Denying Bjorn (2 page)

Lydia sighed. She’d thought she would never become interested in a man until she met Bjorn nine months ago. She caught herself smiling as she entered his expenses into the Excel spreadsheet and wondered what could be wrong with him to make him so distant to her. She thought about asking him if he needed to talk, but perhaps that would be out of line. They were close, but not as close as he and Julia. From what Julia told her, he was kindhearted, a great listener, and always provided wonderful advice to those in need. He was also a matchmaker.

Lydia caught herself daydreaming. Did Bjorn have a woman of his own, tucked somewhere outside of Draguun Inc.? The very thought caused her chest to tighten in agony. She hoped that he didn’t, but the man was too damn fine not to have that special someone in his life.

Before she knew it, an hour had passed, and there was an error in Bjorn’s reports. “Come on, man, you know you can’t expense booze,” she grumbled under her breath. The expense report kept getting rejected every time she tried to submit it. Alcohol was definitely not a company expense. Bjorn would have to pay for it out of his pocket.

Picking up the phone, she called one of the secretaries. “Carla, could you please relieve me for twenty minutes or so? Okay, thank you.”

This was a perfect time for her to approach him. Eagerness settled over her as she rose from the front desk and Carla took her place. Now she could concentrate on the expense report, and perhaps spend a few minutes alone with Bjorn. She should have called him first, she knew, but she needed to get the skinny on him. There just had to be something she could do for him.

Swallowing hard, she made her way through the cubicles, past Julia’s cubicle and Angus’s office, which was locked up tighter than a drum. His door was slightly ajar, but she knocked before entering.

“Bjorn?”

“Come in, Lydia.”

She slinked into his office, smiled, and waved the expenses in the air. “We have a slight problem.”

“Sure, come on over.” His voice was uninviting and so cold.

That wasn’t exactly the type of tone she wanted to hear in his voice, but she’d change that. Her heart fluttered at the man sitting behind the large oak desk. His office was decorated with early European artwork that made her feel as though she had stepped back into time.

Lydia quickly brought the expenses over for him to see. “Zelco won’t accept the expenses as is. You took some customers to dinner a few weeks ago, and it looks like you guys ordered two bottles of wine. Alcohol is not an expensible item.”

“Oh, I’d totally forgotten about that.” His face turned beet red. “It was a mistake. I have no problem paying for it. Thanks.” Bjorn continued shuffling papers around his desk while she stared on. “Is there anything else?” He stopped only to look at her a few moments before returning to his paperwork.

“Is everything okay with you?” She just had to ask. He looked as if he needed to talk to someone.

He looked at her again, this time frowning. “What are you talking about?”

“Well . . . it’s just that when you came in earlier, it seemed like you had some things on your mind. I . . . was a little concerned, that’s all. If there’s anything I can do . . .” She wanted to reach out to lay a reassuring hand on his arm, but thought maybe that would be a bit much. It seemed as though her concern irritated him.

“Of course I have a lot on my mind.” He smiled briefly. “Angus is away, and I have a lot of work to do.”

“Is there anything I can help you with? I am, after all, a personal assistant,” she said with a smile. “I can relieve you from some of those daunting tasks.”

“That’s why we have secretaries,” he said quickly without looking up from his paperwork. “Where’s Dawn?”

Lydia’s heart sank. Why was he asking about her cousin? Had she somehow wormed her way into Bjorn’s bed? “Dawn’s in the secretary pool. Why do you ask?”

He looked up at her briefly. “I may need her later on.”

“Of course,” she said with a nervous laugh. This wasn’t turning out as she’d planned, and suddenly she was feeling like such an idiot. Bjorn was tense, and something lingered in his eyes. He wasn’t his usual warm, caring self. As a courtesan, she had no problem engaging men in intelligent conversation. Now, for the first time in her life, she struggled to think of something to say. This man possessed the ability to make her melt. Oh, the pressure.

“Is that all for the expense reports?” Bjorn asked quickly, almost cruelly. “If you don’t mind, I really have a lot of work to do before meeting with a new client this afternoon.”

Lydia felt her face flush—not in anger, but sheer embarrassment with underlying tones of disappointment. This outcome was not what she’d intended, but she couldn’t give up so easily.

