I can’t help but smirk. It’s always like this for me around her.
She smiles at me, then frowns. “How do you constantly manage to mess up your ties so badly?”
“If it’s not my tie, it’s my hair,” I answer with a shrug.
“It’s usually both.” She rises out of her chair and comes to stand in front of me. I stand and she reaches for my tie with a soft smile. From far away, the multiple shades of blue look like a simple pattern, but close up, you can see it’s actuallydinosaurs. She gave me a set of ten, each with a different animal, for my fortieth birthday last month, and they instantly became my favorites.
It only takes her a few seconds to fix, but I soak up every last drop of her citrusy scent, the gentle touches of her small hands brushing against my shirt, and how she bites her lower lip as she concentrates. My hands ache to touch her.
“There, you’re mostly presentable again. Oh, here’s the contract for that new sketching app.” She picks up a folder from her desk and hands it to me.
I smirk at the little note on the front that says ‘this needs your fancy signature,’ followed by the scribble that barely resembles her name.
“Now, where’s the information packet? I need to take it down to the copy room.”
“I can take care of it,” I tell her, but she shakes her head as soon as I start speaking.
“That’smyjob, Alex.” She gives me a stern look.
Sighing heavily, I purse my lips before answering. “On my desk.”
She turns on her heel to grab the stack of papers, and I use the opportunity to adjust my erection. I always get one when she fixes my tie. To be honest, I’m generally half-hard most of the time when she’s anywhere near me. And when I think about her. Which is more often than I’ll ever admit.
Amelia’s twenty-three. The same age as my daughter, and a full seventeen years younger than I am. I shouldn’t want her the way I do, but fuck, I can’t help it.
She’s gorgeous, witty, and sweet. She’s professional when she needs to be, but not afraid to drop into casual mode when she doesn’t.
Her red hair is usually pulled back at work, but occasionally she wears it down. Down is my favorite. I fantasize aboutmy hands in it when it’s down. She smells like citrus, and I want to count the freckles on her face. I leave my office door open so I can hear her voice and feel close to her.
No one has ever gotten my blood pumping like Amelia does. I haven’t even looked at another woman since the first day I saw her six months ago. But I know I can’t have her.
I absent-mindedly fidget with my tie as I return to my office to sulk some more.
Chapter 5
Shrew's gonna shrew
March
Amelia
Inever thought I would dislike weekends, but I kind of do now. I also never thought I would love being the personal assistant to a CEO, but I absolutely do—only because Alex is that CEO, though. I love doing all the detail work for him. I love that he knows he can rely on me to make sure his suits come back clean, his morning coffee will be right, and that he’ll have a few of those ridiculously expensive pens he likes so much—but constantly loses—waiting in his desk drawer. I love helping him be successful. And I love our teasing and flirting.
Or whatever it is.
And I miss it on days like today when I’m lounging around my apartment on the weekend.
I want to be dancing, but I did too much last night and can’t handle more today. I’ve tried reading and watching TV, but nothing’s holding my attention. Not even the new hockey romance I started last night. I can’t read billionaire romances anymore. It feels like they’re mocking me.
Maybe I should take a walk and get a coffee…
My phone rings, saving me from myself.
“Is there a name for a mother of the bride who is a total asshole?” Bean asks as soon as I answer.
“Um, monster of the bride?”
“Maybe…”
