He sat back in his chair and now his stare had become a glare. “What? Because I asked you to work late?”
“No, it’s not that, and you know it.” He hadn’t offered her a seat but, invited or not, she sat. She stayed rigid, her back straight, her face serious. “It’s not what you said it’s how you said it. All day you’ve been a boor, either ignoring me or biting my head off. Why are you being so mean to me?”
He flinched as if her words cut into him and she was glad. Maybe now he would be conscious of how much his impolite behavior hurt her.
To Reed’s obvious surprise and even her own, Golden got up and looked him straight in the eyes. “I think you owe me an explanation. Until you’re ready to tell me what’s going on, I’ll be at my desk.”
Without another word she turned and walked out of his office and this time she was the one closing the door smartly behind her.
***
Damn. She’d certainly told him off. Reed stared at the closed door and shook his head. He would never have imagined that Golden had it in her. The girl had just reprimanded her boss.
He grimaced, knowing that he totally deserved it. His trip back to the United States had been a dismal failure and he’d come back to England and dumped his anger and frustration right in Golden’s lap...and she wasn’t having it.
The really frustrating part of it all was that he’d been deliberately keeping his distance, ditching his previously friendly demeanor for a more serious approach, mainly because he was finding her presence so bewitching. He was doing everything in his power to keep their relationship on a professional level, even going overboard with this cool and detached act, but it wasn’t working.
Even as his brain branded him a fool his heart kept pulling him toward her. God, it didn’t know when to give up.
It was no use. There was nothing he could do to stop wanting Golden. He could never be satisfied with just having her as an employee. He wanted a whole lot more than that and somehow he would have to make that happen. Whatever it took, he would have to find a way.
But first, he would have to make things right. He had to go to her and apologize.
When Reed got to the outer office he found Golden sitting at her desk, staring intently at the computer screen, pretending she didn’t notice him approaching. She didn’t look up and she didn’t give him her usual smile, not today when he’d pissed her off. He would have to make it up to her.
Reed walked over to her L-shaped desk and half sat, half leaned on one end, making sure she couldn’t ignore him. “Miss Browne,” he said and when she looked up quickly he smiled. He’d used her tactic, inserting formality into the situation, knowing it would get her attention. “Golden,” he said now that she was looking right at him, “I owe you an apology. My behavior was inexcusable.”
“But...why?” She tilted her head as she regarded him, a tiny furrow between her brows. “You’ve never been like this before.”
Reed grimaced then he expelled his breath. He needed to give her an explanation but he would have to be less than honest. He didn’t want to make things worse and honesty would send her running, he had no doubt about that. “I had a rough time on my last trip,” he said. “The deal I was working on, it fell through. It threw me upside down and I took it out on you. Sorry.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, looking genuinely perplexed. “It won’t affect your existing business, will it?”
“No, everything else is good. It will be business as usual.” He slid off the desk and thrust his hands into his pockets as he looked down at her. “But I do need you to work a bit later this evening, if you can. My four-day absence means I’m backed up on some of my projects. Can you stay?”
“Of course,” she said, her face breaking into a smile. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back on track.”
“Thank you,” he said, glad she seemed appeased. “I just need a couple more hours today and then you’ll be free to go.” Then he paused, wanting to say more but not sure how she would take his next suggestion. There was nothing to it but to plunge in. “I’d like to make things up to you,” he said then gave her a rueful smile. “You know, for my bad behavior today. When we get done here may I take you out for a quick dinner?” When she raised her eyebrows in surprise he added, “Nothing fancy. Just a meal so you don’t have to worry about fixing something when you get home.”
Her eyes twinkled as she smiled back at him. “I would love that,” she said. “I’ll just have to call home to tell Mother I’ll be late.”
After that it was smooth sailing. Golden’s mood improved tremendously, as did his, and they ended up getting the work done earlier than he’d expected. By six-thirty he was walking into Roka with Golden by his side. There they enjoyed a meal of teriyaki chicken, shiitaki rice and roast ginger eggplant.
When the dessert arrived he teased her about how funny she was, getting excited because they had crème brulee on the menu. When she gave him a shy smile and then looked away it reminded him of how young she was. “You’re twenty, right?” He asked and when she nodded he continued. “So when are you going to be twenty-one? I bet you’re looking forward to that. You’ll be a real adult, then. No fake ID to get a drink whenever you visit Georgia.”
He was surprised when her answer was a slight grimace. Somehow the idea of turning twenty-one didn’t seem to excite her. In fact, he would almost describe the emotion that flashed across her face as fear.
“I’ll be twenty-one in a month and a half,” she said, the laughter gone from her eyes.
He frowned. “You don’t seem happy about it.”
She bit her lip then sighed. “I’m not,” she said finally. “Before I reach twenty-one I’ll have to marry a man I hardly even know.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Come again?” Reed stared at her, shock ripping through him like lightning. “What did you say?”
“I have to get married,” she said, her face the picture of despair, “before I hit twenty-one. It’s in my father’s will.”