Working for me, I should point out, but I let it slide because my calendar is crammed with meetings outside of the office that she booked for me.
I would take that as a hint that she hates me if her nipples weren’t furled into tight peaks under the flimsy fabric of her dress.
I wonder what her tits look like. What does she taste like?
Her fingers dance over the screen of her phone. When I don’t respond to her question, she finally looks up. “Since you’re skipping out on the ten o’clock meeting with Rusten and Misty from the bookstore, I’ve arranged for you to spend that hour with Curtis Mayview.”
Fuck that.
I reached my Curtis Mayview quota on the phone yesterday. He heads up our social media division. He wants an in-person meeting with me to go over his vision for the online future of a handful of our subsidiaries. I told him to put those ideas in an email and send them to Isabella.
“That’s not going to work,” I say firmly. “Curtis is sending you an email later today. I want you to sift through it and condense his thoughts into a half-page, bullet-pointed list.”
A shake of her head accompanies her soft laugh. “I received that email this morning. I’ll read it to you.”
I hold up a hand to stop her. “There’s no need. Go to your desk, summarize it and send it to me.”
She ignores everything I just said. “It’s right here. It’s short and sweet.”
“It is?” I’m skeptical, but there’s a chance that I misjudged Curtis.
She clears her throat. “Dear Bella, I need to see him in person today. Curtis.”
“Isabella.” I lean back in my chair. “Cancel that meeting. He needs to follow my direction.”
Her gaze drops to her phone. “You’ll meet him at Palla on Fifth at ten o’clock.”
“Cancel that meeting,” I repeat.
“His contract clearly states that he has an in-person meeting with the CEO twice per month,” she says matter-of-factly. “I can get Human Resources to forward you a copy of that if you’d like.”
“Dammit Duke,” I curse my predecessor under my breath.
“Curtis likes his coffee with one sugar and two splashes of cream.” She glances over her shoulder when her desk phone starts to ring.
“Why the hell would I care what he takes in his coffee?” Irritation taints my tone.
“Garent’s CEO supplies the coffee. That’s in his contract too.” A smug smile plays on her lips. “Make it a large. That will put him in a great mood. I need to answer that call.”
She sets off toward the ringing phone on her desk.
Why the hell does it feel like she just won the latest round in our silent battle of wills?
Chapter 17
Bella
“Look at you. You’re all nipples today.” Max points at the front of my dress. “What’s got you so excited?”
I glance down, wishing I had chosen a different bra this morning. “It’s cold in here.”
“It’s not,” he quips. “What exactly are you looking at?”
My gaze darts to the screen of my laptop. “Nothing.”
I panic and try to close the internet browser by punching a few keys, but Max is too quick. He scoops the laptop in his hands and turns it until it’s facing him.
His eyes skim the screen. “Holy hard abs, Bella. Who the fuck is this?”