Every time Seth Quinn’s phone lit up, he could see the caller ID clearly. It was always Clara Grant.

’Seriously, what was with these two?’

’Did they have to flaunt their love so much? Couldn’t they just let everyone have a normal meeting?’

’Were they trying to rub it in the faces of all the single guys here? I hate this! WAHHH...’

Every time Seth Quinn stepped out, everyone in the room was left dumbfounded. In the last half hour, their eyes had nearly popped out of their heads, and their jaws had just about hit the floor.

’Didn’t President Quinn usually hate being interrupted during meetings more than anything? So what was going on? Not only did he show no sign of anger, but he was also wearing a gentle smile so unsettling it made one’s skin crawl.’

When Seth Quinn answered another call and returned in under twenty seconds, Linden Jennings caught the department manager’s pleading gaze. The man, who was in the middle of his report, was looking desperately at him and River Sterling for help. Linden finally couldn’t take it anymore.

He turned his head, leaned close to Seth Quinn, and whispered, "Seth, maybe we should pause the meeting?"

Seth Quinn looked up at him, the smile still lingering on his lips. "Why?"

River Sterling rolled his eyes. ’Why? He’s asking *why*?!’ he thought. ’Men in love are so dense. Aren’t you the one causing all this chaos?’

Linden Jennings let out a dry laugh and glanced at Seth’s phone. "You keep getting calls. You’ve answered the phone so many times in the last half hour. Why don’t you finish up with that, and we can resume the meeting afterward?" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Seth Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Have I?"

"Uh..."

River Sterling and Linden Jennings exchanged a look. ’Oh no, not at all!’ they thought in unison. ’Only a dozen or so times in half an hour. That’s it!!!’

’You’re the president. You call the shots!’

...

Meanwhile, Seth Quinn was lapping it all up, while his subordinates were utterly baffled and confused.

On the other end, Clara Grant was having a blast, while Sarah Shelby could only roll her eyes. "Are you having fun?" she couldn’t help but ask.

"Haha, it’s pretty fun," Clara Grant replied with a giggle. She had just called Seth Quinn again, waited for him to pick up, let the line sit in silence for a dozen or so seconds, and then promptly hung up.

Sarah Shelby shook her head. ’Women in love are just so childish!’

’But as fun as it was, Clara was getting a little bored. Besides, she had some serious shopping to do. Still, why hadn’t Seth snapped at her for her little prank yet?’

The first few times she called, she’d at least say a word or two before hanging up. Later, she just stopped talking altogether, hanging up moments after he answered.

After a few more of those calls, she’d expected him to start rejecting her calls on sight. But he answered every single time, his voice just as low, gentle, and patient as ever, even carrying a hint of a smile that made her heart flutter.

It was starting to make her... feel a little bad.

At that thought, she took out the phone she had just put away and dialed Seth Quinn’s number again.

Seth Quinn answered, his voice full of laughter. "Clara, are you missing me so much you want me to send someone to bring you to the office?"

He finished speaking, expecting her to hang up without a word as she’d been doing. Instead, Clara Grant’s hesitant voice came through the line. "Why... why aren’t you mad at me?"

Seth Quinn paused for a moment before he understood what she meant. He chuckled, a smile in his voice. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"I... I’m interrupting your meeting on purpose. A-Aren’t you annoyed?"

’She’d gotten impatient when he’d interrupted her shopping, and his meeting was a serious matter. How could he possibly not be annoyed?’

Seth Quinn let out a soft laugh and said just two words, "Not annoyed."

His voice, however, was impossibly gentle, sexy, and alluring. Clara felt it travel straight through her ears, settle deep in her chest, and land with a soft thud right on her heart.

Her heart gave a little flutter.