She reaches my desk and hands the candy bar out to me.
“Thank you.”
She nods. “I don’t know if you eat sugar. I mean, you look really fit, so if you don’t want it, I won’t be offended.” Her cheeks are a light shade of pink, telling of her embarrassment.
“I don’t usually indulge, but I do make exceptions.”
“Good to know.” She takes a step back, ready to go back to her desk, but my words stop her.
“Have a seat,” I find myself saying. Suddenly, I need more time with her. She does as I ask. Crossing those legs, causing her skirt to pull tight over her thighs. “You didn’t break the rules.” She nods. I watch as her throat bobs when she swallows. I can’t help but wonder what her skin tastes like. Is it as soft as it looks?
Focus, Riggins. “With that being said, your actions, as well as those of my brothers and every employee of this organization, is a representation of this company.”
“I agree with you. To some extent,” she adds. “When I’m here, I am a representative of this company. My having drinks and dancing with friends, that doesn’t look bad on the company or me. We didn’t break the law, and nothing we did was inappropriate.” She wrings her hands together in her lap. I can tell she’s nervous, but her back is straight, and her shoulders are pushed back. Her green eyes are looking at me, straight on. She’s standing behind what she feels is right. The boss in me is irritated. The man in me thinks it’s sexy as fuck. Not that she needed to be any sexier in my eyes.
She’s right. We both know it. Hell, everyone knows it. I still don’t like it. “It’s strongly discouraged that you not duplicate what you did on Saturday night.” I’m trying to be a hardass, but I just can’t seem to be when it comes to her. Not to mention that I’m spewing bullshit.
“I’ll take your suggestion into consideration. Is that all, Mr. Riggins?”
I’m not one of those men who are into kink. I like sex, but I’m not really into the controlling aspect. I like for both parties to be involved. However, her calling me sir gives me all kinds of fantasies, and again, I’m relieved my desk is hiding my dick that seems to be in a constant state of arousal when it comes to my new assistant.
“Royce. Mr. Riggins is my father.”
“Is that all, Royce?” she asks as she stands.
“That’s all.”
She nods and makes her way to the door.
“Sawyer.” She stops to look at me. “Thank you for lunch and dessert.” I hold up the candy bar.
“You’re welcome.” Her face is void of emotion as she exits my office.
Setting the Snickers on my desk, I dive back into work. I take a break on the contract I was reviewing and go straight to my emails that seem to never end. Those emails turn into half a dozen phone calls that need to be made, and before I know it, Sawyer is sticking her head into my office.
“Anything you need before I head home?”
You. “No.” My reply is gruff even to my own ears. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say, my voice softer this time. I can’t keep snapping at her because she’s gorgeous. She waves and turns to leave.
My cell phone rings, pulling me out of my thoughts. A quick glance at the screen tells me it’s Jase. I debate on answering, but he’ll just keep calling back if I don’t. “Some of us have to actually work for a living,” I say in greeting.
“I heard that about you. Wanna know what else I heard?” he asks with amusement, and I already know what’s coming.
My fucking brothers and their big mouths. “That you owe me an apology?”
“Rumor has it that you’ve got a new assistant.”
“That’s not news. You knocked up my other one, remember?”
He chuckles. “Oh, I remember,” he replies, and I can practically hear his smirk through the phone. “I also heard that you’re enamored with her?”
“Enamored? Who in the hell are you, and who have you been talking to?”
“My wife.”
“She’s not your wife yet,” I remind him.
“She’s carrying my baby, and it’s my rock that’s on her finger. She’s my wife.”
“Your fiancée hasn’t even met her.”
“No, but Gail has.”
Son of a bitch. “You know that’s not me. Not anymore.”
“What I know is that it only takes one woman, the right woman,” he adds, “to change your life.”
“That’s not a street I plan walking down anytime soon.”
“Come on, man, you can’t let her control your future. She’s not worth it.”
“Did you need something?” I ask, ignoring his words.
“Yes. Sam wants you to come over for dinner. Friday night.”
“What time?” I might be irritated that she left, but they are two of my favorite people.