Chapter 5 He knew who I was. I couldn't quite put my finger on why I was so sure of that, but I was. What I didn't get was why he wasn't acknowledging our brief but intense past. The simple answer? It had only been intense for me, while I had been a minor blip in his life. Based on his bajillion-dollar company, the power he so clearly held, and what my AI buddy, Anthony, had explained, it's what I was leaning toward. It blew my mind the shy yet blunt Tore I'd met in the bar, dressed in well-worn jeans and a faded anime shirt, was the same man who, just last week, had been wearing a sleek, well-tailored suit, occupying a doorway like he owned it. On second thought, I supposed he did own it. I wasn't going to let a little bit of weirdness stand in the way of my job, though. When Paul had asked for a weekly catering appointment, I'd jumped at the opportunity, refusing to feel awkward about running into Tore Gallo. Not even when he walked into the empty conference room, took a seat at the table, and opened his laptop like he was planning on working. "Good morning." I was impressed at how professional I sounded, given how dry my throat had gone the moment I'd turned around to face him. Every drop of saliva had evaporated from my body. He wasn't wearing a tie today, and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing bare, smooth skin. Just a sliver, but enough to see the indentation at the base of his throat and the beginning of the line dividing his pecs. Utterly obscene. Who'd let him out in public like that? "Good morning." He rubbed the cleft in his chin, his heavy-lidded gaze sliding over me. "I hope you don't mind me being in here early." My husk of a tongue shot out to lick my dry lips, just enough for me to be able to speak like a semi-normal human being. "It's not a problem." I cast him a closed-lip smile. "I won't be much longer." "There's no rush." I checked the time on my phone. "You're right. My next job canceled, so I have a bit more time today." "Does that happen often?" "What?" He lowered his chin, pinning me with an intense, probing stare. "Cancellations. Do they happen often?" "No, thankfully." I crinkled my nose. "Most people prefer not to lose their deposit." "Smart to take a deposit," he murmured. I tapped my temple. "That's me, super genius. Almost as impressive as protecting all the computers of the government." It took a beat for my joke to hit him, then he shot me a deadly smirk. "Not all the government. Only a specific sector." I laughed, and it came out far raspier than intended. "Of course. Silly me for getting that wrong." When he didn't say anything else, I gestured toward my setup. "I should finish this." He nodded. "I won't get in your way." No, he wouldn't. But I felt his eyes on me the entire time. Every once in a while, there was the click of his mouse, but that was probably to keep the screen awake. Not a chance he was actually doing anything when my spine tingled from his unbroken attention. Annoying. I didn't know what his game was- playing like we were strangers. And I wasn't particularly interested in finding out. I wished he would pull the same disappearing act he had before, so I could get on without interruption. No such luck. Paul strode in minutes later, doing a double take when he spotted Tore at the conference table. "Tore, I, uh"-he studied his watch-"did the time for the meeting change? I would have contacted the caterer if I'd known." Tore raised a hand. "Nothing's changed." He offered no other explanation, leaving Paul gawping. Join the club, buddy. "Was there something you needed?" I asked, ever the professional. Paul managed to get control of his jaw and gather himself. "No. Actually, I came to ask you that. And"-he shuffled closer, peering at my goodies-"I was going to ask if you had any of those cranberry-and-white-chocolate muffins." "Today's your day." I reached into my box and plucked one out. "Here you go." He grabbed it fast, like there was a chance it would disappear. "Thank you. These went fast last week. There were only a few crumbs left after the meeting..." He trailed off, sheepish, while inside, I was running rings around him, raising my hands in victory. I kept my cool, though. I knew I'd won him over. There was no need to be smug. "They're my partner's recipe. I'll let Daisy know you love them." I bumped him with my elbow. "If you're nice, I'll even set one aside for you next week." "I'll make sure to always be extra nice." Paul clutched his muffin to his chest. "You're the best, Bea." I fluttered my lashes. "I've heard that before." He took a small bite and hummed. "Often, I assume." A throat cleared-Tore reminding us he was in the room. Not that I'd forgotten. His presence was spiky and hot, almost tangible. Tore leveled Paul with a flat look. "Don't you have other things to do? The caterer is busy." Poor Paul turned so red, I worried for his blood pressure. "Yes, of course. I'll just...get out of your way." He lifted his muffin. "Until next week, Bea." "See ya, Paul," I called to his retreating back. After a beat of silence, Tore asked, "Is there a muffin for me as well?" I laughed under my breath. "Technically, they're all yours. You're the one footing the bill, after all." He cocked his head, rubbing that damn cleft again. "You do know who I am. I wondered..." Slamming the last charcuterie cup down, I sucked in a deep breath, taking a moment to calm my thrashing heart. I'd been sort of hoping we'd skip this part, but here it was. "Of course I do." I wiped my hands down my sides. "You're Tore Gallo, the CEO of Nox Cyber." He nodded. "And you're Bea Novak, co-owner of Grazing by Daisy and Bea, and...waitress?" When we'd last met, I'd been considering partnering with Daisy. Since then, a lot had happened, including Daisy moving to California with her husband, Miles, leaving Denver fully to me. Tore could only know I co-owned my business if he'd looked me up. Not knowing how to feel about that, I set it aside for later. "That's right. You summed me up." "I very much doubt that." Unfolding from his chair, he moved toward me, somewhat stiffly, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets. "Can I take you out, Bea?" What the what? I shook my head, sending my curls bouncing. "No, you can't." The fact that he'd thought that was the question to ask me, or that I'd possibly say yes, was mind-boggling. I hadn't thought him to be audacious. Then again, I didn't really know him. His head jerked slightly, and the tips of his ears burned red hot. "Why not?" I straightened my spine, making myself as tall as possible. "Because I'm not baseball. In my world, one strike and you're out. Considering you've had two strikes, well-" "Two?" His brow dropped low. "I concede to one, but two?" I made a peace sign. "Two." That was all he would get from me. My boundaries were solid for a reason, and I didn't feel the need to explain them...just as he hadn't offered an explanation for disappearing after the best night of my life two years ago. In fact, it was pretty much bullshit he had remembered me but pretended not to. Giving him my back, I packed up my things while he just...stood there. Anyone else would have given me space, but not him. Maybe it was the CEO in him, taking what he wanted. It was also possible he didn't realize just how close he was-that he should have backed away, giving me room to breathe. With a box in my arms and totes hooked on my elbow, I turned toward the door. "I'll be back next week. Have a good day." "Tell me the other strike." I lifted my gaze to his as I passed. "Figure it out, and maybe we can talk." Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!