Miles

Chapter 4

Ella froze, her mouth opened ajar, as Travis waited patiently for her to answer. She let out what sounded like a gasp mixed in with a sob and crossed her arms to help her recover her actions. "Uh...can I get back to you on that?"

Travis smiled and tapped her arm. "You think about it but I'd like an answer before the day is over." He turned to Miles. "Let me show you the conference room." She caught Miles' seductive stare before he walked with Travis and once they disappeared around the corner, she turned around to find Joy standing, with her arms opened for the much needed hug. She walked into her friend's arms and let out the breath she'd been holding.

"He's going to do everything to break me," Ella whispered.

"No, darling," Joy whispered back. "He already broke you." She shoved her friend off and sat down in her chair, her fingers raking her hair. This wasn't going to be easy and she had a battle coming for her. The problem with her was that she was still attractive to the enemy and each time he smiled at her, she felt the tug of emotions in her belly, making her feel as if she was walking on air. The breath she was letting out felt hot and heavy, unlike her own, as she tried to take in what had just happened.

"Let me ask you this. Are you going to sleep with him?" Joy asked.

Ella's face drained of color as a few heads turned her way. She glared at her friend. "Can you say that again louder because I don't think the whole world heard you?"

Laughing, Joy replied, "I'm not known to be quiet about my needs, darling. You know me. Look, I don't know why you're so worked up about this. He's an old flame, right? You're not interested anymore, right?"

Ella began to tidy up her workspace to avoid answering and Joy grabbed her hands, her eyes narrowing and then a wicked smile appeared on her face.

"Oh my Lord, Ella! You want the man!" she cried. "Why are you denying this? You're not a little girl anymore. You're a grown woman making her own money."

"Hello!" Ella cried as she pulled her hands freed. "Did you not hear? He just bought the company and I don't think banging the CEO is going to be the answer to my life right now."

Joy laughed and a snort escaped, which made her laugh harder and Ella couldn't help but laugh at her friend. "Ella, honestly, you are the only woman in the world who cannot just simply say yes to a hot man. If Miles came at me like he is right now at you, I'd be stripped and naked, waiting for him with nothing on but a pair of heels."

Ella made a face. "Oh, God, I will never be able to erase that image from my mind. Get to work, Joy. You're behind."

When lunch finally came, Ella was collecting her things when Joy stood up suddenly and forced a smile. Before she could ask where her friend was going, she turned around to find Miles walking toward her with his hands in his pockets. The man had such a seductive entrance that it sent her recollecting herself again. She hated the fact that she'd seen him naked before and she ached to feel what lay beneath that suit of his.

"Have a great lunch," Joy said as she skipped happily past them both.

Miles smiled and then he caught her gaze. "I take it you're free to join me?"

She cleared her throat and shook her head. "No, actually, I'm not. I already made plans. He'll be waiting for me."

His eyes darkened and his jaw twitched. "He? Who is he?" The reply became unanswered in her mind as she fought to find a quick response when she heard Alan call out her name from the copy room. Both of them turned and he came out holding a tray of paper in his hands. Alan, the quirky copy editor who had been trying to get a date with Joy for the past six months, flashed his smile at her. Instantly, she saw Miles' eyes widen and she reached out to stop Alan with her hand.