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My attention lingered on the label beside it: RYAN MEDIA GROUP "You knoyou in action Fish in a barrel or whatever it is you Americans say"

"First of all," he said, quieter now, "you’re using that wrong, and nobody says that anymore And second, you’re full of shit You have a hundred other s this week; I know you’re swa I need you for"

"You’re right, technically I don’t need to be here, but I’ve seen you in these kinds ofabout neurotranss or chemical scaffolds and it’s like you’ve seek out on us all and agree to soeek out"

"No, of course you don’t," I said "And weren’t you the one going on about great contacts? I’ll spend so up Bennett while we’re here and kill two birds with one stone, yeah?"

I couldn’t even sthis out ofaround like a bloody teenager in order to catch a few ineered to be sio I’d thought I had it all figured out: tag along to theat RMG, use Bennett as an excuse should Will question, and if luck was onto wait all the way until Friday Spending ti a wank in the back of a cab hadn’t hurt, either But now I felt conflicted, wondering if I was asking for trouble by blurring the lines like this

The doors opened and Will turned toas you understand that this is my show You just sit there and look sreeted us "Nice to see you again" She led us down the hall to the large conference room lined s, New York poised like a postcard on the other side "Mr Ryan is on his way down"

"Seems like a shame to spend your free afternoon here when you could be visiting your ain

I walked over to theand looked down at the traffic on the street below "What oing through his papers and I took a seat at the long table, lettingI’d been chasing after her that day, too, though aded Sure, I’d spent time with her, fked her and tasted her and touched practically every inch of her body, but I was no closer to understanding as going on in that pretty little head now than I was then

The sound of voices carried down the hall and I looked up just as Bennett walked inside

"Will," he said, reaching out to shake his hand "Thanks for co to see you today You joining in on our discussion of B&T Biotech?"

It was i look of satisfaction on Will’s face Both he and Bennett knew I’d only scrapedwith the professor, Dr William Haverston They loved to reminisce about the "boyfriend I almost had"

"He’s just full of surprises," Will said

"He certainly is," Bennett agreed I hadn’t really considered the Bennett angle It had been a feeeks since the fund-raiser, but I couldn’t help but wonder whether he kneas here more for Sara and less for discussion of the latest in proteomics

"I think you’re both a couple of tossers," I mumbled

There was a flurry of activity as the others filed in; unfortunately fora cool front, Sara was the last through the door She looked aaze travel up the length of her body Navy skirt, cute little pink sweater over the gentle swell of her breasts, and a neck I wanted to suck on for hours

"This is Sara Dillon, head of our finance department," Bennett said to Will

Will stepped forward "Yes, we’ve been exchanging emails So nice to finally meet you, Sara We missed each other at the fund-raiser last lancedwide for the briefest moment She walked over, hand outstretched, and did not look entirely pleased to see ht smile in place "Max Stella, was it?"

I took her hand, letting raze the inside of her wrist "I’m flattered you re blandly atsue invitation for dinner sometime in the next feeeks It was pretty clear why Bennett was so taken with her: she was beautiful and obviously sharp I didn’t miss the way her eyes flickered to Bennett’s and then back tosome sort of silent conversation At one point he rolled his eyes, face stretching into a s I’d ever seen on hi started, I took the only seat available, right next to Sara Judging by her expression, I wasn’t entirely convinced this was a good thing

Theby and, Jesus Christ, this really was the ies about science At one point I could have sworn I saw Will’s eyes roll closed in ecstasy

Sara was still silently fu beside me What happened that had her so tense? I could feel every bit of space that separated her body from mine I had to consciously work to keep my hands in my lap I are of every movement she made, every time she shifted in her chair or reached for her bottle of water I could smell her I hadn’t realized how hard it would be to be this close and not be able to runas simple as tuck her hair behind her ear

Why the fk did I suddenly want to tuck her hair behind her ear? This plan had officially gone to shite

Immediately after Will’s portfolio presentation, Sara excused herself and left before I could talk to her any led ht the fir strat plan, I practically sprinted to her office

"Hello," her assistant said, looking me up and down from behind hison to her office

"Good luck, because she’s not in there," he called over one back to his spreadsheets

"Any idea where sheup he answered, "Probably out for a walk She just storh here like someone had set her shoes on fire" He blinked over to oes to the park when she wants to stab sonoring the looks I got along the way, and watched the floors count down What the hell had gone wrong? I’d barely said tords to her in there The heat of the afternoon hitshadows of the buildings overhead I looked up and down the street, turning on foot in the direction of the park The sidewalks were croith dog walkers and tourists, but hopefully her shoes would slow her down enough that I’d be able to catch up

It was the strangest feeling to move from the city and into the park, where the smells of asphalt and exhaust were replaced with trees and leaves, damp dirt and water