Chapter Twelve

Harper’s POV:

I took it his hands and we walked down the hallway to one of the conference rooms. When he pushed the door open I saw them, five women sitting around the table and they all looked up at once and their expressions went cold.

"So I'm glad you all understand your roles now and how Miss Harper Lane will be guiding you in making Novare Group reach greater heights." Hardin's voice was different here, commanding and professional, and watching him in his business mode made heat pool between my legs because he was so in control and I wanted to mess that control up, wanted to see him wrecked and saying my name.

"Miss Lane?"

Someone was tapping my shoulder and I blinked hard trying to focus.

"So I'll leave you to talk to your team and see me after you're done." Hardin was looking at me and one eyebrow was up like he knew exactly where my mind had gone. Then he winked and walked out.

God this is going to be hard.

I turned to face the women and they were all watching me with expressions that made it clear they'd already decided they didn't like me. I gathered my thoughts and started talking, going over what had been in motion before I joined them and setting new tasks and expectations.

The meeting was shorter than I expected because despite their obvious disapproval they were professionals and they took notes and asked questions and by the end I felt like maybe I could do this.

"We'll revert soon." I stood up and they filed out one by one without saying anything extra to me.

When the door closed behind the last one I sat back down because my legs felt shaky. This was my life now, this office and these people who didn't want me here and a job that could either save me or destroy me.

"So how's your first day going?"

Hardin was leaning against the doorframe and the sight of him made my pulse jump.

"Well it's going fine, I hope." I laughed and it came out more genuine than I expected.

"Follow me." He pushed off the doorframe and started walking and I got up and followed him down another hallway.

We stopped at a door that had a nameplate on it and when I leaned closer to read it my breath caught.

Harper Lane, Operations Manager.

"Welcome to your office." He pushed the door open and I stepped inside and forgot how to breathe.

It looked like his office, the same size and layout, but everything was different. Floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the city, a massive desk in dark wood, a couch that looked soft enough to sleep on. The colors were cream and gold and it felt like someone had looked inside my head and pulled out exactly what I'd want.

"Wow." My mouth hung open and I walked to the window and pressed my hand against the glass. "Hardin this is—"

"But wait." I turned around and walked toward him, putting one hand on my hip. "How do you have this prepared on my first day?"

He moved closer and his hands went to my waist and pulled me against his chest.

"I've been planning it since the first day I offered you the job." His left hand came up to cup my jaw and his eyes dropped to my mouth. "I've always wanted you here Harper."

My breath was coming faster and his thumb brushed my bottom lip and I wanted to kiss him so bad my whole body ached with it.

"Hmmph." I coughed and twisted out of his grip, moving toward the desk. "This isn't your office Hardin where it's restricted. Any of my team members could walk in here anytime."

I sat down in the leather chair and it was so comfortable I wanted to sink into it and never leave. When I looked up he was watching me with eyes that were almost black.

"Fine." He walked over and sat on the edge of my desk. "I know you want me too though, I'm not the only one dying to have you under me naked."

"Hardin!" My face was burning.

"Okay okay." His hands went up and he was laughing. "I've heard you." His expression shifted and the playful man disappeared. "So about Blake Industries, have you called those people yet?"

I leaned back in the chair and all the lightness from a second ago drained out of me.

"I was planning to stop my plans against them this morning." The words came out quiet. "But then I rethought it because if I don't stop them and break their necks they won't stop coming for me."

"Thank God you're rethinking it." He crossed his arms and his jaw was tight. "I'm going at your pace to get back at them for you but you can't keep letting them win. And guess what?" He paused and something shifted in his expression. "I got Meridian Fashion Group. The one you were stalling on calling. They reached out just now and we've got them. Blake Industries just lost their biggest partner of the year."

My heart stopped and then started again too fast.

"What? Hardin, how did you—" I stood up so fast the chair rolled back and hit the wall. "That was my plan, I was supposed to do that."

"I know." He was watching me carefully. "But I wasn't going to wait around while they kept attacking you. Consider it a head start."

The room felt too small and I couldn't tell if I was angry or grateful or something else entirely because Meridian Fashion Group was the foundation of everything I'd been planning and now it was done, just like that, and I didn't know if that made things easier or if he'd just taken away the one thing I needed to prove I could do this myself.

"Harper say something."

I opened my mouth but nothing came out because what was I supposed to say when the man I was falling for just handed me exactly what I wanted but in a way that made me feel like I hadn't earned it?