She wore the pale blue cleaning uniform that hid her curves from his view. Watching her bend over to clean or pick something up was the highlight of his day. She’d never ventured inside his office because he’d given the cleaning company strict orders to leave his office alone.
Being a successful businessman had created many enemies. He’d encountered a lot of people who were willing to do whatever it took to make money, even if earning money meant stealing files from him. Kent didn’t trust anyone. They were all bad news. The only person he trusted was himself.
Lana Hawkins, however, was a problem to him. Her file gave him everything he needed to know about her. She didn’t have anything but the standard high-school education, and she worked two jobs to make ends meet. Her apartment was small in a good part of the city.
There was nothing fascinating about her. When he’d dug a little deeper, he’d discovered her mother was a drunk with loose morals and Lana had used to live in a trailer. The woman before him looked like she’d had a hard life, and for some reason that bothered Kent.
What was it about her that hit him in the gut?
He loved women. He loved f**king them and making them scream his name, but he also liked leaving them. Kent didn’t do permanent relationships. The women he bedded knew the score. They could stay, have a great f**k, and leave at the end of the night. He didn’t allow his women to stay over, and there was no way he’d butter them up. When he wanted sex, he’d call and take what he wanted.
Jewels, wining, and dining were for couples who wanted forever. He’d taken a few of his women out to dinner in order to keep the press happy. The women knew it wasn’t anything but a show to keep the media happy.
Being a businessman wasn’t about being a nice guy. Kent saw what he wanted, took it, and enjoyed it. He was ruthless and made no jokes about what he wanted.
She’s different.
Lana was different from all of his other women. He expected her to try to make him notice her. Moving her to his floor he’d expected some sort of flirtation. He’d gotten nothing. Her uniform remained the big, bulky pale blue uniform, and her dark brown hair was tied back in a ponytail. She didn’t wear makeup or spend hours trying to gain his attention.
If anything, Kent felt like he didn’t exist in her company. She came to the office floor, worked, packed everything away, and walked home.
He’d followed her home. Lana made him feel like a stalker. She’d become an obsession to him.
Clicking off his computer, he watched as she started packing her cleaning stuff away.
“It’s a cold night out,” he said, gaining her attention.
She jerked, turning to face him. “Excuse me?” she asked.
He noticed she pushed a strand of hair off her face as she stared at him.
“It’s a cold night out. How are you getting home?”
Her hand moved to her side. She fisted her hand as her gaze moved toward the windows. “I’m walking.”
Lana turned her back to him and continued packing away her stuff. He stared at her back for several minutes, admiring the lush curves of her ass.
What would she do if he reached out and touched her?
She’d have your ass down to court for sexual harassment.
“I don’t like the thought of a woman walking home. Put your stuff away and meet me at my car. I’ll be waiting for you,” Kent said. He walked past her going to the elevator. She was staring at him in shock. Winking at her, Kent waited for the doors to close.
The elevator started to move taking him down to the parking lot. His prized possession sat in the top parking space. He nodded at security and then climbed behind the wheel. Sliding his key into the ignition, he felt his baby purr to life.
He loved his car. Turning the radio off, he sat and waited for Lana to arrive.
Checking his watch, he noted ten minutes had passed.
Once another ten minutes passed, Kent drove to the security guard on duty.
“How can I help you, Mr Anderson?” the guard asked.
“I’m waiting for a woman. I was wondering if you could tell me where she is so I know how long to wait?” Kent tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as the guard clicked away at his computer.
“Sir, no one is in the building. It’s shut down for the night.”
“Are you sure?”
“All lights are off, and the security code was punched in five minutes ago by Lana Hawkins. She’s the cleaning lady with the instruction of closing up if you’re not there,” the guard said.
Kent cursed. “Thanks,” he said.
He waited, impatiently, for the gate to open. She’d gone without him. Why didn’t she listen to him? He’d offered to give her a lift home, and she’d left him high and dry.
What would you do if a stranger offered to take you home?
Shit! His obsession for a woman he’d never really talked to was driving him insane.
Chapter Two
Lana walked down the street heading toward the late night bus. She walked all the way home when she missed the bus. Checking her clock, she had two minutes to get to the end of the street. She’d worked faster tonight, and getting the bus seemed to be in her favour. The shops were all closed up, and several teenagers were lurking around. Many of the people on the street were smoking and drinking. She ignored them all as she made her way to the bus stop.
Hitching her purse high on her shoulder, she kept walking, determined to get the bus. Getting the bus took over thirty minutes off her travelling time. She couldn’t believe Kent had offered to drive her home. Thinking his offer was some kind of joke she’d ignored it, packed up the cleaning equipment, and headed out. Until today she’d never had to worry about using the security code she’d been given. Kent leaving before her finally gave her the opportunity to use the code to secure the building. The company had given her the code because she’d been given plenty of recommendations from other companies. She’d worked for several firms before settling for the firm she was now working for.
She saw the brake lights on the bus up ahead. Picking up her pace she tried to catch the bus.
A car pulled alongside her.
“I offered you a lift,” Kent said. The window to the expensive car rolled down. Kent stared at her, waiting. She stopped when she saw it was really him. He’d driven in her direction?
“I’m going to catch the bus. Thank you for your offer,” she said.
The car followed her. Stopping, she turned to him. “Get in the car, Lana.”
“I don’t know you.”