Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 201

Nathaniel's POV

The moment the door clicked shut behind Annie, I let myself smile for the first time since the meeting started. Hell, that woman knocked me completely off balance.

I dropped into my chair and dragged my hands over my face, trying to process what had just happened. It had been two full months since that flight to London, and I still hadn't managed to get Annabelle Bennett out of my head for a single day.

And it wasn't just the sex. Although God, that had been... intense in a way I never saw coming. It was everything about her. The way she had clung to me during the turbulence, terrified and brave at the same time. The way our conversation had flowed so naturally. The way her eyes lit up when she talked about her career goals.

But mostly, it was the fact that she had rejected me.

Nathaniel Carter, COO of Kensington London, a man who never had trouble getting a woman's attention, and she had looked me straight in the eye, said it wasn't happening, and walked away. No one had ever done that to me.

Usually, I was the one women chased. The successful Englishman with money, social standing, and Kensington apartment. I was used to being treated like some prize people wanted to win. But Annie had slept with me because she thought she was about to die, then dismissed me like I was a mistake she preferred not to remember.

And that only made me want her more.

I picked up my phone and typed a message to Christian, then erased it before sending. How the hell was I supposed to explain to one of my best friends, my CEO no less, that I'd hooked up with his sister-in-law in an airplane bathroom? Not that Christian would judge me. Knowing what he and Zoey had been through, he'd understand complicated situations. But Annie clearly hadn't told anyone, and I wasn't going to be the one to ruin that.

When I found out that "Annie Bennett" was being transferred to London to work under my supervision, my first instinct was to shut it down. Tell Christian she should work directly with Gwen, tell him I had too many trips lined up, any excuse.

But I couldn't do it as curiosity won.

And seeing her again today... God. She was even more beautiful than I remembered. That gray dress hugged her curves in a way that made it impossible not to remember exactly what it felt like to touch her. And her eyes, those brown eyes that had gone wide with shock when she saw me in the café yesterday.

During the meeting, it took every ounce of self-control I had not to lean across the table and kiss her. The way she kept trying to hold on to her professional composure while I threw out those comments... it was addictive. Watching her cheeks warm, her breathing hitch, even as she stood her ground.

She was exactly as I remembered, strong and determined, but with that hint of vulnerability that drove me insane.

And now? Now I was in an impossible situation. As the COO, I was technically her boss. Any wrong move could be seen as an abuse of power, harassment, or worse. Christian trusted me to keep the London office running smoothly, not to make a mess chasing after employees.

Especially employees who were family.

The right thing would be to keep my distance. Stay strictly professional. Hand off all her training to Gwen and limit our contact as much as possible.

But every part of me fought against that idea.

I wanted to know her. I wanted to figure out if the woman who had captivated me on that plane was the real Annie Bennett or if it had just been the fear of dying talking. I wanted to know if the insane chemistry between us had been real or nothing more than adrenaline.

And if I were being honest with myself, I wanted her again. I wanted far more than those stolen minutes in an airplane bathroom. I wanted time to actually explore her, to show her what I could do when I had more than ten minutes and a space bigger than a closet.

"Of course, Mr. Carter. What do you need?"

"Remind me of the details for the dinner with the Franconian investors next Friday."

"Le Bernardin, eight p.m. Just you and the three representatives from Blackwell Estate to discuss the distribution partnership."

"Perfect." I smiled, already seeing my next step unfold. "I need you to call Annabelle Bennett and let her know she'll be accompanying me. Tell her I need someone with specific knowledge of the Verdanian market to support the presentation."

"Of course, Mr. Carter. Anything else?"

"No, that's all. Thank you, Margaret."

I hung up and leaned back in my chair, pleased with myself. A business dinner was perfectly appropriate. It was legitimate work, and the Franconian really might be interested in the Verdanian market. Annie had the expertise.

But it would also give us a chance to spend time together outside the stiff, formal office setting. To talk like adults, without the weight of the boss-employee dynamic pressing quite so hard.

And maybe, during that dinner, I'd finally figure out whether Annabelle Bennett was just as interested in exploring this connection as I was.