by Tracy Reed
“I bought a dress and a suit.”
“And the long garment bag?” She walked over and unzipped the bag. “Oh Gabby, this is beautiful.” She looked at the label. “Donna Karan. Why did you buy an evening gown?”
“I didn’t. My boss did. Besides, it’s for work.”
“Tell me more about this job and Phillippe Marchant. I couldn’t find any pictures of him on the internet. It’s like he’s a ghost.”
I continued packing as I answered her question. “He’s new with the company and this trip has to do with some of the corporate building leases.”
“I see. Is he single or married?”
“I don’t know, and how is that relevant to my job?”
“What exactly are you going to be doing?”
“The usual Assistant duties.”
“Since when did wearing an expensive evening gown and international travel become usual Assistant duties?”
“We have to attend a charity gala as representatives of Morgan Grant.” Now wasn’t the best time to tell her I’ve yet to meet my new boss. Nor was it a wise thing to let her know my internet search wasn’t any better than hers.
“Uh-huh…you sure that’s all?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It sounds like he may have hired you for…” She raised an eyebrow. “You know…”
“What mom?”
“Baby, you’re a very intelligent young woman, but when it comes to men, especially men who are…just make sure one of your duties isn’t to be his bed buddy.”
“Mom!”
“Don’t look so surprised. Your mom knows a few things.” She winked and started towards the door. “I’d better hear from you at least twice a day.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“I’ll make you something to eat. What time are you leaving?”
“Tony is picking me up at two.”
She stopped walking and turned around. “Who’s Tony?”
“The driver.”
“The driver? Uh-huh, you do know I’ll be here when you leave?”
“Mom, it’s my job. Will it make you feel better if I have you on speaker phone the entire ride to the airport?” I teased.
“Yes.”
“Mom…really?”
It was very late when I crawled into bed. I was exhausted and not sure if there’d be a chance for sleep on the flight. When I woke up at ten thirty, I brushed my teeth and headed down to the kitchen. I came around the corner and saw my mom sitting at the table. I coughed and she looked up. “Morning sunshine. What time did you finally go to sleep?”
“Four.”
“Want some coffee?”
“Yes, please.” I sat down and she placed a large white mug in front of me and kissed me on the forehead. After the first sip, I let out a deep sigh. “That’s good.”
“How about some eggs and toast?”
“Please. Thank you.” After breakfast, she helped me finish packing. I looked at the clock and it was one, and I needed to get dressed.
At one forty-five, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and swallowed. Standing in front of me was a bald, dark chocolate human wall with a beard, wearing a black suit. I swallowed hard and looked at my mother. She cocked her head and folded her arms in front of her chest. I knew that meant she’d be in the car behind me all the way to the airport.
I let Tony in and showed him where the bags were. It took him a couple of trips to load everything into the car. When he returned, he asked, “Are you ready?”
“Excuse me,” my mother jumped in, and Tony looked at her. “Exactly who are you?”
“I’m Mr. Marchant’s driver.” Tony looked more like his muscle.
“Is that all?” My mother’s follow up question.
“Yes. Miss Townsend, we need to leave.”
I hugged my mother. “Have a safe trip…call me.”
“I will.”
“Love you, baby.”
“Love you, mom.”
* * *
phillippe
* * *
I took this job with the understanding that I had the full support of the board and the senior management. Now, I find out, that’s not true. The Senior Vice President of Facilities failed to inform me about the situation in Seattle. This whole thing has made me a little leery about the validity of his report.
Now on top of everything else I have to deal with, I have to relocate an office. How is it possible no one knew what was going on with that building?
This situation is just another example of how out of date the operations are. If the upper management had been communicating with each other, I’m sure someone would have picked up on the problem.
I’m grateful I was able to buy some time with the new owner. It meant forfeiting the lease buyout money, but I can live with that. What I couldn’t live with was the twenty million in lost revenue if the facility had to shut down. I’m not exactly pleased with the temporary location, but that’s why it’s temporary. At least I can get everything moved and only lose about three million.
