by Cameron Hart
“Hey, now,” I say, feigning offense. “I happen to like my colorful wardrobe. I seem to remember you borrowing quite a few things from me freshman year!”
“Ah, yes, but I was young and foolish then,” she teases.
“Just because you added black and white to your wardrobe doesn’t make you old and wise, you know.”
“No, but it sure helps me keep up appearances,” she laughs.
I laugh with her, feeling lighter already.
“Well, can you help a sister out? I’m interviewing for an executive assistant position.”
“How fancy,” she notes.
“It has good benefits, which I need right now.”
Sarah gets quiet, and I can tell I’ve brought the entire mood down.
“How’s Lucas doing?”
“Not great,” I tell her honestly. I give her the latest update. She listens and doesn’t offer any pithy advice or empty encouragement. Instead, she says she has the perfect outfit for me to nail the job. We end the call after setting a time for me to stop by her place before the interview tomorrow.
I check in on Lucas, who is still sleeping soundly. I warm up some enchiladas I made the night before and then eat them in bed while watching Pretty Little Liars on my laptop. Classy, I know. My eyelids get heavy before the episode is even over. The last thought in my head before drifting off to sleep is that tomorrow could change everything.
Chapter 3
Declan
“Thanks for your time, I’ll be in touch.”
Only, I won’t, because this woman will definitely not be my new assistant. Nor will anyone else from the five interviews I’ve conducted today.
The first guy was promising, up until he said he’ll need two weeks off next month to go to his sister’s wedding. Who needs two whole weeks to get married? If it can’t be done in a single evening, then the happy couple doesn’t deserve to have guests, in my opinion. Well, actually, in my opinion marriage is a sham and weddings are a huge waste of money. But I digress.
The next lady was a complete mess, and the two after her were no better.
Then this last woman sauntered into my office wearing a red dress that clung to her every curve. Her tits were practically spilling out and those heels she wore looked to be at least five inches tall. I’ve had former assistants hit on me before and I turned them all down. I’m looking for an executive assistant, not a hookup. Hard pass on Ms. Gold Digger.
I sigh in frustration and look over the resumé of the last interviewee of the day. She’s young, but it says she has her degree. Her skillset and experience seem to line up with the job posting. Maybe a little too perfectly. Almost word-for-word. I have to chuckle at that. It’s clever, really. I’m sure that’s why HR set up an interview. They saw the keywords in her resumé and probably overlooked how young she is. Looks like Luna Foster gets some brownie points for her marketing skills. Honestly, if she’s half as competent as her resumé suggests she is, I’ll hire her. I haven’t the time nor patience to start this whole hiring process over again.
Just then, there’s a knock on my door. Our secretary, Tiffany, pops her head in.
“Declan,” she purrs.
Ugh. Speaking of women who shamelessly throw themselves at me…
“Yes?” I say, maybe a little too harshly judging from the way she flinches.
“The next job candidate is here.”
“Send them in.” I take a deep breath and close my eyes, gathering up the last of my strength.
Please don’t let this one be a dud.
When I open my eyes, I’m looking right into the face of a goddess. She has golden hair that falls over her shoulder in long, silky waves, pink, pouty lips, and huge, doe eyes. What color are they? It’s not quite green, but it’s not brown, either. Are those silver flecks in her irises?
“May I sit down?” The gorgeous creature in front of me asks. Her voice is smooth and solid. She carries a surprising amount of confidence for such a little thing. Tiny, really. But still curvy in all the right places. She’s pocket-sized, and something about that makes me want to scoop her up and carry her with me everywhere.
Jesus, man. Get a hold of yourself.
I clear my throat and motion for her to take the seat in front of me.
“I’m Luna,” she says after I still haven’t been able to find my voice. I’m still reeling from my reaction to her. I’m turned on, yeah, but I find I want to protect her, know her, hear her every thought. Which confuses me almost as much as it pisses me off.
“Declan,” I cough out. “Knight. Declan Knight.”
She leans towards me and shakes my hand. Her skin is so soft, her little hand so delicate inside of my much larger one.
“Yes, I know who you are, Mr. Knight.”
“Please. Call me Declan.”
“Alright. Declan,” she concedes, a small smile on her face.
Fuck, I like the sound of my name on her lips. On her tongue. I can think of a few other things I want in that pretty mouth of hers.
Damnit. Stop it right now.
