Chapter Nine

When we got back to work, the TV was on in the lobby. I stopped, the familiar tickers scrolling by with numbers that usually got me excited. That wasn't what I was looking at, though. The CEO of New York Solar Company was on, and he was about to deliver a press conference. Nerves twisted in my core.

Maddy paused, then touched my shoulder. “I'll catch up with you later,” she said. I nodded, but never turned from the television screen.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the man started. “I know there must be some questions about what happened this morning. We believe it to be a question of the big players in this market finally taking notice of us. Fortunately, we have a multi-year head start on this technology, and our patents make our methods proprietary.”

I snorted, right there in the lobby. I had told Carter that they would say that other companies were trying to bully them out, but the notion that their tech was proprietary was ridiculous. I could think of two companies that had similar solar power generation processes and were bigger than this company.

Already, though, I could see that the stock had come back half a point from their low last night. People were buying it, for now. They wouldn't for long. Not if I was right about the numbers. Not if he kept saying exactly what I thought he was going to say.

Things were going exactly as I had said they would.

The man continued to talk as I ran to the elevator, hitting the button for Carter's office, more excited than I had been in a long time.

* * *

Usually Cindy stopped me at the door, but today she had a smile. “Go right on in. He's expecting you,” she said.

Apparently Carter was as excited to see me as I was to see him. I walked in the office, looking at his desk. He wasn't there.

I wondered where he could be when I heard a loud POP to my left. Carter had a bottle of champagne in his hand, which was quickly overflowing. I rushed to grab a nearby towel, but he laughed and grabbed it himself, wiping the bottle.

“How does it feel to make your first million for this company?” he asked.

I frowned. There was no way I had made a million dollars already. A lot of money, yes, but not a million dollars. “Carter, I-”

“You were right. You read the numbers like a book,” Carter said. “And now we're set for even more.”

“More?” I frowned. I hoped he had sold the shorted stocks. “There's nothing proprietary about their process, so I didn't think-”

“I know, Jane. I'm going to play the swings while the company's stock plays see-saw for the rest of the day,” he explained.

I hesitated. “That's more your forte than mine,” I said carefully.

He shrugged. “Well then, we can split the credit.” He poured champagne into two glasses. “To the first half million you've made for this company,” he said as he handed me a glass.

I felt like I should protest again, since I didn't really feel like I made the company a half million dollars. It all felt kind of unreal. I mean, a half million dollars could pay off every student loan I had. It was kind of absurd.

I realized that I shouldn't argue with the boss. “To my first half million,” I said, clinking my glass against his. I tilted my head back and let the sparkling liquid slip down my tongue. Without thinking, I downed the entire glass. When I finished, I realized that, as I tilted my head back, I pushed my breasts out a little too far. For at least half a second, my boss's eyes were fixed on my chest. He quickly recovered and made eye contact, but the attention sent a shiver of desire through my body.

He seemed to think for a moment, then he seemed to do a quick nod to himself. “You know what? You only get one 'first victory', and I want to make sure you celebrate this one right.”

I didn't know what to say, but I managed to choke out an “Oh?”

“Yeah. I'm going to take you out tonight. I know you're new to town, so think of where you want to go out. Any place you want, I can get reservations.” He seemed proud of this fact. His eyes remained locked on mine.

I was shocked. Was he asking me out on a date? I wasn't his type. I wasn't a supermodel. All I had was...

Big boobs. Which I had just flaunted in front of him. On accident.

Plus, I had just made him a million dollars. Even for a billionaire, that had to feel like a win.

My heart began to race. This sexy billionaire was actually checking me out, and had actually asked me out on a date. Was this possible? Was this real life?

Is it possible to die from nervousness? I thought for the second time while in this building.

I guess I hesitated for too long, because he continued. “You can take the rest of the day off to get ready, and I'll expect you back here after the market closes.”

I laughed. “Leave work early?”

“Of course,” he said. “You're not wearing that to a fancy restaurant.”

I looked down at myself, at my pencil skirt and button-up blouse. “What's wrong with what I'm wearing?”

He shrugged. “Nothing. It's a fine outfit for the work day, but not for after work. Just put on your favorite dress and meet me back here at six o'clock.”

With that, he drank the rest of his glass of champagne and put the rest of the bottle on ice. Where he got ice from, I had no idea. Maybe he had an ice maker in his office for all the champagne he drank? Who knew what a billionaire had?

He turned and went back to his desk. “Go,” he said. “I have to earn the other half a million that you made me.”

He picked up his phone and began to dial, making it clear that we were done for now. I quickly left his office. I thought about going and telling Maddy, but instead I just walked to my office. I knew she'd never believe me anyway.

This was going to be a night to remember.