The alternative—spending every day fighting the urge to pin her against the nearest wall—wasn’t exactly an option. I was her boss now. I had to be professional. Even if everything about her made me want to throw professionalism out the window.
The elevator doors were about to close when a hand with bright pink polish thrust between them, forcing them back open.
“Hi,” Gwen said with a small wave as she stepped on clutching a notebook, a potted plant, and a framed photo against her chest.
I wanted to see who she valued enough to keep a picture of at her desk, but staring at it would make me look like I was staring at her breasts. Those perfect, full, soft breasts with the most beautiful, sensitive pink nipples.
I remembered the way she’d arched her back and moaned when I took one in my mouth to tongue it. Just the thought was enough to wake up my cock, which was the absolute last thing I needed right now. I shifted a half step away.
From now on, I had to bury the tension between us and focus on the job ahead.
“You okay?” I asked without turning to look at her.
She answered with a long sigh. “I don’t know. Yes? Maybe?”
“They’re clowns,” I said. “You were right.”
“Wow,” she snorted. “You’re actually admitting that? Out loud?”
“Gwen, enough,” I said with a weary sigh. “We need to at least pretend to get along. You’re on my team now.”
She leaned back against the wall and eyed me.
“If my calculations are correct, I’mleadingyour team at the moment,” she said, smug.
She was right, but I wasn’t about to admit it.
“You’re leading a campaign,” I corrected.
“Right, okay,” she winked at me. “Anyway, when do I start?”
I finally turned to look her in the eye. “Now.”
She blanched. “What, like you want me to drive over there right now? Do you have an office for me? Is HR ready with my paperwork?” She started pacing in a circle like the reality of what she’d just done—quit in the middle of the day, Jerry Maguire-style—was hitting her. “Because I’m getting worried that you just made me quit my job as some sort of prank, and I’m starting to feel a little?—”
“Gwen, take a fucking breath. First, I didn’tmakeyou quit your job, I extended an offer and you accepted it. And as for your start date, I meant you should begin officially drafting your plan now. You start on salary today, even if you don’t officially come in until tomorrow. I’ll make sure you have an office and laptop ready for you by nine.
“But first thing after you arrive, I want you in my office ready to present to me and my team. A full deck, with actionable content. None of that filler bullshit they just made me sit through. I hired you at that ridiculous salary because you might be the only person able to flip the narrative around me, so I expect you to hit the ground running.”
She straightened her back. “Oh, don’t worry, I will.”
It sounded like a cross between a threat and a promise.
What the hell did I just get myself into?
5
GWEN
“You didwhat?”
I placed the framed photo of me and my sister Sarah on the small table by the front door and frowned at her. “I quit. Obviously. What choice did I have? Alan humiliated me in front of everyone, including that asshole Harrison Ashford.”
“Right, agreed that he’s an asshole, but seriously Gwen? Youquitwithout a safety net.” She frowned, eyes narrowed with worry. Sarah had inherited our mother’s bright blonde hair and blue eyes. We didn’t really look alike unless you noticed our identical smiles. And we laughed the same too. Not that either one of us was laughing right now.
I brushed past her so I could avoid meeting her eyes when I admitted the last bit of news. I knew it would push her over the edge.
“No, I have a safety net.”
