my arms.

~Doesn’t like brunettes.~ I was surprised by that given his comment about the glasses.

“You have a bit of something there.” He extended his right hand and I flinched away from him. “It’s just snow from outside.”

He was close to me, so close that I noticed how tired he looked.

~Most likely from trying to fit in a quickie on his lunch break—the man is sex-crazed.~

Mr. Knight was holding a curl of my hair between his thumb and forefinger, looking down at me.

“Brunette.”

Had he only just realized that?

The doors opened and he didn’t move, still holding my hair between his fingers. It was weird, the feeling—I couldn’t describe it.

“There you are,” Harry said, dressed in a fancy suit just like his son. “Everything okay here?”

I flushed bright red. “Everything is fine, Harry. I…should get to work.”

Harry looked at his son as we stepped out of the elevator.

“Our two o’clock is the conference room, Mason. Don’t keep them any longer.”

“I’m going,” he answered in a hard tone. “Jamie, will you check in with Mr. Henderson and make sure we’re still on for dinner tonight?”

“Yes, Mr. Knight. I’ll give him a call.”

I walked ahead, set my things down on my desk, and sat back in my swivel chair.

Only a couple of hours before Ryan picked me up for our date. The nerves were setting in.

MASON

I was standing by the door to my office, watching her.

Bent over her desk, clearing away her files.

I was getting a great view of her ass in that skirt.

Had she been wearing that earlier?

She must have changed during the workday. But why?

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Women can be like that.

I don’t go for brunettes—never. But I was tempted by her now—ever since that gaping shirt, ever since she’d called me Mr. Knight.

One time, on my desk, fucking her roughly. Just the way I like to have them.

It was clear that she was not going to make it easy for me. Which made me want her even more. I liked a challenge, and she was certainly that.

Brent stood beside me at my office door.

“You look like you’re enjoying the view!”

“Well, it’s quite the view,” I said back.

My father and I do business with the company that Brent works for, so he’s around the office a bit.

We get on quite well. We’re into the same things. Money. Power. Women.

Brent folded his arms over his chest. “I can tell you’re already thinking about tapping that!”

“She hates me, you know. But I like a challenge. The quiet ones are always the best in bed.”

I had a feeling that Jamie Harris was full of surprises.

“Well, it looks like you have some competition.”

Brent pointed in Jamie’s direction and I looked over. The date was here. And he’d brought flowers.

“You said you like a challenge? There’s one for you.”

JAMIE

Ryan looked even more handsome in person.

A fair amount of facial hair, his eyes gentle and blue.

The eyes of a kind man—it was obvious that’s what he was.

I’d been nervous before, but I was even more nervous now he was standing in front of me. I didn’t want to screw up and say something totally ridiculous.

“I hope it’s okay that I came up? When you didn’t come down I thought maybe you had to work late or something.”

My nude-colored lips curved into a smile of reassurance.

“Yes, it’s fine. I was just running a bit behind but I’m ready to go.”

I grabbed the last of my things and we walked toward the elevator.

“So, Ryan—where are we going for dinner?”

He pressed the button. “The Bradford.”

The bloody Bradford.

Exactly where Mr. Knight’s dinner meeting was happening.