Chapter 377

 377:
His eyes never left her face. “And the only designer who meets my standards is you, Linsey. Are you really going to back out now?”
Linsey’s stomach twisted. CR Corporation had strict policies on client assignments—backing out wasn’t an option.
And Gorman wasn’t someone she could simply pass off to a colleague.
“Fine. What do you want?” Her jaw tightened. No matter what Gorman wanted, Linsey had no intention of showing him an ounce of kindness.
Suddenly, he pushed himself up from the chair, closing the distance between them in just a few strides.
“What do I want? What could I possibly want?” His laugh was low, almost amused. “Naturally, there are a few things I need to discuss with you.”
Linsey’s body tensed. Instinctively, she stepped back, her expression guarded. “If it’s about the design, I’ll hear you out. But if it’s anything beyond that, don’t waste your breath.”
As she moved, her fingers slipped into her handbag, ready to defend herself if necessary.
Gorman’s eyes flickered. He had caught every movement. If he wanted to, subduing her would be effortless. But Gorman had no interest in forcing Linsey’s hand. What he wanted was for her to fall for him willingly. Resorting to force had never been his style.
So, he stopped, his tone softening. “Relax. I’m only here to discuss the design.” His gaze swept over the office before he added casually, “But this isn’t exactly an ideal place for a conversation. Why don’t we go somewhere else?”
Linsey hesitated. She didn’t like the idea, but leaving with him was better than letting him linger in her office any longer. “Fine. We can go out, but I’m choosing the place.”
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Gorman didn’t hesitate. “No problem.”
He counted it as their first official date, and he was more than happy to let Linsey take the lead. For now, they had a temporary truce.
Linsey quickly pulled out her phone, booked a table at a nearby café, then gestured for Gorman to follow. As they stepped out of her office, the workspace buzzed with colleagues engrossed in their tasks. Keeping a low profile, Linsey led him down a quieter corridor, sticking close to the wall to avoid running into anyone she knew.
Her overly cautious behavior brought a smirk to Gorman’s lips. Was he really that much of a walking scandal? Still, watching this side of Linsey—so careful, so intent on avoiding attention—was oddly amusing.
What surprised her most was how cooperative he was. No teasing, no unnecessary comments. Just silence as he followed her lead.
Finally, she stopped in front of a rarely used elevator. Taking this route would drop them off directly in the underground parking lot, letting them leave unnoticed. She was still running through the plan in her head when the elevator doors slid open—Dustin stepped out.
Was it really Dustin?
Linsey froze, caught off guard. She hadn’t expected to run into him here. She quickly turned around and looked for a place to hide. Unfortunately, she bumped right into Gorman behind her.
Gorman caught her by the waist to steady her. With eyebrows arched, he offered a teasing smile. “What’s this? In a hurry to get close to me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself!” Linsey snapped and quickly pushed him toward a corner to hide.
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