Stella is currently in the kitchen making their lunch for preschool.
“Why doesn’t Stella do all this?” I ask thoughtfully. Kayla hired help, but she still seems to do so much on her own.
She looks up at me with her head tilted to the side.
“Every moment I get to spend with them is treasured. Even if it’s just doing hair and having breakfast,” she smiles a little. “Some mornings are far too chaotic, but then Stella will take over, but if I can, most mornings, I like to be with them before I rush off to work.” She leans over and kisses the top of Kelsey’s head.
“Mama is the best at doing hair,” Kelsey informs me.
“Well, that is a very important skill to have,” I nod seriously.
I admire that Kayla somehow manages to fit everything in. I don’t know how she does it. It makes me reflect on my life and wonder how I would have managed two little girls and a full-time career. When I think about that, I can’t help but realize that she is some kind of Wonder Woman!
I saw her resume. She’s clearly brilliant at work, but now I get to see first-hand that she is also brilliant at home.
She’s wearing a tightly fitted knee-length, high-necked white dress with white high heels. There is a pale blue jacket waiting over the back of her chair at the breakfast table, next to her leather work bag. Her dark brown hair is braided in a very neat French plait down her back, and she has elegant, tiny diamond earrings on and a delicate silver chain around her wrist. Nothing else. Her outfit is simple, sophisticated, and absolutely gorgeous.
Never mind the fact that it sits tight against her skin, hugging her shape like it was painted on. I almost want to forbid her from wearing it in the office because of the number of people who will be staring at her all day…including myself.
“Are you ready?” I ask, standing up as I glance at my watch. If I sit here any longer with my eyes grazing over her, I’m not going to be able to stand, given the way my cock is stirring.
“Um, yes, but are we…are we going in the same car?” she asks under her breath with her brows knitting.
I cock my head to the side. “Yes, why?”
“Don’t you think, um…” she bites her lip, and it sends a ripple of excitement through me.
“You’re worried about what people will think?” I ask.
“I just got the job. I don’t need people saying Idid thingsto get it…before I’ve even had a chance to prove that Ideservethe job,” she says.
“Right, yes, I understand. I’ll have Dante arrange a driver for you. He will take you today, if that's alright?”
“Thank you,” she smiles, clearly relieved.
***
I arrive at the office ten minutes before Kayla and immediately have her new desk moved closer to the viewing window in my office. Right up against it, actually. If I had my way, I’d put her deskinmy office, but I must respect her request; she does have the right tonothave rumors flying around the building about how she got the job. And unfortunately, office spaces are breeding grounds for gossip. My employees know I don’t tolerate it, but that doesn’t mean it stops. It just means they do it quietly.
When Kayla arrives, and Bianca shows her to her desk, I am sitting at mine, watching through the glass. She scrunches her nose and glances at the window, at me.
“Wasn’t this desk over there last week?” she gestures to the wall on the other side of the space.
“Yes, but Mr. Belov requested it to be moved closer to make it easier for himself,” Bianca says stiffly. I smirk.It’s easier to keep my eye on her.
She offers no further explanation before she says, “Can I get you a coffee? How do you prefer it?”
“Yes, thank you. Cappuccino with one sugar,” Kayla says, setting her work bag down and unpacking her laptop and notebooks.
She sits down, her chair facing the window. She steals one quick glance up at me, and even from here I can see her cheeks flush rose-pink before she hurriedly looks away again.
Bianca returns with Kayla’s coffee and sets a document down in front of her.
“These are all of the logins to the programs you will be working on. If you need assistance setting it up, just go down to the tech guys; they'll do it for you,” she says.
“Thank you, I’ll be fine sorting it out on my own,” Kayla replies, sliding the document closer. “Thank you for the coffee,” she adds.
Bianca nods and comes into my office. “Do you need another coffee, sir?”