“So, Luna. I see here you’re just twenty years old.”
“Well, I’d like to think I’m not just anything, but yes, I am twenty.” She has a spark in those gorgeous eyes of hers, the hint of a challenge. Fuck if that doesn’t make my cock twitch.
“And you recently graduated college. This would be your first job?”
“This would be my first job in a professional setting, but I’m no stranger to hard work. I’ve waitressed and worked in marketing.”
“Telemarketing,” I correct. It’s a dick move, but to her credit, she keeps her head held high.
“It’s right in the name,” she smirks. Usually a smartass remark like that would piss me off, but coming from this little thing, it makes me want to smirk back at her. I don’t, of course. I scowl instead.
I decide to stay on script, since clearly this spitfire in front of me has the power to throw me off my game. I have some generic questions that HR emailed to me, so I read through those. Though, to be honest, I’m not really paying any attention to her answers. I’ve pretty much already decided to hire Luna. Usually I like someone with experience, but I like the idea of training her just how I want her and not have to break her of any bad habits.
Fuck, looking at her now, her confidence, sass, and curves all wrapped up in a tiny, tight little package has me thinking of other ways I want to train her. I’d tie her to my bed and make her beg for my fat cock. I’d drive her insane with teasing little kisses across her creamy skin. And then I’d bite her, mark her, before licking away the sting and sucking on every inch of that supple body until she’s shaking with the need for release. And then I’d make her hold it all in, driving her higher and higher until she can’t stand it, until she’s bucking and pulling on her restraints and crying for me to make her cum. Only then would I slam my dick into that tight cunt of hers and allow her orgasm to devastate her little body.
The only thing that pulls me out of those inappropriate thoughts is my dick swelling so much it punches my zipper, making me hold in a groan at the pain and pleasure.
Good thing Luna is still going on about whatever I just asked her. I’ve got to get myself under control. It’s been a long time since I’ve had this reaction to a woman. Ok, I don’t know that I’ve ever reacted to a woman quite like this before, but the point still stands. I haven’t been with anyone since my father died, and even then, it was just a string of nameless women who knew what they were getting into.
“Luna,” I say after adjusting myself and calming down a bit. “If I told you to schedule a call for three-thirty, what would your first course of action be?”
She looks at me with those olive eyes of hers and tilts her head to the side. “I suppose I’d see if your afternoon schedule was clear.”
“You’re hired.”
Her eyebrows shoot up almost to her hairline, while her eyes are wide with shock.
“Really?!” She asks with such excitement
it’s almost contagious.
I nod in confirmation.
“Are you sure?”
“Are you trying to talk yourself out of a job?” I raise an eyebrow at her, fighting a smile.
“No, no, definitely not. Thank you, Mr. Knight. I mean, Mr. Declan. Um, Declan. Sir.”
Jesus, hearing her call me sir has all of my dirty fantasies springing to life again. Not to mention other parts of me springing to life…
I stand before things get any worse down below and shake her little hand. Luna grasps my big paw and enthusiastically shakes it up and down, a brilliant smile making her already glowing face practically radiant. I find myself smiling back at her, which is a strange, new feeling for me.
“So, when can I start?” She asks, all bright and bubbly and too damn sweet. She looks so innocent in this moment, so fucking bright and young. I’m a dirty old man for having such filthy thoughts about her.
“Tomorrow?” I joke.
“Yes!” She all but shouts.
We’re still shaking hands, a fact that Luna doesn’t seem to register. I don’t mind.
“Really?” I ask.
“Are you trying to talk yourself out of an assistant?” She winks at me, that spark from earlier lighting up her eyes.
“Tomorrow it is then,” I say, still holding her hand.
As if suddenly realizing our less than professional handshake, Luna withdraws her hand from mine. For a tiny instant, I don’t want to let her go. But I stuff that thought down and watch as she turns around and gathers her purse and jacket. I lead her to the door with my hand on her lower back. I don’t even realize I’m doing it until I hear her sharp intake of breath. I try not to think about what other sounds she can make with that mouth of hers. I swear, I‘m trying to be good.
When we reach the door, Luna looks over her shoulder at me, her cheeks an adorable shade of pink.
Oh, sweet Luna. If you only knew the things I want to do to you.
I bet her face would be beet red. I bet it would reach all the way down to her perky little tits.
“See you tomorrow,” she all but whispers.
