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  On a personal level, the man came from money. His father, his father‘s father, and beyond were natives to London. They had invested well, made out like financial bandits, and Noah inherited a lot of wealth, which he was able to double the value of his hotels over the last five years.

  The man worked extremely hard and never acted as an entitled brat, except that very first phone call. However, he had more than redeemed himself. Between the business relationship and well, the personal one too.

  Noah was quite witty and genuinely interested in what I shared in our almost daily conversations. Whether it was my meal for the day or the wet floor sign that laid in the hall for an hour before someone came to clean up the mess that remained under the damn sign. I found myself automatically texting him the craziness or the joys of my day. He followed suit and our communications increased from once a day to three or four. Especially at night when he was ready to go to bed and was encouraging me to leave work. Around one or two in the afternoon, I’d send him a similar text, urging him to leave. He never listened and neither did I.

  One night, I had a little too much to drink and was horny. Well, I wasn’t excited until I got in bed and thought about Noah being in bed. Then, that excitement turned into something else, and I sent the text. It was nothing we hadn’t communicated before, but the last time, I shut him down.

  In all fairness, he was a client, and while I didn’t want to mix business with pleasure, our initial conversation wasn’t surrounded around his business. His mother of course, but not The Wolfe Group. We also discussed many things outside of work, but that blushing text, we both knew what he meant.

  What had me really blushing was his response that I received the following morning. This was a new level of our communication, which had been on a friendly basis. Snarky but he’d grown to be more than a client. There was no one I communicated with on a daily basis besides him. Not even my friend, Sheryl or my secretary of steel.

  Without knowing how to respond, I didn’t text him back. Lunch was off-site, so we wouldn’t have a chance to chat then as well. No communication would be weird, but what in the hell were we doing? Really doing?

  This question hadn’t been asked or answered by either of us, but it was the topic of my lunch conversation with my friend, Sheryl. She was a little more adventurous than I was when it came to the sex department, so I was able to discuss these things with her. Specifically, because she thought I would die an old maid with knitting needles and blankets over my legs. She was more of the sex club variety, specifically Steel. It was a BDSM club, owned by a guy named Skull. According to Sheryl, she owned some other clubs, but this exclusive one was for a certain clientele, that could afford anonymity. It was probably too rich for my blood and pockets, but it was intriguing.

  “So, he’s your friend?” Sheryl was already going in with pursed lips that told of her disbelief.

  “Yes, why is that so hard to believe?” I asked.

  “Well...” She mused. “It’s a fallacy, that’s why. These things just don’t happen. What woman has men as friends unless those men are gay? No, let me put it this way, if one is attracted to the other, there can be no friendship. Sorry, hon. It’s a fallacy.”

  Sheryl said it with such confidence, that if I didn’t know any better, I would be inclined to believe it. I was living proof that a man and woman could be friends, even if I thought he was attractive.

  “Well, there goes your theory Sheryl. He and I are just friends, and we have not engaged in anything illicit. He is attractive. Amazingly so, but we have a friendship.” I raised one eyebrow her way and drank my iced water.

  Sheryl pursed her lips and said, “Mark my words, the only reason nothing illicit has happened is that there’s a whole ocean between you.”

  Then, she took a sip of her cranberry juice. The woman could be such a know it all. There was no way…

  My phone made a little beep that was foreign to me. Turning it over on the table, I saw that it was a FaceTime call from Noah.

  “Speak of the devil and they shall appear.” I held up the phone. “But, why is he Face Timing me? He had some other type of phone.”

  “Answer it. I want to see him.” She urged.

  “I can show you a picture,” I told her.

  “But I want to hear his voice, come on. I won’t say anything.” She nodded towards the phone. “Promise.”

  Famous last words.

  I clicked on the green button and waited for the screen to pop up.

  “Good afternoon!” Noah said with a weird look on his face. “Can you see me?”

  There was a flashing light that almost blinded me, causing me to look up at Sheryl putting her phone away. I gave her a look and tried to focus on the conversation.

  “Hey Noah, yes I can see you. When did you get an iPhone?” I asked.

  “Ten minutes ago. I have no clue on how to utilize the device, but now, I can see your face,” he said, but he wasn’t looking at the camera.

  “Noah,” I laughed. “What are you looking at? The camera is at the top of the screen.”

  “Bloody hell!” He hissed with that thick British accent.

  His eyes rose so I could see them and I nodded.

  “Perfect!” I exclaimed.

  “Where are you? I left work early, I’m happy to report. So, you don’t need to contact the cavalry all the way in London.” He had that smirk on his face when he was trying to be funny but remain serious.

  “Ha ha!” I told him. “It’s about time. I’m at a restaurant, eating lunch with my friend.”

  “Friend?” His face grew closer to the screen like he hadn’t heard me correctly.

  “Yes, Sheryl.” I nodded.

  “Hi, Noah.” She called, so I turned the phone around. But she held out her hand, so I could give her the phone.

  Why I gave her that phone, I will always ask myself in the years to come.

  “Ah, the she-devil does have friends.” He chided. “Hello, Sheryl.”