The main reason I’m taking this road trip is because I don’t trust the Facilities report I was given. I need to meet with the Vice President of Operations in each of these offices and find out what they know. I cannot afford a repeat of the Seattle situation right now.
I have a branch relocation plan, but I didn’t want to implement it for at least a year…six months, if pushed. I want to fire the current Senior Vice President of Facilities, but that would leave me without anyone in that position. At this point, I’ve got to play the hand I’ve been dealt.
I contacted a headhunter and had her submit a list of potential replacements for my lazy ass Senior Vice President of Facilities. Once Tony checks them out, I’ll start interviewing. My ideal candidate for a short term fix is Gabriella, but she’s not ready. I’d send Tony, but I need his help on this road trip. I have a feeling Seattle wasn’t the only office with a circumspect lease. Seems I’m stuck with this idiot for a little longer.
I forgot to send Gabriella a picture of Tony. On first glance, he looks intimidating, but that’s what I need. We go way back. When I took this position, I insisted he be added to my team. He’s more like my assistant. He knows how I work and has a vast knowledge of commercial real estate and construction. He’s also in charge of my security. Before I do business with or hire anyone, he runs a thorough background check.
When I agreed to take this job, he began gathering information on all the board members and senior executives. I needed to know who would be loyal to me. At the present, the team consists of three people…me, Tony and Gabriella.
Chapter Three
gabriella
* * *
We pulled up next to a huge jet and parked. My nerves were on edge. I should have known we’d be traveling on the company jet. Tony got out and opened my door. “Mr. Marchant will be here shortly.”
“Thank you.” He helped me out of the car and my mind filled with a thousand possible ways this could be bad. I walked up the stairs and when I crossed the threshold of the plane, my mouth dropped open. I looked around the beautiful space and figured if I were being sold into white slavery, at least I was going in style with a great dress.
“Good afternoon Miss Townsend. I’m Gil.” Oh great another strange man. Am I the only female working for this man?
“Hello.” I shook the gentleman’s hand.
“Can I get you something while we wait for Mr. Marchant?”
Alcohol wasn’t an option, I needed to stay alert. “A mineral water please. Thank you.”
“Have a seat and I’ll be right back.”
I sat down and watched as Tony loaded the bags, then disappeared. I closed my eyes and said a little prayer, followed by a couple of deep breaths. Then I sent a text to my mother, “So far so good.”
Gil returned. “Here you are Miss.” He looked out the window. “Mr. Marchant has arrived.”
My heart leapt into my throat. I took a long sip from m
y glass, popped a breath mint, and stood up. I brushed the imaginary lint off my sleeve, rubbed my tongue across my teeth checking for lipstick, and folded my hands in front of me. I looked out the window hoping to get a glimpse of the elusive Phillippe Marchant as he got out of the black Bentley, but Tony “The Wall,” was blocking my view.
I held my breath and aimed my eyes at the entrance, but all I saw was his back, followed by the voice from the phone.
“Tony, make sure Marcos knows to go to my place and check on things. Have him forward anything that looks important to the D.C. office, and I’ll see you on board.”
Now I was confused. I thought Tony was the driver. Who the crap is Marcos? I’m surrounded by strange men. I looked down briefly. When I raised my head, my eyes landed on a very tall, young, hot man walking towards me. My body reacted in a way I had never experienced. I was trembling from head to toe, and a strange sensation settled in the lower half of my body.
I’ve never seen an executive or man that looked like this. Most of the executives at Morgan Grant were older and definitely not this fine. This man’s skin looked like rich black coffee. I wanted to touch his face to see if it felt as smooth as it looked. He was wearing a light grey suit and a simple white shirt, with the first few buttons undone to reveal more of that beautiful dark skin. He continued toward me and his spicy scent filled up the plane. This couldn’t be…
“Phillippe, we finally meet.” He extended his hand and I saw his guns. My God, every muscle in his body was at attention and now he was giving me permission to touch him.
