I close the distance, stopping just short of touching her, my hands fisting at my sides. Her familiar scent—vanilla and rebellion—wraps around me, and I’m drowning in it. “You’re trying to goad me, aren’t you?”
Her lips twitch, but she doesn’t answer, just holds my gaze like she’s daring me to crack first.
“If you want to give me another hour or two, I can run to the thrift shop to see if I can find something you will approve of.”
“You don’t have anything suitable? Remotely dressy?” I grit out, my jaw tight.
Color stains her cheeks, and there’s embarrassment in her tone. “I already told you I consigned my business attire.” After a pause, she adds. “All of it. When I couldn’t find a job in the corporate world, I figured there was no point in hanging on to it.”
Dear God, what have I done to her?
Furious at myself, needing action, I move away from her to snatch up the envelope Hargrove messengered over minutes ago. I scan the pages that are crisp and heavy with legalese. I ensure that every clause is ironclad.
Satisfied, I drop it onto the desktop, smack a pen down on top of it, then slide it toward her. “Let’s make this official.”
She hesitates.
And she squeezes her eyes shut.
Finally she inches forward. After flicking the pen aside, she picks up the documents and scans them. “This is real.” Her voice is soft, almost disbelieving, but there’s steel beneath it. She’s weighing her escape routes, calculating the cost of tying herself to me.
“Very much so. It’s everything we agreed to. Eighty thousand, benefits, severance, expense account.”
She continues to read. Very much her style to read every line, study every word.
When she reaches the end, she gasps. “An apartment?” She stares at me, as if unable to comprehend what she’s seeing. “What the hell is this?”
“I took the liberty of offering you a place in the city to make your commute easier.” Meaning I’ll have access to her cameras and security logs. I’ll know when she’s coming and going. Safe. Except from me.
“But—” She blinks. “You can’t possibly be serious about this.”
“I assure you I am.” But I’ll exert however much pressure I need to so that she has no choice but to capitulate. “You don’t have to accept.”
“That seems…over-the-top generous.”
“I’m told I have a lot to make up for.”
Her eyes flash fire. Goddamn it. I misstepped.
“This won’t make anything you did right.”
“Of course not.” I’m not a man accustomed to soothing anyone, especially the fairer sex. But she makes me want to try.
Always resourceful, I make a mental pivot. “Think of the money you’ll save.”
She exhales. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I have a property acquisition specialist scouting apartments. At least two bedrooms, two baths. I presume that would be acceptable.”
Slowly she curls her arms around her middle.
“When she narrows down the best options, you can accompany her on the showings, if that’s acceptable.”
“Of course.” Then, with her trademark sass, Seraphina flashes a wicked smile. “On your time.”
Clever minx. “Perhaps your lunch hour.”
“You mean I get one? Generous.”