Page 7 of Sexting His Assistant

I should leave. I should walk out, hand in my notice, go work for a normal executive who only cheats on his wife and commits tax fraud like everyone else.

Instead I say, “Only because you’d fall apart without me.”

He almost smiles. “Tonight,” he says. “Seven-thirty. Wear something appropriate.”

I blink. “Excuse me?”

“For the restaurant.”

“I know what restaurants are.”

“Then dress for one.”

“I always dress for one.”

“Not like yesterday.”

My mouth falls open. “What was wrong with yesterday?”

“It was too distracting.”

The words sit there, and I stare at him, certain I’ve heard wrong.

He watches me absorb it.

Heat crawls up my neck. “You don’t get to say things like that and then pretend this is a normal work conversation.”

“This has never been a normal work conversation. You know that.”

I take one step back because I need the air. “You’re asking too much.”

“No,” Luka says. “I’ve been asking too little.”

I can’t think when he looks at me like that.

Worse, he knows it.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and breaks the moment clean in half. I jerk like I’ve been caught. Luka steps away first this time, turning back toward his desk as if he didn’t just tilt the whole room off its axis.

I pull out my phone.

A text from my brother.

How’s the tyrant today?

I almost laugh.

Across the room, Luka picks up a file and says, “You’ll answer Alina personally. Make sure she confirms.”

I lock the screen and shove the phone away. “Anything else?”

He looks at me over the file in his hand. “Not for now.”

“Sure, boss,” I say, and I walk out without looking back.

2

NINA