“Hello.” I shook his hand and a spark erupted. No really, an electric shock.
“Must be the carpet,” he joked.
“Sir,” Gil appeared.
“Gil, thank you for taking care of Miss Townsend. Once we get on our way, please serve lunch. I haven’t eaten since this morning. When Tony gets back, tell the pilot wheels up. Thank you.”
“Yes sir.” Gil disappeared to the rear of the plane.
“Gabriella,” he looked at me and the most salacious thought crossed my mind. For a moment, I forgot I was a good girl excited about this amazing job God had blessed me with. “Have a seat. We have a lot to discuss before we land.”
I smiled, sat down, grabbed the necessary files, and buckled my seat belt. I reached for my iPad and when I straightened up, Phillippe was sitting across from me. He had taken his jacket off, revealing more of his incredible build. He removed his cufflinks and began rolling up his shirt sleeves. I was fascinated by the crisp white cotton bending at his will, releasing more of his demanding, intoxicating scent. I tried to focus on my iPad, telling myself, Don’t look at him. If you do, you might suffer the same fate as Lot’s wife and turn into a pillar of salt. I lifted up my iPad and pretended to read. All of a sudden the plane seemed dark. I looked up and Tony was walking towards us.
“I told the pilot we’re ready,” he said to Phillippe.
“Let Gil know, and ask him to bring me a glass of ice water. Thank you.” He looked at me and I was grateful to be sitting because every muscle in my body was numb. “Turn your iPad off until after take off.” He capped off his comment with a smile. Dimples. Are you kidding me?
His looks are strong and commanding until he smiles and then he becomes a real life sex fantasy. His eyes look like black diamonds, and those have got to be the whitest teeth I’ve ever seen.
What is wrong with me? He’s not even my type. Like I have a type. My last relationship was with Todd Elliot, my lab partner. Even then, I think it was a pity thing on both our parts. He was short, fair skinned, sweaty palms and every time he kissed me, it felt like I was being kissed by a fish.
I looked at Phillippe’s lips and wondered how those, gorgeous full lips would feel pressed against mine. I bet they’re soft. He probably doesn’t kiss like a fish, but like a man who knows how to take charge. His kisses are probably filled with a lot of passion. I bit my lower lip, lost in my fantasy of kissing him.
“Gabriella…Gabriella…”
“I’m sorry. I forgot my mother asked me to text her before we took off.”
“Please do, I understand mothers.”
Please don’t be a mama’s boy. That would be a shame, not to mention what it would do to my fantasy. I texted mama, “I’m okay. He’s really nice. We’re headed to D.C. Will text when we land. Talk to you later. Love, Gabby.”
“Be careful. Love you, baby.”
About an hour into our flight, Gil appeared with lunch. I tried to focus on work, but it was difficult with Phillippe sitting across from me. He even eats sexy.
He wiped his mouth. “I’m sure you have questions.”
Yes, I do. Why is Tony traveling with us? Why was it necessary for me to come on this trip? Not that I’m complaining, but with the work I’m doing, I could have stayed at the office. “How did you come to work for Morgan Grant?”
He looked at Tony and then back at me. “Uhm, the Chairman and I were at a social function and started talking. I made a great impression, a lucrative offer was made and I accepted.” I heard Tony cough. “Why did you want to work at Morgan Grant?”
“They showed the most opportunity for growth.”
“What’s your favorite department?”
“It was Mergers and Acquisitions, until I spent some time in Advertising.”
“What changed your mind?”
“I like the creative energy.”
“I see.” He smiled. “This definitely isn’t advertising, but there is a little creativity involved.”
“What do you do exactly?”
He shifted in his seat and sipped his coffee. “Let’s just say, we’ll be doing a little bit of everything.”
“Like going to charity events?” I smiled.