  “Hey yourself.” Sheryl took the phone from my hands and smiled. “Wow, you are one handsome fella. I can see…”

  That was cut off because I kicked her on the shin and swiped for the phone. That witch dodged my efforts and laughed.

  “Noah, I think Max wants her phone back. So, it was nice meeting you. Plus, we have to get her ready for the date this Friday. Okay, got to go.” She rushes out as I was now out of my seat and about to sit on her bony ass.

  “Sheryl!” I exclaimed as she hit the end button. “I cannot believe you did that.”

  “What?” She feigned ignorance. “Y’all are friends, what’s the problem?”

  “A date!” I was flabbergasted. “I cannot believe you.”

  My heart was pounding with the adrenaline of a deer running from its predator. Embarrassment cloaked me as I look at Sheryl with my mouth wide open. Snatching the phone back, I shook my head and said, “That shit is not cool. I would never do that to you.”

  At first, her lips were pursed with defiance, then she sipped on her juice again and said, “Max, I love you. But sometimes, we all need a push. That was me merely nudging you along. You haven’t dated since Kyri Overton. You work all day, your close friends and employees had to practically kick you out of your office for a week in order for you to have a vacation. This is not normal, let me add.” She sat upright to square off with me. “So, hear me when I say that man is the first man you’ve talked to on a friendly note and you’re trying to put him into the friend zone. What I did... my push will let you know if that where he wants to be.”

  She was right on all accounts, but I was not willing to admit that just yet.

  “Whatever!” I snapped back and finished my Caesar salad. “I’m going to do that to you and see how much you like it.”

  “Mmkay.” She nodded. “Just let me know what happens next. I’m invested.”

  “No, you’re just nosy.” I told her.

  We finished our lunch, but Noah never called back. He didn’t even text that ni
ght like he usually does. I was too embarrassed to contact him, but if I didn’t hear from him by tomorrow afternoon, then I would reach out.

  It was nine-thirty in the morning and the Founder and CEO of FramesRUs and I just had our introductory session about his business and what ARC can do to help. It was an informative meeting that I felt would grow productive results.

  We all stood to leave when my door burst open. There was no knock or even a warning. In front of me stood a tall, brooding and highly pissed-off Noah, looking about as red as a rose.

  He was here. In the flesh! Hell, in my office.

  The man looked the same, but before us, stood no diplomat trying to solve a problem. Noah looked as if he was the problem. He was, in essence, the same man but there was something feral about him, despite the fitted suit that was drool-worthy.

  “Excuse me?” I exclaimed as my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

  His hot eyes landed on mine as he nodded in the direction of my guest. Footsteps followed him as Glady’s glare on Noah would have burned lesser men. My head nodded signaling for her to let him go.

  Gladys gave me a pointed look and then turned to leave.

  “She’s the best in the business!” Noah said in a tight voice, which broke the tension as he turned his head to face my guest. “You’ll be lucky to have her.”

  Paul, the founder, agreed with a nod and said when he said, “That seems to be the consensus.”

  “Thank you! It was nice meeting with you, and we’ll be in touch soon.” I interjected in the middle of the weird intrusion.

  They left out one by one, and I gave my goodbyes. Then, my head whipped back to the hulk of a man, looming not far behind me.

  “Noah? Why are you here?” I managed to ask.

  Well, that London demeanor and proper that was everything Noah Wolfe was not present.

  “You have a date on Friday?” He asked as he moved towards me like a cougar on the prowl, while I went the scenic route to get back to the safety of my desk.

  It’s not clear why I thought the barrier of the wooden surface would save me because Noah followed me right around it to my executive chair.

  “Noah?” I tried to laugh. “How did you get here? When? How long are you here for?”

  His tall, lean body moved to place both of his hands on the arms of my chair, effectively caging me.

  “Do you have a bloody date on Friday?” He asked again but with an accented hiss.

  The steel in my back began to grow strong and with a tilt of my nose, I asked, “Why?”

  The flash in those eyes was molten and almost predatory as his swift move had me holding on for dear life. Noah grabbed me by the waist and firmly planted my ass on the desk.

  “Noah!” I gasped as my fingers clutched his shoulders.

  The man was dressed in a pinstriped suit, white crisp shirt, shiny shoes, and a five-o’clock shadow with those green eyes and that square jaw.

  “Why?” He exclaimed. “We’ve emailed, texted, talked, face-timed, laughed, slept, argued, or connected every day, at least once, over the past four months. If you bloody think that I’m going to sit back and let some bloke come in and steal what’s mine, you are full of rubbish. Or as you American’s say, full of shit. “

  Wait, what?

  My breath hitched as I realized I was not calm. My body was not calm. Not only that, but my nipples were tight peaks poking through the satin bra and my panties were wet with his bold declaration. I didn’t have much resolve left, but as I opened my mouth to respond, he shut me up with a kiss.

