"'There's no way your mom and Stanton are going to let you come out here at night multiple times a week,' Cary said, hugging his stylish denim jacket around him even though it wasn't more than slightly chilly." -- Am I supposed to believe that this woman has moved away from her parents, has her own apartment (albeit probably on mommy and daddy's dime), and somehow they're still telling her where she can and cannot go? Is it hard to write a protagonist who and think and act for herself?
She asks Cary why he thinks Stanton will find out, since she's not going to tell him or her mother about her new found interest.
"'She won't understand. She'll think I want to protect myself because of what happened, and she'll feel guilty and give me grief about it. She won't believe my main interest is exercise and stress relief.'" -- Right, so here's the thing. Even if your main interest was self-defence, why on earth would any parent on the planet have a problem with that? I'm only guessing (but I'm a pretty good guesser), but soon there's going to be a reveal of sexual assault in Eva's past, and if that's the case (and it will be), why would learning to defend herself be seen as anything other than empowering?
The next day at work, Eva is whining internally about having to spend the whole weekend away from Gideon Cross. Mark is going over something businessy with her when the phone rings. It's Stanton (Richard?? I don't fucking know, she calls him both. Richard Stanton? Stanton Richard? Is it a double-barrelled first name???? I NEED ANSWERS). He wants to have lunch, and Mark is nice enough to give her 2 hours. Stanton-Richard joins her shortly after she arrives, and and they start to eat.
"'Eva love, I wanted to discuss your interest in Krav Maga.'
I froze. 'Excuse me?'
Stanton took a sip of iced water and leaned back, his jaw taking on the rigidity that warned me I wouldn't like what he was about to say.
'Your mother was quite distraught last night when you went to that studio in Brooklyn. It took some time to calm her down and to assure her that I could make arrangements for you to pursue your interests in a safe manner. She doesn't want —'
'Wait.' I set my fork down carefully, my appetite gone. 'How did she know where I was?'
'She tracked your cell phone.'
..........
'She has to let it go. I've let it go.'
'You were an innocent, Eva. She feels guilty for not protecting you. We need to give her a little latitude.'" -- What the actual fuck. Also, "you were an innocent"???? Do people really talk like that?
Richard-Stanton goes on to say that he's arranged for a driver to take her to and from Brooklyn whenever she needs to go - it will be more convenient and safer I guess. Eva is rightfully upset and tells him he's enabling her mother and keeping her sick and she needs to get back to work. She leaves her phone with the receptionist and meets Clancy (Stanton-Richard's driver) in the lobby. On her ride home, she thinks of her mother, who is 'so emotional and fragile'. Thank goodness she has a big strong man to take care of her.
On her way back to work, she stopped at a corner store and bought a bunch of chocolate, which might be the most relatable thing she's done yet. She gets into an empty elevator at work and shovels the first one into her mouth in frustration. She was just enjoying 'the comfort of dark chocolate and caramel melting over [her] tongue,' when the elevator doors opened on the fourth floor to none other than Gideon Cross. Cue shock. Cue awe.
I hope you enjoy laughing at this. It might be the last time you smile in this chapter.
Gideon gets into the elevator with her, and she decides that it would be 'safer for her sanity' if she stepped out and took a different car up. Instead, Cross grabs her by the elbow and drags her back into the elevator. He overrides the car with a key and it begins its ascent to the top floor.
"'I'm not in the mood for you now, Mr. Cross.'
He watched the antique-style needle above the doors mark the passing floors. 'I can get you in the mood.'
'I'm not interested.'
Cross glanced over his shoulder at me. His shirt and tie were both the same rich cerulean as his irises. The effect was striking. 'No lies, Eva. Ever.'
'That's not a lie. So what if I'm attracted to you? I expect most women are.' Wrapping up what was left of my candy bar, I shoved it back into the shopping bag I'd tucked into my purse. I didn't need chocolate when I was sharing air with Gideon Cross. 'But I'm not interested in doing anything about it.'" -- In case anyone is curious, that literally 4 times in 119 words that she denies his advance. Four. Times.
"'Call me crazy, but I have to actually like someone before I get naked and sweaty with him.'
'Not crazy,' he said. 'But I don't have the time or the inclination to date.'
'That makes two of us. Glad we got that cleared up.'
He stepped closer, his hand lifting to my face. I forced myself not to move away or give him the satisfaction of seeing me intimidated. His thumb brushed over the corner of my mouth, then lifted to his own. He sucked on the pad and purred, 'Chocolate and you. Delicious.'" -- See, this. This is where that Krav Maga might come in fucking handy.
He tells her that romance isn't in his repertoire - how original - but 'a thousand ways to make [her] come are.' Ew. When the elevator stops, she 'backed into the corner and shooed him out with a flick of [her] wrist. "I'm really not interested."' Instead of leaving her to go back to work, he grabs her elbow again and steers her out of the elevator. They're walking to his office and he tells his receptionist to hold all of his calls.
'"I have to go back to work.'
'And I have a meeting at two. The sooner we work this out, the sooner we can both get back to business. Now, sit down.'
'What do you think we're going to work out?'
Sighing, he scooped me up like a bride and carried me over to the sofa. He dropped me on my butt, then sat next to me. 'Your objections. It's time to discuss what it's going to take to get you beneath me.'
'A miracle.' I pushed back from him, widening the space between us. I tugged at the hem of my emerald green skirt, wishing I'd worn pants instead. 'I find your approach crude and offensive.'"
"I pushed myself to my feet and backed out of his reach. 'Casual sex doesn't have to include wine and roses, but for God's sake, whatever else it is, sex should be personal. Friendly even. With mutual respect at the very least.'
His humor fled as he stood, his eyes darkening. 'There are no mixed signals in my private affairs. You want me to blur that line. I can't think of a good reason to.'
'I don't want you to do jack shit, besides let me get back to work.' I strode to the door and yanked on the handle, cursing softly when it didn't budge. 'Let me out, Cross.'
I felt him come up behind me. His palms pressed flat to the glass on either side of my shoulders, caging me in. I couldn't think of my own self-preservation when he was so close."
(If you've not been keeping count, that's 12 times now in a page and a half that she's told him some form of no. Twelve.)
THIS. IS. NOT. SEXY.
Except apparently it is. Cross requests that she turn and face him to say goodbye, as he's decided she's not worth the effort. How sweet. She turns and he tells her to kiss him. Somehow this is something she wants to do, so they kiss. A lot. He carries her over to the couch and they're all hands and tongues and she's basically ready to fuck him in his office on her lunch break.
"'Jesus, Eva.' A low rumble vibrated in his chest, the primitive sound sending goose bumps racing across my skin. 'Your boss is damned lucky he's gay.'"
The chapter ends with them just about to finally capitalise on 44 whole pages of lust when Gideon jumps to his feet.
"Abruptly, he yanked himself away, stumbling to his feet.
I lay there gasping and wet, so willing and ready. Then I realized why he'd reacted so fiercely.
Someone was behind him."
*spoiler alert, it's just the speaker on his office phone.
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