by J. S. Cooper
"Did you get that?" she said, and I blinked at her. I'd been so focused on the thoughts in my head that I completely tuned her out.
"Sorry, did I get what?" She sighed.
"I know she's new, Finn, but really? This is the sort of help you get these days? I have a couple of executive assistants and if you're in need of one, I would be more than happy to let you borrow one until you find someone a little bit better trained."
"Excuse me?"
"Now, now." Finn held his hands up. "Abigail, thank you very much for your offer. This is Ms. Lucas' first day and granted she is a little bit unprofessional, but I'm thinking that her training wasn't adequate and that's most probably the fault of our trainer." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "But Ms. Lucas," he stared at and gave me a wicked grin, "we are hoping to supply new bed linens, so fitted sheets, cover sheets, pillow cases, shams, duvets, blankets, bathroom rugs, towels, curtains, shower curtains." He paused and looked over at Abigail. She flashed him a dazzling smile that made me want to puke. "Is there anything else I'm forgetting, Abigail?"
"No, I think that's all," she said. "As soon as I read the article in the Forbes magazine about your new sustainable cotton and linen collection, I knew I had to talk to you about outfitting the Hilton hotels that are part of the main chain."
"What does that mean? Aren't all Hilton hotels part of the main chain?"
"Some are franchises," Finn answered.
"Okay. And what does that mean?"
"Franchise hotels are not required to use the same vendors as the hotels that fall under the parent company. You do know what that means, right?" he said.
"Yeah, of course." I stared at him. I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about and I had a feeling he knew it. Today was going to be a long day. We finished the rounds in about three hours and my hand was absolutely aching. I hadn't handwritten so much information since I was in elementary school.
"So Abigail, I actually think that I'm going to have to pass on lunch," he said giving her his best smile. "I think I need to take Ms. Lucas here to lunch and-"
"Oh no, you don't have to do that," I said, shaking my head. "I'm fine. I can grab my own lunch."
"No, I'd like to go over some of the notes with you and discuss your performance today."
"Really?" I said. I could see Abigail glaring at me, and then I smiled. "Actually, that sounds absolutely perfect. Thank you, Finn." He stared at me and started chuckling.
"Well, I'll send some projected numbers to you by the end of the week. Is that okay, Abigail?"
"Perfect. Maybe we can go over them over dinner or something," she said twirling her fingers in her long, red hair.
"Sure," he nodded. "Sounds good."
"When?" she said quickly and I thought to myself, "Wow, she's desperate."
"When?" he said. "Well, I suppose that really depends on when you are available."
"I'm available every night." She cleared her throat quickly. "I mean, I'm not available every night of course. I have dates and other obligations, but for this, I can make myself available because it's very important, you know, and I want us to be able to close this deal as quickly as possible."
"You mean you want to close the deal as quickly as possible."
"Excuse me?" She looked at me.
"I said-"
"Now, now, Marcia." Finn glared at me. "Just let me know and we'll figure something out. Okay, Abigail?"
"Sounds good to me," she beamed.
"Come on, Ms. Lucas," he said. I felt his hand on the small of my back as he guided me down the corridor towards the elevator. We got into the elevator. When it closed, he shook his head. "What was that about?"
"Excuse me? What was what about?"
"Your churlishness and your childishness and...." he growled. "Really?"
"What?" I just stared at him glaring.
"I didn't want this to be the first time, but I guess it will have to be," he said.
"The first time doing what?" I swallowed hard as he stepped towards me in the elevator. He grinned as he put his hand around my waist and pulled me into him.
"The first time for me to kiss you," he said as he pressed his lips down on mine. I sighed blissfully and melted into him as I kissed him back. I moaned slightly as he pulled away from me. "You were very unprofessional today. You do know that, right?"
"I'm sorry, what?" I blinked at him. "You can't just kiss me like that, you-"
"If you're that unprofessional again, I will have to fire you."
"What?" I said almost shouting. "You can't fire me. I just started. I haven't even gotten my first paycheck yet."
"Well, remember that next time you're rude to a potential customer."
"She was..."
"She was what?"
"Nothing," I said, shaking my head.
"What? Were you jealous?" He laughed.
"Jealous of what?"
"Jealous of the fact that she was flirting with me."
"I couldn't care less that she was flirting with you. I just thought you were both unprofessional. I mean, did you see how she was talking to me and treating me?"
"All I saw was two cats who looked like they were ready to fight."
"Are you calling me a cat?"
"Better than a dog, right?"
"Really? I just-"
"You just what?" he said, licking his lips as he looked down at my face. "You want me to kiss you again?"
"No. Really, Finn? I-"
"You what?"
"You shouldn't have done that."
"Don't tell me you didn't like it."
"I didn't."
"Liar," he said.
"Excuse me?" I grinned back at him. "Shouldn't it be Anwir?"
Nineteen
“I wish you had on appropriate shoes.” Finn stared down at my feet and then looked around. His eyes lit up as he spied a shoe store on the corner. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“To get you some shoes.”
