Clashing with the CEO - Page 163

“Good. Because I don’t ever want to upset you.” He clasped my hand between both of his.

I looked up at him through my eyelashes. “You said we can still see each other here in this building…”

“Yes, as long as we don’t make a show of ourselves in the corridors and lobby.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it! Well, actually, I would, but I’ll refrain.”

“You were saying?”

“Right. So… Can I stay here with you this weekend?”

Neil grinned. “I was hoping you’d ask that.”

Chapter Fifty-Five

Just act normal. How hard can it be?

I plastered on my best poker face and strode into the boardroom for the first scheduled appointment of the day. A handful of colleagues had already assembled, chatting over coffee cups and notebooks splayed across the long table. I plunked down on my usual seat. No sign of Neil yet.

“Hi, Amelia.” Sharon, from sales, dropped into the neighbouring chair with a smile. “How was your weekend?”

My mind reeled with snippets from the last two days. Neil’s fingertips digging into my waist, the scrape of stubble against my cheek, his low voice whispering fevered praise in my ear… My throat constricted as I scrambled for a neutral response. “Oh, you know, uneventful. I didn’t get out much. Just stayed at home. What about you?”

Sharon launched into a detailed account of an unexpected visit from her in-laws. I nodded along until the boardroom door creaked open. Neil strode in with his arresting air of authority. My heart stumbled as we made eye contact. The memory of those eyes burning into mine last night filled my mind. Clenching my thighs, I tried to peel my gaze off him, but it snagged on a reddish-purple mark peeking from his shirt collar.

Oh. My. God.

My stomach plunged. Right there, for all to see, was the blatant evidence of our passion.

A hickey.

I thought of gesturing to Neil to tighten his tie, but quickly abandoned the idea for fear of drawing more attention to it.

Blood pounded in my ears as Neil took his seat at the head of the table. The sooner this meeting got underway, the sooner I could confront Neil in private. I squirmed, trying to look anywhere but at the glaring love bite.

The presentation kicked off, the speaker sharing insights from the latest competitor-analysis document. I scribbled notes, trying in vain to keep my treacherous eyes from drifting back to Neil. He sat relaxed, radiating total composure. Either he didn’t know about the hickey, or he didn’t care. My guess was the former.

After what felt like an eternity, the meeting adjourned. I wanted to tell Neil straight away, but he lagged behind, stuck in a conversation with Sharon. I went to the bathroom. That was where I ran into Kate—a colleague who had also just come from the meeting. She was reapplying lipstick in the mirror.

“Oh, Amelia.” She paused, giving me a wicked look through her long eyelashes. “You saw it too, right?”

My heart jumped. “Saw what?”

“I noticed you staring at Neil. Don’t deny it. That was a monster of a hickey on his neck, right? Wonder who gave him that?”

I gave an airy shrug. “Maybe it’s not what it seems. He could have just got a bug bite or allergic reaction or something.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Sure.” She blotted her lips. “He must be seeing someone…”

“I don’t know about that. It’s his private life.”

“Oh yes, very private. Parading that around.”

“I’ll have a word with him. He should at least cover something like that up.”

“Heh, heh. How embarrassing.”

Kate flounced out of the bathroom, smirking to herself. I watched the door swing shut.