Do Not Disturb by Stephanie Julian

on bed rest. We can meet, go over what she usually has planned and figure things out from there.”
    “Do you already have the venue?”
    “Last couple of years we’ve held it at Haven. Debby and the conference coordinator there had started working on things, but apparently everything has been a little disorganized since Debby’s health became an issue.”
    “So there are a few things laid out already?”
    “Yes. You won’t be coming in with nothing.”
    “That wouldn’t be a problem.”
    No, he didn’t imagine it would be. Talia had pretty much everything in her life under control.
    Which just made him want to ruffle her. Make her a little flustered. Hell, make her a lot flustered.
    Then he’d spread her out on a bed and spank her before he tied her on her stomach and fucked her.
    Just thinking about her naked and tied made his cock twitch in anticipation.
    “So, tomorrow?”
    Silence. She could have been checking her schedule. Then again, she could be trying to think up an excuse not to.
    “I can be free Wednesday afternoon. Does that work for you?”
    He smiled but made sure his triumph didn’t show in his tone. “Sure. How about we meet at Haven around one for lunch? I’ll see you then, Tally.”
    He deliberately used the pet name he’d called her during their night together, but he didn’t wait to hear her response.
    Hanging up, he set his phone on his desk and looked out over the city from his window high above 12th Street.
    But he wasn’t looking at the bustling mess of the city below. He stared out at the murky gray sky and remembered that night a week ago.

Chapter Six
    “There’s no reason to hyperventilate. It’s a business meeting.”
    Talia stared at her reflection in the rearview of her car, making sure her lipstick wasn’t all over her teeth and her mascara hadn’t run on the drive down here from her office.
    Exactly what she would have done to prepare for any other meeting.
    Then why are your palms sweaty?
    “Because I’m being totally stupid.”
    Which was an understatement.
    She’d spent a night with the man. Had hot, sweaty, ohmygodthatwasgreat sex with the man. Then she’d practically run out the door the next morning.
    Obviously, that night hadn’t made much of an impression on Dane. He hadn’t called afterward, hadn’t texted.
    She could admit to being a tad put out by that, but at least they hadn’t had that awkward conversation where she had to turn down his offer to take her out for dinner and drinks and give the obligatory “It was great but I think we should just be acquaintances” speech.
    No, this was much better. A business meeting.
    No awkwardness there.
    Right.
    Why the hell had she agreed to do this?
    For the resume credit. At least, that was the most obvious answer. The fact that his family owned one of the largest media companies on the East Coast should at least give her pause. The fact that she’d slept with him should have her running the other way.
    Picking up her phone, she scrolled through her contacts. Her finger hovered over Kate’s number, but that conversation they’d had last week made her pause.
    Kate had been trying to tell her something about Dane, but she hadn’t wanted to hear it.
    Was that still the case?
    She started when her phone began to ring, then shook her head at herself. She didn’t recognize the phone number but that wasn’t unusual. She gave out her cell number for business all the time.
    “Hi, this is Talia. Can I help you?”
    “Talia Driscoll? I’m Robert Polyak. I represent your father.”
    Her stomach dropped and she immediately went lightheaded. Good thing she was sitting down, otherwise she might have stumbled.
    “Is he okay?”
    “Yes, he’s fine. I’m sorry for calling out of the blue like this, but there are some papers I need you to sign.”
    Taking a deep breath, Talia tried to wrangle her thoughts into some semblance of sanity.
    “Can you mail them to me?”
    “I can. I just didn’t want them to show up