“Nuh uh.” I shook my head vehemently. “I was lying the other day. I don’t have a huge credit line and obviously you know I don’t make tons of money. I can’t afford to buy any new shoes right now. Susie would absolutely kill me.”
“What does Susie have to do with it?” He raised an eyebrow. “And I was going to buy the shoes.”
“No, you’re not buying me shoes.” I said quickly. “And Susie is my best friend and roommate and she’s in charge of our finances.”
“You guys are really codependent, huh?”
“No, she’s just better with managing money.”
“I guess I should be thankful we didn’t hire you as President of the accounting department.”
“Very funny.” I glared at him, but I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “So are we going back to the office, or?”
“I thought we could walk and stop for lunch. It’s a nice day.”
“Oh.” I looked down at my heels. There was no way I’d be able to walk more than a few blocks in them. They were already killing me.
“Let me buy you some shoes.” He nodded towards the shoe store again.
“No, I’m not owing you a thing.”
“Then come with me to San Francisco next week for the conference. And we can call it even.”
“I’ll still be paid right?”
“Yes, Marcia. Double time, in fact. And we’ll put you up in a nice hotel room and you’ll get to fly business class with me.”
“Are you sure you want me to come?” I raised an eyebrow. “I mean, I’m kind of new and...”
“I want you to come.” He grinned. “Spice it up a bit.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.” He winked and then started walking away from me. “Now come on, let’s go and get those shoes.”
Twenty
“Well that’s not how I expected my first official day of work to go.” I walked down the street to the subway station. My mind was still processing everything
that I’d found out. Green Eyes was Finn Winchester. The Finn Winchester. And he’d kissed me. I had no idea what it meant. If it meant anything. I was about to walk down the stairs to the subway when my phone started ringing.
“Mama,” I smiled into the phone as I answered it.
“Marcia, where have you been? I’ve been worried.”
“I’ve been at work.”
“I haven’t heard from you in ages. I was scared you were dead.”
“It’s been two days, mom.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m fine.”
“How’s the job?”
“Interesting, but good. I might be going to California on a work trip next week.”
“California?” My mother sounded dismayed. “You’re traveling for work? I thought you were a temp.”
“I am a temp. I’m going as an assistant.”
“I don’t like this, Marcia. What will I tell your father?”
“What do you mean, mom? I’m not running off to California to become an adult actress or anything—.”
“What did you say?” My mother gasped. She was far more melodramatic than I could ever be.
“I said I’m not headed to California to make an adult film...” I giggled slightly. I could just imagine my mom's face.
“Marcia, that is not funny. I think you need to come back home. The city has already changed you.”
“Changed me how?” I didn’t have the patience for a long lecture from my mother. My mother could have been a talk show host; that’s how much she loved to hear the sound of her own voice.
“You’re talking back and...” I could tell that she was working herself up and I sighed.
“Momma, I’m fine. The job is good. Susie and I are leading boring respectable lives. Do not worry.”
“Your father and I want to see you.”
“I’m coming home for Christmas...as long as I can get off work.”
“See! You’re putting your job before us already.”
“Oh momma, really?” I sighed. “I will do my best to come home.”
“It would be nice if you had a nice young man with you as well. Your dad and I would love some grandbabies.”
“Momma!”
“What, Marcia? I’m just saying. I’m not getting any younger.”
“I love you, mom, but I have to go.”
“Send me photos from California and tell Susie I send my love.”
“Will do. Bye momma.”
“Bye darling.”
I hung up the phone and shook my head. I loved my mom, but sometimes she took every ounce of patience I had and completely drained me. I was about to finally head down to the subway, when my phone rung again. It was Finn. Why was he calling me?
“Hello?”
“It’s Green Eyes.”
“Hello, Anwir.”
“Hello, Marcia, President of marketing.” He chuckled.
“What do you want?”
“Is that any way to talk to your new boss?”
“I’m not on the job right now, right? I can talk to you as I wish.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m about to catch the subway and go home and hang out with my best friend.”
“Susie?”
“Yes, you remember her name?”
“I do.” He paused. “So I’m guessing I can’t convince you to join me for dinner.”
“Nope. Sorry.” I wanted to ask him why he wanted to invite me in the first place, but a part of me was scared of his answer.
“Can I convince you to have me over?”
“Over where?” I blinked. Did he really want to come over to my apartment? Why?
“To your place.”
“I don’t think so.” I shook my head.
“You really have your walls up, don’t you?”
“No,” I lied. “I just think it’s highly inappropriate to have you to my place for dinner. I mean, what if I try and seduce you? I did sign a contract you know?”
“True, you might not be able to resist putting your hands on me.”
“Totally, I’m growing hot right now, just thinking about it.”
“Oh yeah?” He growled and I grinned.
“Yeah, if I’m not careful, I won’t be able to resist unbuttoning your shirt and then your pants...and well, we both know what happens after that.”
