Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
I entered the lobby and nearly jumped out of my skin when a shadowy figure rolled from the leather sofa onto the rug with a squawk.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
I set my hands on my hips, shaking my head as if it might slow my heart rate down. “What are you doing here?”
Raine stumbled to his feet and furrowed his brow. “You told me to find your office and come by at the end of the day, so here I am.”
Right.
I’d said that. “It’s nearly eight o’clock.”
“What can I say? I’m a conscientious employee,” he replied, holding up a manila folder. “I even brought the mint and chip file in case anyone tried to kick me out. No one noticed, though.”
“Not even Bernadette?”
“The sweet lady with red glasses? Nah, we’re buds.”
“Buds?” I repeated incredulously.
“Yep. We had a long conversation about turquoise from New Mexico. She loves funky jewelry, and when I told her she reminds me of Meryl in The Devil Wears Prada, we bonded,” Raine reported, assuming it wasn’t strange for my notoriously brusque secretary to “bond” with anyone over…anything.
I nodded slowly and hooked my thumb toward my office, unlocking the door before motioning him to join me. “Come in.”
“Holy—wow.” His eyes flitted over the modern furniture, the view through the sea of windows, and landed at my desk. He traced a fingertip along the seam of a leather chair and let out a low whistle. “This is nice.”
I studied his mop of hair and his trim waist whilst grappling with the incongruity of Raine…here in my office, touching my things. It was so…strange.
I’d thought about this man more than I wanted to admit, but now that he was here, I had no idea what to do with him. His bright-eyed, eager expression puzzled me. Shouldn’t he be nervous? I made everyone nervous. It was my secret power. Raine seemed perfectly at ease, albeit in a manic sort of way.
“Yes. Have a seat.” I gestured to the office chair and took the one next to it to avoid towering over him.
“Can I just say…I’m still in shock.” He gestured wildly between us. “I had no idea. You said you were in finance, but I figured that was code for professional gambler. Ginormous suites and tricked-out Escalades usually go to high rollers at nice hotels. It was the only explanation that made sense to me. No offense, but you didn’t look like a CEO that night. You looked more like a lumberjack who gave his favorite plaid flannel shirt the night off. But now…yeah, I was wrong. I still think plaid would work on you, but you look nice in a suit too.”
My lips curled without my permission. “Thank you. I see you’ve changed your shirt.”
He glanced down on cue and smiled sheepishly. “I went to Marks and Spencer at lunch and got a tuna wrap, a soda, and a shirt. I’m a huge fan of one-stop shops. Like Target. Do you have Targets in the UK? They’re awesome. You can buy groceries and furnish your house in a day. Well…okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but—”
“Raine.”
“Yep. I’ll shut up.” Raine set the empty manila folder on my desk and sat up in his chair. “You’re firing me, and I get it. No worries. I’d fire me too.”
“No.”
He cocked his head curiously. “You want me to stay?”
“No.”
“Give me a hint,” he said, nibbling his bottom lip.
“Truth is…I don’t know what to do with you.” I sighed, rubbing my beard thoughtfully. “We have offices in LA, Las Vegas, New York, Miami…someone probably could use an assistant.”
“Oh. You’re sending me away.”
“It’s an option.”
Raine nodded. “Right. I wish there was a scenario where it didn’t matter that we got naked once.”
I shot a lopsided, lazy grin his way. “Like you, I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“That’s a good rule,” he agreed somberly. “Maybe it shouldn’t have happened, but I’m not sorry. It was a great night.”
“It was,” I agreed in a huskier than normal voice.
We stared at each other for a long moment in what seemed like a silent acknowledgment that this was final good-bye.
But then his stomach growled loud enough to wake the dead.
Raine blushed a pretty shade of pink and probably would have slinked off his chair and out the door if my stomach hadn’t joined the chorus.
He snickered with delight. “So you are human. Good to know. Want to order pizza? We can pig out before you send me home with my tail between my legs. What d’ya say?”
No.
I should say no.
“Great idea,” I agreed.
Wait. Stop.
What was I thinking?
“Cool. I haven’t ordered pizza in London yet. Will someone deliver to the office this late?”
“Yes, but…I’m not eating takeaway tonight.” I fussed with my sleeves as I stood, internally willing my mouth to cooperate with my brain before I continued. It wasn’t working. “I know a nice Italian place. Would you care to join me?”