In the elevator, I noticed her flowery scent, but it was lost among the crowd there, spoiled by other perfumes and colognes. Now, though, I can make out a specific smell. I lean closer to discreetly breathe it in, and she tenses, her fingers missing a couple of keys. But she gets over it quickly, and I get my answer. Jasmine. She smells of jasmine flowers and something else, something entirely her.
As my body reacts to her scent, a familiar swell tugging in my jeans, I forcefully rip my eyes off her and stare at the screen, where she’s still adamantly proving me wrong.
I’m normally good at balancing out my needs, but it’s been almost three weeks since Celeste and I gave it one last fuck and parted ways.And because I haven’t found anyone to replace her, the lengthy hiatus is messing with my head.
Switching on the chair, I adjust my uncomfortable state and frown. Given the picture Celeste sent me this morning, something tells me she wouldn’t mind meeting up tonight. But she was already asking too much from me then, despite our original agreement, and I’m not sure it would be a good idea. I need to find someone else. Soon.
Going around lusting after employees isn’t acceptable, but I must admit it’s never happened before.
I glance at Andrea Walker with a mix of confusion and frustration, wondering what triggered this issue. When I can’t find a satisfactory answer, I force myself to look away one last time and focus on her corrections. Her clever mind is just as attractive as the rest of her, though, so it doesn’t exactly help.
On top of all that, time seems to have slowed, so the moment lasts longer than it should. As soon as the sixty minutes are through, though, I hastily put an end to it.
Slowly, so I don’t frighten her, I pull on her headphones and say, “Time’s up, Andrea.”
She tenses all over, probably worried about what comes next, but there’s no need for that.
I made a fool of myself by questioning her abilities, and she more than earned her spot on this team.
Chapter 03
I’m almost out of breath as I remove my headphones, and System of a Down’s song fades away as I sink back into reality. Time passed so much faster than I expected, and the hour flew by in what felt like ten minutes. There wasn’t enough time to do a final sweep, but I don’t think I missed anything.Please, I pray in my head,let me have this one at least.
Without removing his eyes from my screen, my new boss slightly tilts his head to the side.
“It won’t work,” he says with certainty.
Making my chair roll a few inches away, he comes closer.
When I see what he edits far up the script, I wince. I forgot a reference, and as he said, the script wouldn’t have worked. Three extra minutes and I would have found it…
Behind me, the guys don’t hide their disappointment, and the ginger one gives the bearded man a five-dollar bill. I don’t have time to take offense because the boss returns his attention to me.
“It was still impressive, though,” he concedes, removing his glasses and slipping them back into his collar. Just like that, Kal-El has returned. “You did a good job.”
When he looks at me again with those mesmerizing and intense eyes, I suddenly understand why some people have a praise kink. And I think I’m one of them, because something happens in my core. I’m pretty sure it actuallythrobs, which is beyond disconcerting.
Well, someone is definitely masturbating tonight. And that someone is me.
“Welcome to the dream team, Andrea,” he says, finally acknowledging that I belong here.
“Andy,” I correct him.
He ignores it and stands from his chair. “Have you met your new colleagues yet?”
“Kind of.”
“This is Steven,” he explains, pointing at the older, bearded guy who extends his hand to shake mine. “When I’m not here, he’s the one in charge, with Oliver,” the boss continues, gesturing toward the red-haired one. We shake hands again as he offers me a friendly smile.
Brian is then introduced. He has Southeast Asian heritage, if I had to guess, and is also wearing a Marvel-themed T-shirt. “Your coding is so aggressive, we never thought you’d look…” he says as we shake hands, his sentence trailing off as he searches for the right word.
Our boss doesn’t let him find it, moving on with the introductions. “And you’ve already met Mason and Joseph.” His steely eyes fall on me next. “Your desk neighbors will help you settle in, and you can work with them for now. Until I find you a specific task, you’ll put your sixteen years of experience to good use on whatever project they give you.”
The underlying jab isn’t lost on me, and my eyes narrow with displeasure.
Maybe I can just return to Portland and beg for my stupid job back after all. It sounds better than having to deal with this man. Hopefully I won’t have to suffer his presence too often. It looks like his desk here is unoccupied, so I guess he has an office elsewhere. I can probably tolerate this pompous ass for an hour or so every day.
“Will do, sir,” I say.