  It was not any ‘ole kiss either. It was a love-making, tangling of the tongues, deep in my mouth, depths of my soul kiss. The passion, the rawness, and the damn ownership. There would be no mistaken what Noah felt for me. No misunderstandings about what was going to happen next for our relationship. My pants covered legs were opened while Noah stood between them and continued to take what he needed from me, and I’d let him.

  My fingers found the back of soft hair as I moaned against his mouth. This caused him to growl and that was when he pulled back.

  “What I’d do to hear those moans as I rub you to come right now.” He uttered as he barely touched my lips.

  A nice, hot wave of wet gushed to my core and I began to squirm on the table.

  “Noah.” I whispered as I thought of his dirty words.

  His eyes were burning into mine and all I could do was wait for his next move. The man had mesmerized me, and I was momentarily lost in the green sea.

  “So bloody beautiful.” He murmured as he cupped my face.

  “Noah.” I called a little louder, trying to find my voice.

  “Yes, Love?” He was still hovering over me. “What’s the matter?”

  “Why did you come?” I asked because this needed to be answered.

  A beep sounded through the room, momentarily breaking the haze. Gladys’ voice rang out, “Your lunch date is here.”

  Noah’s eyes narrowed at me, but I had no time to explain. Pushing him back, I hopped down off the desk and rounded the table to ensure that I was presentable; and just in time because the door opened and there stood my father.

  “Hey, baby girl!” He beamed as I wanted to sink to the very debts of that same Atlantic Ocean that Noah just flew over. “Are you ready? Wait, who’s this?”

  “This is…” I started, but then I was interrupted.

  “Noah, Maxine’s significant other.” The man walked past me to shake my father’s hand. “And you are?”

  Oh, holy hell.

  “Uh, Noah?” I murmured as the thought of the ocean came back full force.

  My father’s back straightened with the news, but he recovered and shook Noah’s hand as he said, “I’m your significant other’s father. The name is Harold, nice to meet someone my girl is dating. She doesn’t do that anymore, now that she has her business. You know anything about her making appointments with her father every week, just so I can see my girl. She’s my only, you know. No other kids but this one, and I got to set an appointment. Do you have to set one too?”

  I could have absolutely died. My face had to be shiny with perspiration because my heart was beating like someone was pounding on a Congo. My father could not be serious with this.

  “Dad!” I hissed. “Stop telling people that.”

  He winked at Noah and asked, “Is it not true?”

  I simply shook my head as Noah interjected with his own commentary.

  “She probably would have had me set an appointment too, but there were pressing matters that needed to be addressed properly.” Noah turned around to look at me.

  “Huh?” My father mused as I glared at Noah. “Well, come on with us to lunch. You’re not from around here are you?”

  Dad patted his thigh and turned towards the door as he and Noah walked out.

  “Come on, Max. Can’t be late.” My dad called after me since I was still standing in the same spot, reeling over what just took place.

  My friend from overseas thought I had a date and flew to the States to ensure that I knew what he felt. My dad just welcomed the man with open arms and invited him to our weekly lunch, and they were right outside of my office, chumming it up.

  There was very little in life that rendered me speechless, but I had no words.

  Chapter 7

  Noah

  Harold and I chatted all the way to the restaurant that was within walking distance from Maxine’s office. He was a military vet, fought in combat, and met Maxine’s mum while overseas. He fell in love, they married, and she died during childbirth. That was a travesty and therefore, Maxine never knew her mum. Harold said he preferred it that way because then she couldn’t miss her as much as he did. That was another way to look at the dilemma.

  It wasn’t until we arrived at the restaurant that he began to ask questions about me personally and then about his daughter and me.

  “So, you and Max, how long?” Harold asked.

  She opened her mouth to answer, but I
said, “Four months.”

  He swung his head around towards his daughter and said, “You’ve been dating a man for four months and I just happen to meet him because I was here a little early.”

  “Dad, it’s not like that. Noah and I have been talking for four months, but he lives in London, so it wasn’t like dating, dating.” She tried to explain, so I added some clarification.

  “Love, we’ve talked every day for the past four months. We’re courting, and I’ve told you this already.” My gaze landed on her and my hand landed on her thigh.

  Her body froze under me, but I kept it there. Harold saw the awkwardness, but he kept going. “Why Max?”

  “Dad?” She gasped. “Are you serious right now?

  “Hush!” The man silenced his daughter with a slice of his hand in the air.

  “Maxine and I met because she was telling my mum off about the poor customer service she received in another country. I thought she was a loud, ignorant American with no respect for the start-up business. In her rant, though she made sense, I could not help but be convicted by what she expected from a business. Small or large, if they had clientele, constituents, and customers, Maxine was passionate that the level of respect that was given towards those they catered, then out of some personal goal accomplished, then the work wasn’t really being done with fidelity.” I squeezed her thigh. “That thinking took place in London. It was only after she escaped back to America that her message continued to live within me, and I realized that I wanted to know more about the feisty woman. After looking her up and seeing what she actually did professionally for a living, it changed my interpretation of the interaction. Then, I saw her review of my mum’s store, and I called to demand that she remove it. Thus, the review remains, but I can’t get enough of her.”

  Her father was beaming with utter pride about the short story of how we met.