“If Dawn is too busy, I can help you out with your scheduling. I’ve done so for you before in the past. Why is it so different now?” She clenched her teeth together, determined not to let him toss her out on her ass and possibly lose him to her demon-of-a-bitch cousin. “Why are you acting this way toward me?”

“Listen, I’m not having such a great day. Please—I really need to be alone right now.”

“Okay.” She shrugged when she rose. “If there are any other problems with your expenses, I’ll let you know.” With that, she put the chair back into place and hurried out of his office with her pride still intact.

Yeah, pride intact, but the stinging sensation in her heart was relentless. How was it possible to feel as if she were losing something she never really had?

Chapter Three

Bjorn quickly jumped to his feet, locked the door behind Lydia, and returned to his desk. He gave a sigh of relief that she was gone—not that he wanted her to leave, but because of the raging hard-on he’d been trying to conceal.

It was far worse than last night. He wasn’t normally a horndog, but at this moment, the urge to seal Lydia in his office alone was overwhelming. Last night he’d changed his mind about asking her out due to the simple fact that he was immortal.

He hadn’t meant to be so cold toward her, but his feelings for her were far too gone, and he needed to control them now. She was kind . . . almost too kind. Her shyness seemed to dissolve the moment she thought something was wrong with him.

Bjorn shuddered. She knew he wasn’t himself the moment he walked through those doors. He smiled at that. She was so kind, caring, and sensitive. Despite his best efforts of pushing her away, she refused to give in. He liked that. She was the kind of woman who would always have her man’s back.

He groaned and silently chastised himself for using her cousin, Dawn, against her. He didn’t want, nor did he require, anything from that woman. He just wanted Lydia to return to the front desk until he could control his physical lust. He wanted her, but wanted to develop their relationship further. He felt he owed her an explanation, but would reveal it to her at another time, if she’d give him the time of day now.

Bjorn appreciated her concern, he really did. She’d thrown him for a loop, and he didn’t know how to deal with it. Perhaps now was as great a time as any to ask her out on a date. Just one date. Maybe dinner and a movie? Hell, even a night stroll on the beach. Anything to be closer to Lydia! Hopefully tonight?

He groaned. Another night alone would kill him. What he wouldn’t do to be by her side tonight. They could stay up all night talking about anything. If something else occurred between them, that would be okay too.

“No, you bastard,” he muttered to himself. “She’s not a one-night stand. She’ll never be just a one-night stand.”

As much as he wanted her sexually, there was no denying she had control of his heart. Maybe on their second date—if he made it that far—he’d cook dinner at his house, for her.

Glancing at his watch, he now realized he needed to hurry. He had a long drive ahead of him and had come into the office only to pick up a few things necessary for his meeting.

Early in the morning, even after several cups of coffee, he had succumbed to the wine and fallen asleep on the sofa. The plan was to stay up and head into the office early to pick up the flash drives and other items needed for the presentation.

He winced at his lack of organization and responsibility. Perhaps he’d take her up on the personal assistant offer after all. It just seemed as if he had the world on his shoulders at the moment, and letting his personal needs and wants interfere with business was so unlike him.

However, things were different now. Angus was the governing force of Draguun Inc. They always strategically planned their meetings, what would be said to clients during them. Together, he and Angus made it a habit tag-teaming clients like the professionals they were. With Julia gone, Bjorn was also responsible for helping to come up with the marketing campaigns.

Unfortunately, Bjorn felt as though he was sinking. The secretaries were of great help to him, but they didn’t have the strong business knowledge Angus possessed. He had become so used to Lydia preparing his expense reports, but he didn’t want to overwhelm her with any more tasks than she had already volunteered for.

He ran his hands through his hair. What he needed to do was ask the woman out and get it over with. She’d probably turn him down flat now, after the way he treated her, but it was worth a try.

Suddenly, his phone rang, and he noticed it was Lydia’s extension. With a lurch of his heart and heated anticipation, he picked up the line.

“Bjorn Jensen.”

“Bjorn, Tommy Miru is here to meet with you.”

His hand connected with his forehead, but he was smooth in what he had to say. “I’ll be out to get him in a few minutes. Thanks, Lydia.”

“You’re welcome.”

