I loved it.
It prevented my brain from thinking about anything outside my job. Which was what I had been doing for the past several years. It kept all those annoying emotions at bay. However, one emotion was creeping up more and more often.
I pushed open the large door to Leo’s office and walked in. And there, standing behind that massive desk, phone pressed to his ear, in a white T-shirt, dark jeans, and black leather belt was the reason I had been feeling that one stupid emotion: lust.
He motioned for me to come in, but kept talking on the phone.
“The carrier is en route and will be docking in New York tomorrow.” Leo frowned, then smiled. Whatever conversation he was having seemed to be going his way. Which didn’t surprise me. Leo was a hard man to say no to.
After another minute, he hung up the phone and looked at me.
“Good morning, Red.” He smiled, flashing those white teeth. I also couldn’t help noticing the slight dark stubble.
Leo tended to work in jeans and a T-shirt unless he had a meeting, and I also learned that the man oozed so much sex appeal and testosterone, he could wear a paper bag coated in mercury and women would still throw themselves at him.
“Good morning,” I said as I entered his office and set his coffee down on his desk.
Yeah, I brought him coffee. One of my regular duties. Not so glamorous but so far, I hadn’t had a misstep, and I’d managed to keep my mouth in check. Both verbally and physically.
Since that weird discussion in the doorway of my little house, we hadn’t talked much other than business and acquainting me with my new job. Leo also hadn’t looked at me with that hint of softness. A softness I hadn’t realized I was used to . . . or enjoyed.
It was like he discovered something about me in that conversation and it altered his opinion of me. That thought made me a little queasy. Not just because of this job and wanting his recommendation at the end of it, but because Leo thinking of me in any kind of negative way didn’t sit well.
I opened my mouth, wanting to say something. Something that could get a hint of that look back. A look of interest. Which was stupid because I wasn’t here to interest my boss. I was here to work, prove I could do a good job, and leave, hopefully with his endorsement.
I shook my head, dislodging the notion, and swiped my finger over the tablet to go over the schedule for today.
“Hold on,” Leo said just as the phone rang. I stopped mid-sentence about his two o’clock with a man named Colin Davis, the CEO of Davis Shipping and Leo’s direct competition.
Leo took a seat and spoke into the phone in what, after day one on the job, I’d realized was Greek.
Leo motioned for me to sit while he finished his call. His inflection and the way his accent rolled over every syllable of his native Greek language was hypnotic. He kept glancing at me and it wasn’t until the third pass of his gaze over mine that I realized I was staring at his mouth.
I looked away quickly, hoping my sudden interest in his office décor wasn’t too obvious a ploy. But I had to distract myself to keep from looking at him. A ploy that wasn’t working out so well.
When he put his left forearm on his desk, causing his bicep to bulge farther from its already impressive chiseledness, which did awesome things to the ink running along it, I couldn’t help biting the inside of my cheek to keep from moaning a little.
Man, what was wrong with me? I’d never been this aware, let alone aroused, by the mere presence of a man. Not since I was younger at least. Leo had this pull about him. An aura that sucked me in. There was that sense of danger and hope, the same kind all the other guys I’d run off with in the past had. They offered just enough to make the sour facts of my real life less shitty.
I heard my name dart from his lips and my stare was back on his face, ready and attentive. Maybe I’d misheard, but when he said it again and smiled, my pulse picked up. He said a few more things before hanging up the phone.
“I’m going to need you to do a few things,” Leo said.
“Of course.” I tried not to sound overly anxious, but something beyond gopher girl would be nice. Leo had also mentioned a big project during my interview, and I was hoping this had something to do with it.
“First, crunch some numbers and coordinate with Henry. He’s head of accounting. I need ten million moved from the general operating fund into a separate account.”
I looked up from my tablet where I had been typing. “You want ten million just sitting in a separate account?”
Leo nodded.
“I need this money in an account that can be accessible at a moment’s notice.”
He was still holding my stare and in that moment, I decided to probe a little. After working with Bill and now facing down a political nightmare, asking questions, especially when it came to money, was wise. Plus, the idea of Leo sharing details with me made my lips twitch to a smile. This was an opportunity
to earn some trust. “May I ask why?”
Leo clicked his mouse and looked at his screen. “I prefer this matter to be kept in-house.” He obviously didn’t have to tell me anything, and it was stupid to hope he’d trust me. “How good are you with secrets, Red?”