Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 200

Chapter 200

Nathaniel Carter’s office was exactly what I’d expect from the COO of a company like Kensington. It was elegant, imposing, and deliberately designed to intimidate. The walls were lined with dark mahogany shelves, a massive desk dominated the center of the room, and floor-to-ceiling windows offered a stunning view of Hyde Park. It was the kind of space that reminded you exactly who held the power.

He was standing behind his desk, flipping through a stack of documents, but looked up the moment I stepped inside. For a few seconds, neither of us said a word. His green eyes swept over me quickly but there was something in the way he looked at me that brought back everything from that airplane bathroom.

“Annabelle,” he said at last, his tone perfectly controlled. “Please, have a seat. Coffee? Water?”

“No, thank you,” I replied, walking toward the chair in front of his desk. My voice sounded steadier than I felt; my heart was pounding like I’d just run a marathon.

“Are you sure?” One brow lifted, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “It’s important to stay hydrated during… turbulent discussions.”

The way he said ‘turbulent’ made my throat go dry.

“I’m fine, thank you,” I said again, sitting down and crossing my legs, determined to stay composed.

Nathaniel nodded and sat as well, resting his elbows on the desk, studying me with that unnerving intensity I already remembered too well.

“So,” he began, opening a folder, “Gwen’s been giving me excellent reports about your work. She says you’ve been very responsive to the team’s demands.”

Responsive. The way he emphasized the word made my stomach tighten.

“I’ve been trying to do my best,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.

“And you’ve succeeded.” He flipped through a few pages. “Your reports show you have a real talent for meeting expectations. Quite impressive, considering you’re working with completely new material.”

Meeting expectations. Seriously? Did every sentence have to sound like an innuendo?

“I appreciate the positive feedback,” I managed to say. “I always aim to deliver quality results.”

“Excellent.” Nathaniel closed the folder and leaned back in his chair. “I’ll admit, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by your performance so far. From what I hear, you don’t hesitate to throw yourself fully into things once something captures your interest.”

Oh, he was definitely doing this on purpose.

“I believe passion is essential in any kind of work,” I said, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

“I couldn’t agree more.” His eyes gleamed with barely disguised amusement. “And you seem very willing to explore new positions… in the Euradian market, of course. Quite flexible in your approach.”

I swear my brain short-circuited for a second.

“I try to stay open to new learning experiences,” I said, wondering if he could tell just how much his words were getting to me.

“Perfect.” Nathaniel stood, walking to a nearby bookshelf and pulling down a volume on market strategy. Because I have a few projects in mind that might require some very… intensive work sessions. We may have to stay late some nights.”

Intensive sessions. Late nights. Every word sounded like an invitation to something entirely different.

“I’m glad you see potential in my work,” I said, forcing myself to focus on the conversation and not his tone. “Oh, I definitely do.” He closed the book and moved closer, stopping beside the chair next to mine, his hand resting casually on its back. “In fact, I have a very vivid memory of our first encounter. You showed a level of passion I don’t often see in new team members.”

He was absolutely talking about the plane.

“Thank you for the vote of confidence,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

“That’s one of the things I admire most about you, Annie.” The way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine. “Your authenticity. The way you throw yourself into challenges without holding anything back.”

Without holding anything back. Just like that night thirty-seven thousand feet above the ground.

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