Bjorn’s hard-on ebbed away, and he released a silent breath. How could he have forgotten about his meeting with Tommy Miru? Tommy was one of Draguun’s most lucrative accounts.

Quickly he looked at his watch. He had to finesse his way through this one for sure, and right now he was running on empty. Heavy eyes from staying up all night and a fuzzy brain from so much wine weren’t helping, either. Not a good way for a vice president to start his day.

After this damned meeting, and once she returned from lunch, he’d ask her out on a date—tonight. They’d go to the little Italian restaurant around the corner on the waterfront. He knew she loved Italian and couldn’t wait for the day to pass.

* * * *

Lydia buried herself in her work in an effort to get Bjorn out of her head. Why the hell was he acting so damned crazy toward her? She knew the man had pressures, but damn! She was in the middle of ordering office supplies when her cousin’s annoying voice broke her concentration.

“Lydia!”

She cringed. Dawn was ready to go out to lunch, but Lydia had decided she was staying in today. There was just so much to do, and she needed to keep her thoughts private. She was actually trying to find work to make the day go by faster. After that, she’d go home to soak in a relaxing bubble bath and maybe indulge in a large sundae with cookies-and-cream ice cream, fudge, and peanut butter sauce to melt her disappointments away.

“Hey, woman. You ready?” Dawn plopped her overly large designer purse down on the ledge of her desk and looked around the office. “Where’s Carla? She usually relieves you for lunch.”

“I’m not going out to lunch today.”

“Aw, come on, baby girl. I need to talk to you.”

“About what, Dawn?” Lydia rolled her eyes. Her cousin always had a way of making a mountain out of a molehill.

“It’s about you know who.” She nodded her head and arched her eyebrows. “You know, cutie blondie boy.”

“Oh?” The pet name Dawn had given Bjorn was appalling to her. He wasn’t a boy, he was a man. “What about Bjorn?”

Dawn studied her French manicure and smiled. “You know your boy asked me out to dinner tonight, right?”

Something twisted in Lydia’s gut, and bile formed in her throat. There was no way in hell. She couldn’t believe it. Dawn was very attractive, but just didn’t seem like Bjorn’s type. She sported a short hairstyle when she didn’t have her braids in, and had the body of an angel with the black heart of a demon. She always had been that way. No wonder they’d almost lost everything they’d owned out in Cali, thanks to Dawn’s greed and carelessness. The woman, although her cousin, could not be trusted.

Lydia was also aware of the fact that Dawn knew she was attracted to Bjorn. Was she actually going out of her way to make her jealous? She studied the sickening smile on her cousin’s face. Of course she was.

“Well good for you,” Lydia lied in a low voice. “I’m glad. You need to get out of the house.” She still couldn’t believe it. Bjorn wasn’t known for dating any female employee. “I’m busy, Dawn. I have a lot to do.”

Her cousin shrugged. “Suit yourself. Don’t wait up for me tonight.” With a toss of her head, Dawn sauntered out the double glass doors, leaving Lydia heavily disappointed. She returned to ordering office supplies online.

Maybe it was for the best. Perhaps Dawn and Bjorn would make the perfect couple. Not. Well, she hoped not. Who the hell did Lydia think she was kidding? It was no joke. The man clearly wasn’t interested in her . . . but interested in her skank of a bitch-ass cousin? She really tried wrapping her mind around that one, but it gave her a headache.

Admitting that toasted Lydia’s buns. True, they both had been courtesans, but at least Lydia knew when to draw the line. Dawn still carried on with certain activities for fast money whenever it suited her. She wasn’t genuinely interested in Bjorn, just his wallet, and Lydia knew she would bed him the first chance she got.

Heat rose and burned Lydia’s cheeks as an image of Dawn and Bjorn having a heated encounter flashed through her mind. Her bottom lip trembled in anger. Or, was it jealousy? She supposed it was a little of both.

“Whatever.” Lydia snorted and tried to shrug off the green-eyed monster just before the phone rang. She forced a smile and answered. “Good afternoon, Draguun Incorporated, how may I direct your call?”

“Lydia?”

She recognized the baritone voice right away. It was him. Speak of the devil. “Yes, Bjorn?” She refused to hide the agitation in her voice. If she saw him right now, she’d probably deck him.