I just hope she doesn’t still hold that against me.
The receptionist points me to an elevator and tells me to go up to the 30th floor where someone will be able to show me where Ava’s office is. When I look at the list of floors on the sign on the wall, the 30th is just simply the PR department. I didn’t realize they needed a whole floor just for that, but apparently that’s what big companies do.
I walk off the elevator toward another reception desk. The young girl behind the desk asks me to follow her to find Ava. Apparently, she doesn’t stay in her office often. We walk over to a large open area with desks and papers and clothes laying all around. The receptionist tells me this is the creative space. I imagine Ava spends a lot of time here.
The receptionist points me in the direction of a few people talking. Then I see her. Ava.
The first thing I notice is her smile. She is laughing with a few of her colleagues. Her smile is just as beautiful as ever. I’m so happy her smile hasn’t changed. She didn’t let this world destroy her joy even without me reminding her to smile every time I saw her.
It doesn’t take long though for my eyes to start scanning the rest of her body and just damn. How am I supposed to work with her for the next six months? If I thought she was beautiful before, now she is stunning.
It’s like all of her best features are even better now that she has grown into a woman from a girl.
It’s still her smile though. Every time I see her smile it makes me feel like I am on top of the world. Somehow the wrinkles that have developed around her eyes just add to her beauty. Her smile is so inviting. I can’t stop staring at it.
Wait. No. Why did it just drop?
Oh shit. She is staring right back at me. Well glaring actually. I guess she is not as happy to see me as I am her.
She begins walking toward me. She has a little extra swing to her hips, full of attitude. Oh man, what did I get myself into?
She stops in front of me and grits through her teeth. “Parker.”
I pretend I don’t notice her glare and just smile back at her. “Ava.”
“We were supposed to meet in my dad’s office. Not here. Already messing up instructions on your first day? Not a good sign.”
I just smirk back at her. “Well, technically I’ll be in control of all of your purchases, so that actually makes you the one who will need to follow instructions.”
Ava’s mouth is just hanging open at me. Then she whispers very loudly. “You bastard.”
Then she is stomping off away from me, so I just go to follow.
I jog up next to her. “You know how I feel about you using that kind of language.” I joke.
She scoffs. “I don’t give a fucking shit what you feel.” I don’t think she usually swears that much but is purposefully trying to push my buttons.
“So does that mean I also don’t have to care about what you think are good things to spend money on?” I say sarcastically back.
Ava stops suddenly and turns back to me. “How I speak and behave is my own personal business. My work is actual business. You need to learn the difference because you are only part of one of them.”
Okay. Ouch. I guess I deserved that.
“Ava…” I try to reach for her arm but she moves toward the elevator.
“Come on. Don’t want to keep daddy waiting.” I blow out a breath and then follow her into the elevator.
???
Ava
Is it just me or does this elevator feel smaller than usual? I feel like I can’t breathe. Maybe that’s because I am holding my breath. I'm too scared to speak to Parker again. God. Why does he have to smell so good. It’s like even in complete silence something has to draw me to him. I can’t just turn off all of my senses and ignore him.
Sure, I may have been a little harsh when I first saw him again after six years, but I am not going to apologize. He’s the one who left without even saying goodbye. Never once came over for a family dinner when he visited.
I had to make it clear this is purely business. Nothing else. I am not going to risk putting my heart out on the line again. Not after what happened last time. And I don’t want him to try to make some dumb suggestion like we be friends. I can’t be friends with him. There are too many emotions tied to him. I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Still, I can’t help but keep taking glances at him. He looks good. Even better than when he left. Although he was older than me when he left, he still had a boyish charm about him. Not anymore. Now he is all man. His shoulders seem broader. His arms seem stronger. The scruff on his face just adds to how sexy he is. That dumb smirk that I want to wipe off his face. Ugh! I came in today with the mindset that I wouldn’t let him affect me. He’s only been here all of 5 minutes, and he is already under my skin.