CHAPTER 15
Maddox had trouble sleeping that night trying to figure out why he’d done that. As he talked to Mila on the phone, the papers were right in front of him on his desk. But he’d heard her tell Parker she had plans that night and Maddox took a wild guess they included Wes.
He’d confirmed it but it didn’t make him feel better. In fact, it was worse knowing Mila was with him for sure. Especially when Maddox knew Wes’ reputation.
Of course, he also knew Mila. He doubted anyone could take her for a ride. Then again, she seemed to like Wes.
That thought still bugged him when he arrived at work the next morning. As soon as he stepped into his office, Mila came flying in. She came to a standstill at his desk holding a stack of papers to her chest. Her eyes dropped to the identical stack already there that Maddox had left the night before.
“Did Parker take care of this already?” she asked.
Maddox glanced up casually trying to keep his reaction neutral. “No. They turned up after we talked.”
Her panic-stricken eyes started to harden. “You could have sent me a text to let me know.”
He waved it off while pretending to check his schedule. “It’s fine.”
He jumped as the papers hit the desk with a thud. He met her eyes and after a simmering glare, Mila stormed out and slammed his door.
He stood there in a stupor. With any other employee…well, no one else would dare ever do that. Ever. And he should have been livid. Instead, he felt like he’d done something wrong.
He even avoided calling her in that day in case she was still angry, which was absurd. But he couldn’t seem to shake it. He asked Parker to take care of tasks that should have gone to Mila. Parker seemed confused but didn’t question it, which was normal.
He only saw her again at the end of her day when she stepped into his office again finally. “Is there anything you need before I go?” she said in a crisp tone. He took that to mean she was still mad.
Maddox fought down the feeling of wanting to smooth things over. He didn’t need to. He ran this company, not her. “Not that I can think of.” He forced himself to meet her eyes, which were set to laser death mode. “Do you have plans with Wes tonight?”
She lifted her chin. “That’s none of your business.”
Maddox folded his arms on the desk. “I’ll take that as a no.”
Her lips puckered but she didn’t comment.
“In that case,” Maddox told her, “I could use something else. You can come to dinner with me tonight.”
Her eyes widened. “As your assistant?”
“No. As the woman who keeps acting like a tease.” He was making this up as he went without a clue what his end game was. This wasn’t like him but he felt desperate to keep her around.
“Absolutely not.” Mila folded her arms across her chest.
“Excuse me?” He arched his eyebrows. “Right now, you’re an employee, so this is what I’m telling you to do.” Somewhere in the back of his mind, he also knew this would keep her away from Wes that night. Or any other man who wanted her attention.
“I don’t care.” Mila stared him down. “You can go by yourself. Or better yet, ask someone who wants to go.” Her eyes lit up. “Tiffany’s divorced now you know.”
That wasn’t even remotely amusing. Maddox stood up. “Come with me tonight or hear the new rumors tomorrow.”
Mila narrowed her eyes.
When she didn’t answer, he added, “I told you this is a losing battle. You won’t outmaneuver me.”
Mila’s expression went from annoyance to a simmering rage. “Will I need to change?”
He took a moment to examine what she wore. It was a moment longer than he needed but she looked good that day. “Yes. I’ll pick you up at seven-thirty.”
Despite her march out the door and final door slam, Maddox still smiled to himself when she left. This would work perfectly in his favor. Or that’s what he told himself.
When he got to her aunt’s house to pick her up, her aunt answered the door. She stared at him suspiciously. “Can I help you?”
“I’m here to pick up Mila.” He smiled but that didn’t seem to put her at ease.
As she took a breath, Mila appeared.
“He claims he’s here for you,” her aunt told her quietly.
“He is.” Mila tried to look lighthearted, but he could see the effort it took. “This is my employer, Maddox Cross.”
“Oh…” Her aunt looked over him with interest this time. Maddox didn’t know why but he fought to keep still under her scrutiny.
“I won’t be too late,” Mila told her aunt. Maddox opened his mouth to contradict but Mila cut him a glare that shut him down. She kissed her aunt on the cheek and pushed him out the door.
Once they were on the road, he asked, “So, your aunt knows you work for me.”
“Yes, she does.” There was a tone in her words that indicated her aunt knew a lot of things.
“I take it you’re close.” He tried not to wriggle thinking about her aunt’s appraisal of him.