and me. I can only imagine the women you have to endure.’
Oh? My unwarranted dislike for Paula fast converts into respect. He’s not fucking her? A quick check tells me Becker is still deep in conversation. ‘I’m sorry, it’s just . . .’ I have no idea what else to say. Bottom line, I’m jealous of Alexa, and I would have been jealous of Paula too, had she turned out to be one of Becker’s screws.
‘Really, there’s no need. I’ve encountered a few of them myself.’
‘Lucky you,’ I quip, wondering why I’m extending a conversation, fuelling it, when we shouldn’t even be having it. I don’t know who this woman is.
‘Not that it matters to me, of course,’ I rush to explain, cringing as I do. Who is she?
She laughs. ‘How are you settling in?’
‘Great,’ I answer swiftly, grateful she’s taken the initiative to turn the conversation around. ‘Keeping my head down.’
‘Best way. And keeping that adorable maverick in check?’
Her question gives me pause. ‘Trying to,’ I murmur, staring at the adorable maverick’s back.
‘Get him to call me. I need to pick his brain about something,’ Paula says, and then she hangs up, and I place Becker’s phone back on his desk.
‘Good,’ he says as I allow my eyes to climb his back. ‘I’ll be in touch.’ He slowly turns and places the receiver into the cradle. And then he stares at me. And I forget why the hell I came in here.
‘Eleanor?’ He nudges me from my trance, and I quickly fix a strong, sure look on my face.
‘Paula wants to pick your brain.’
He laughs lightly. ‘Oh, I bet she does. I’ll call her.’
Silence falls again, but before it becomes too awkward, I go on, keen to clear the air. ‘I just wanted to come and clear—’ I snap my mouth shut when the bell rings and the door swings open behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I find Mrs Potts gesturing for someone to enter. And my eyes quickly widen. ‘Brent.’ His name passes my lips on a gush of stunned air.
‘Eleanor.’ He smiles brightly, walking into the office as Mrs Potts quickly scans the situation before shutting the door on a look that can only be described as despair. Understandable, since I told her I would be in the library and I’m not.
I’m on my feet quickly, but they feel like lead, preventing me from leaving. I want to leave, I need to leave, because I know what’s coming. But my muscles refuse to play ball.
‘So lovely to see you.’ Brent reaches me and takes my shoulders, leaning in, kissing one cheek first, then the other. My eyes automatically flick to Becker, seeing him stiff as a board behind his desk, the muscles of his jaw ticking wildly.
I manage to step away from Brent, but the discomfort filling the room remains. ‘I . . . I . . . didn’t realise you had a meeting with Bec . . . Mr Hunt,’ I stammer.
‘Your boss is going to fix me up with an endorsement, aren’t you, Hunt?’
We both look to my boss, who has a death stare aimed at Brent. The atmosphere is cutting. I need to go.
‘I was just leaving.’
‘I was hoping I’d see you while I’m here.’ Brent’s looking at me thoughtfully, maybe wondering why I’m not as receptive as the last time he was here. I could be, if I wanted the stupid battle of the biggest ego between these two men to continue. But I don’t, not just because of what happened in the kitchen a couple of hours ago. But because I know Brent only took me on a date to rankle Becker.
My stare bounces between them, uneasiness crippling me. One man looks pleased to see me, smiling as I stand before him all awkward and fidgety, and the other is looking at me like he wants to rip off my head.
God, get me out of here. ‘Is there anything I can get you?’ I ask Becker, reclaiming some composure and relying on my professional demeanour. I focus my attention on him with a straight expression. I haven’t any desire to rile my boss. Not now.
He eventually drops his eyes from mine. ‘No,’ he murmurs, faffing randomly with some papers to the side of his desk.
I nod and take the few steps that will get me to the door, giving Brent a small smile when he looks at me questioningly. I can’t even muster the strength to say goodbye.
‘Eleanor?’ he calls as