“You’re a tease.” His voice was husky now. “You’re not a sweet innocent woman are you?”
“Did I say I was?”
“No, but—.”
“I have to go, Finn.” I cut him off. I was very close to crossing the line. “I don’t want to miss the train, the next one won’t come for 20 minutes.”
“I can pick you up.”
“No thanks.”
“Meet me for dinner.”
“You’re my boss.”
“Your asshole boss.” He laughed.
“Yup.”
“So make me pay...”
“What does that mean?”
“I think you know, Marcia.”
“I’m going now.” I took a deep breath. “Good bye, Mr. Winchester.” And then I hung up and ran down the stairs. I felt hot and flustered and confused. I was playing with fire, teasing him like I had. And I knew that out of the two of us, I would be the only one that got burned if we got involved in any capacity that wasn’t work related.
Twenty-One
“Good morning, Shantal.” I beamed as I walked up to the reception desk. “How’s it going?”
“Not bad.” She yawned. “Late night!”
“Ooh? Did you have a date?”
“Nope, but I was chatting with one guy on a dating app.” She rolled her eyes.
“Oh? Good or bad?”
“It started really great until he asked me if I liked riding.”
“Riding?” I questioned her. “Like horses?”
“If the photo of his cock was a horse, then yeah.” She grinned. “And don’t get me wrong, some guys have beautiful penises. This man did not.”
“Oh no. So you shut him down after that?”
“Oh hell no.” She laughed. “I got a free pizza out of it.”
“You what?” I stared at her in amazement. “Do tell.”
“He wanted to have phone sex.” She grinned as she lowered her voice to a sultry tone.
“And you told him no?”
“I told him I was hungry and didn’t have the energy for phone sex unless I ate.”
“Oh,” I laughed. “Then what happened?”
“He sent me a gift card code to Doordash.” She started laughing. “And I ordered me a large pizza and wings.”
“And then you had phone sex?”
“Uhm, not really.”
“What do you mean not really?”
“I called him and played Real Housewives of Atlanta on my laptop, while I had a bath and read a romance book.”
“Oh Shantal, that’s awful.”
“Well, you know.” She shrugged and giggled. “Serves him right for sending me an unsolicited dick pic.”
“Guys are so ridiculous.” I shook my head. “Every guy thinks that just because he has a cock, he’s a God. Like no dude, you don’t have the nicest cock in the world. Have you shaved it? Are you groomed? Do you bathe frequently? Like if you want to be Cock King, at least have a nice one.” It was then that I realized Shantal was staring at me with wide eyes and pressed lips. I swallowed hard and turned slowly to look behind me. If Gloria were standing there I would just die. But no, my luck was even worse. My face went bright red as I saw Finn standing there. I wanted a sinkhole to open up right then and there and swallow me whole.
“Hello, Ms. Lucas, passing on important business information again this morning?” His eyes mocked me and I just stared at him. “Do you make it a habit of putting your foot in your mouth or are you auditioning for some reality TV show that I don’t know about?”
“Uhm...” I licked my lips nervously. I didn’t dare say anything rude in front of Shantal. I hadn’t told any of my
friends yet that Green Eyes was Finn. I knew that they would think it was hilarious, but I was still processing everything.
“Cat got your tongue?”
“No, but I’m sure he wants to bite down on yours...real hard.” I glared at him and I heard Shantal gasping. She most probably thought I was about to get fired.
“Come with me please, Ms. Lucas.” Finn pressed his lips together and walked away from the desk.
“Fuck it, I’m dead.” I made a face at Shantal and followed behind him. He walked towards the elevators and then stopped to look at me.
“For your information, I’m well groomed.” His eyes gleamed at me and I could tell he was laughing and making fun of me. “I could be your very own Cock King, if you want?”
“No, I don’t want. Thank you very much.” I blushed and shook my head. My mind immediately went to thoughts of his member. I wondered how big he was. He was too cocky to have a micro penis. Though, maybe he was the sort of guy that worked out and got buff to compensate for his average size penis. Though, I didn’t know why I was thinking about his penis. I had absolutely no interest.
“So, Marcia...” He grinned at me.
“I do not care about your penis size, Finn.”
“Sorry what?” His lips twitched again and I realized what I’d said out loud. He really made me lose my head. I felt like I was 15 when I was around him. All gangly legs, braces, and frizzy hair.
“I didn’t mean to say that.”
“Uh huh.” He nodded. “You just want to...” His voice drifted off as his phone started ringing. I recognized the tune as Young Thugs, “Best Friend.” I stared at him in surprise. I never would have believed that clean-cut Finn was into rap. “Finn here, Justin are you okay?” He frowned and I stared at him curious about who he was talking to. “Where are you?” He looked at his watch and sighed. “Okay, stay there, I’ll be there in 30 minutes. Do not leave, okay.” He turned his phone off and blinked as he looked at my face, as if he’d forgotten I was there.
“Is everything okay?” All of a sudden I felt nervous and worried.