“Exactly. Did Cameron help you with a dress?”
“Yes, but I think it’s too…”
“Nonsense. You will probably need to add a few more to your wardrobe, so when we get back…”
Is he kidding? Unless he’s going to buy me a dress every time I need one, we need to talk about my salary. “I don’t…”
“Is there a problem?”
“I can’t afford to buy dresses like the one you bought. I’ll do my best, but…I’m not complaining about my salary, because the standard Executive Assistant salary is way better than…”
“What are you talking about?”
“I assumed I was hired to be your Executive Assistant.”
“I know I’ve had a lot on my mind the past few days, but when I confirmed your position with Human Resources, I was very clear about your salary. I felt based on your experience and the job duties, you deserved a little more.” He scrolled down his email and forwarded me a copy. “See for yourself.”
When I opened the email, I tried not to show my excitement. Instead, I saw myself in the black Donna Karan suit plus a new pair of shoes.
“I’m sorry about the mix up. This thing with the Seattle office has had us all a little distracted.”
“I understand.” I looked up and that smile sent a jolt straight to my core.
“Do you like your office?”
I shifted in my seat. “It’s beautiful. How did you know my favorite color?”
“Which one?” Tony coughed and Phillippe cut him a look.
“Black, I love it.”
“I wanted the spaces to complement each other. I like black as well.”
“Your office is…wow. It’s a cool place to work.” I’ll never tell him, that it looks like a cool rich boy bachelor pad. I already see myself ordering pizza and hot wings for him and his friends on fight night or during the basketball playoffs. He probably has four televisions so he can watch multiple games at the same time.
“Thank you. I apologize about the desk chair.”
“The desk chair?” Thank God he brought it up, because that’s the only thing I don’t like about my office.
“I thought it best if you picked it out yourself, as well as your dictation chair in front of
my desk.” It’s very sweet that he wants me to select my dictation chair for his office.
“Thank you. What about the chair that’s there?”
“The decorator…I don’t like it, but if you do…oh, the television should be installed by the time we get back, as well as the print. There was a crack in the frame and it had to be redone.”
“Television?” I really don’t see where that’s necessary, but I’m not going to complain.
“We’ll be working late and I thought it would be a nice treat.”
“Thank you.”
“Feel free to add pictures and anything else to make the space comfortable.”
“Thank you.” It was all a little overwhelming.
“You need to hire a receptionist. There’s a temp in place now, but we need someone permanent. Human Resources will be sending you some options. Select three and give their names to Tony. Once he’s checked them out, you can interview them.”
The past twenty-four hours seemed like a dream. Not only did I have a fabulous new job, my own office, a hot boss, and from the sound of it, I’m about to hire my first employee. Thank you God, this is great.
I tried to stifle my yawns, but I was exhausted. I kept hoping Phillippe would take a nap so I could as well. Unfortunately, he had a long list of things he wanted to discuss. When I went to the restroom, I spotted Tony in one of the chairs asleep. I envied him.
* * *
phillippe
I tried not to stare at her, but I’m shocked at how beautiful she is. Nowhere in Tony’s report did he mention how beautiful Gabriella is. My last assistant was a pretty woman in her mid sixties. Mrs. Reynolds was more like a mother. However, this woman sitting across from me is a lustful distraction. I’m not sure if this is going to work.
I tried to play off that spark thing, but it was real. Nothing like that has ever happened to me, not even with Chantal.
I’m trying not to stare at her, but those are the sexiest lips I’ve ever seen. Full and juicy. I could watch her talk all day. I wonder how she kisses. Did I just say that? What is wrong with me? She’s not even my type. But her petite frame and those curves are doing something to me. I wonder how her hair looks straight. The curls framing her face make her look sweet and innocent, but those lips…maybe I should send her home and just communicate via the phone and a few video chats. Who am I kidding? That wouldn’t help, because even talking to her on the phone, her face would be in my head and I’d be envisioning those lips.