“My office is sorely lacking in staff. I need more help.”
I take another sip of my hot chocolate and think of how to navigate this. I could do like last time and run out of here. For some reason I think he’ll catch me this time. He somehow looks laid back swirling the whiskey in his hand but his eyes read that he could pounce at any moment if need be. I don’t want to run from him. He saved me. Maybe only from pigeons but he did it.
If I work in his office, I’ll be able to watch every single thing that he does. I’ll have access to his schedule, his personal space and most importantly to him. This day has really taken a turn for the better. I’ll be able to keep my job and give my client something. I haven’t failed yet. I can still save this.
“What line of work are you in?” I ask as if I don’t already know. He smirks at me and finally takes a sip of his whiskey. This time he’s making me wait or he’s trying to hide his smile.
“I’m in real estate development,” he says with an amused look on his face. I go with the flow and start asking him questions about what that entails. He answers each one but after each of them he looks like he wants to laugh. “My assistant Grant needs someone to help out in the office to help lighten the load for us.”
“You do work too much.” My breath stills when I realize my slip.
“Do I?” He full-on smiles this time, not hiding it.
“I’m just guessing you do if your assistant needs an assistant.” Whoa, that was close. I am getting better at this lying thing.
“You’ll be assisting me.” He almost sounds possessive as he says it.
I nod, thankful I wasn’t busted. I don’t ask too many questions about the job description because it doesn’t really matter. I am taking this job no matter what it entails. I will get to spend all of my time with Maddox in his office and I’ll technically be getting paid twice to do so. It’s a win-win for me.
“Okay,” I agree.
“Now that we have that settled we can enjoy the desserts.” As if on cue, the waitress drops them at the table. Maybe I forgot because I was nervous but I’m pretty sure he didn’t ask me anything about my past experience. That thought is lost as he brings a spoon full of cheesecake to my mouth.
“You’ll start tomorrow,” he adds. I moan my agreement around the cheesecake. This job is wonderful.
4
Maddox
“I do not need help,” Grant seethes.
“I know you don’t. You can manage three CEOs with your eyes blindfolded and your hands tied. However, my darling girl needs to be able to surveil me and what better way to do that than to work beside me?”
“She’s been fired from every job she’s held down before, including singing telegram. Those places don’t have enough people wanting jobs to be able to fire workers. Who wants to constantly humiliate themselves for twenty bucks an hour?”
“She hasn’t found the right job yet,” I say as I flip through the morning mail. A few contracts to sign and a couple of invitations. I set one aside. It’s a charity fashion event that might interest Luna. The dresses all remind me of candy. She’d look delicious in one of their outfits and I’d enjoy peeling her out of all those frothy layers before I ate her like the dessert she is.
“What exactly am I supposed to have her do? It’s not like we need a juggler here.”
“As you pointed out, she’s not particularly skilled in that endeavor so that is one thing we won’t have her doing.” Besides, if she’s touching any balls, they will be mine and I only have two of them—one for each of her soft hands. “I’m having a desk set up in my office to personally supervise her.” I pat poor Grant on the shoulder. “That way she won’t interfere with your work.”
“In your office? But we do private, confidential business there. We can’t have a spy in your office!”
“She’s going to be my wife so I can promise you anything we say in there”—I nod toward the heavy walnut-lined walls—“will be the least private thing she’ll know about me.”
Grant shudders. “I hate when you make heterosexual references.”
“It’s terrible. I promise that I will always keep the blinds closed whenever Luna is with me so we don’t scandalize you.”
Grant trudges over to his chair and flops down behind his massive steel and glass desk. “To be honest, I thought this day would come long ago.”
I arch my eyebrows in surprise. “You thought I would fall in love a long time ago?”
He shakes his head. “No. When I first started working for you, I thought, ‘Oh, here’s a rich asshole playing with his family’s money. He probably has women up here in his office all the time.’ But you haven’t had any and I’ve kind of gotten used to it.”