With that, Luna walks down the hall towards the reception desk. I don’t miss the way she fist pumps the air and wiggles her heart-shaped ass in a little victory dance.
I close my office door and lean against it, finally able to breathe again now that the siren is gone. With each intake of air, I get a little more clarity. I just hired a twenty-year-old. A beautiful, tempting, sassy, twenty-year-old.
And I can’t fire her.
What the actual fuck was I thinking, again?
Chapter 4
Luna
By the time I get out to my old Nissan, I’m practically shaking with excitement. From getting the job, of course. And not because my new boss is sexy as hell and has piercing grey eyes that make my stomach do weird flippy things. Definitely not that.
So what if my knees went a little weak when I first walked in his office? I had to ask him if I could sit just so I didn’t topple over. But it was probably just nerves. And not his strong, angled jaw, or his straight nose, or his full lips that curved in a small little smile when he looked at me for the first time.
I only blushed when he touched my lower back because, well, let’s be honest, no guy has ever touched me like that. There was something so intimate about the way his large hand covered my back and slightly grazed over the top of my ass.
It made me wonder what his hands would feel like everywhere. Not that would know what any of that feels like. I’ve kissed guys before, but things never went any further than that. It’s not like I’m saving my virginity for marriage or anything like that, I just… I want it to mean something. I’m not expecting forever, but I want to be with someone who matters. I want to matter to them, too. And so far, no one has ever kept my interest long enough to matter all that much. This last year I haven’t had the time or energy to think about dating or boys at all. But Declan isn’t a boy. He’s all man.
Stop it right now!
I manage to find a parking spot close to our apartment and hop out, ridding myself of all ridiculous thoughts about Declan and his broad chest, jet black hair, peppermint and pine scent…
Down, girl. He’s your boss.
“Luna!” Lucas calls for me as soon as I close the front door. “How did the interview go?”
I walk over to his room and peer inside. He’s got his little set up – tray of food on the bed, glass of water and a glass of juice on his nightstand, a stack of textbooks in the corner of his bed, long forgotten in favor of the videogame he’s currently playing.
If he were a normal seventeen-year-old, I might scold him for being lazy. As it is, seeing him sitting up and engaging with the world around him means it’s a good day.
Lucas pauses the game and looks at me expectantly.
I drop my shoulders and frown. His shoulders drop too, and he looks so sad. I sigh and sit down on the foot of his bed.
“I got the job,” I say in the saddest tone I can muster. “And the worst part is, it pays really well and has great benefits.”
“You got it?!”
I nod, solemnly.
He throws a pillow at me and I laugh, smiling brightly at him as I catch the pillow and throw it back.
“You’re so mean!” He exclaims. “I’m sick, you can’t tease me like that!”
“Don’t play the cancer kid card on me. It doesn’t work anymore. I’m immune,” I say as I roll my eyes at him.
“Seriously, Luna, that’s great. You won’t have to work so many hours, right?”
“That’s right. Just forty hours, maybe some overtime here and there.”
He nods, and we’re quiet for a moment. Finally, Lucas looks at me with such sincerity in his eyes. “I know I don’t say it enough but thank you. You’ve given up so much for me.”
“You’ll just have to make it up to me when you get better,” I tease, hoping to lighten the mood. His words mean everything to me, but if I dwell on them too much I just might cry. And that’s not what I want to do. Not today. Not when things are finally looking up for us.
“Yeah, yeah, put it on my tab,” he deadpans, though he can’t hide his grin.
“What sounds good for dinner? I have to stop by Goodwill and pick up some professional clothes, and I can grab something on the way back.”
“You mean the office doesn’t want you wearing glitter and sequins?” He asks sarcastically.
“It’s something I hope to change in the near future, but for now I think I should play it safe,” I wink.
He rolls his eyes at me in the way only a little brother can.
“How about Cowboy Rick’s for dinner?”
“Perfect,” I smile, thinking of our favorite Chinese place. It’s a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that is all western themed, despite the traditional Chinese food it serves. We love it. So much so that I wonder if we’re keeping the little gem in business.
✽✽✽
The next morning, I wake up extra early to make sure I have plenty of time to get ready for my first day on the new job. I look over my outfit of choice in the mirror and debate which shoes to pair with it.
“That’s your professional clothing?” Lucas says from my doorway.
“Yeah, so?” I say defensively. I take another look over the light teal pencil skirt and white blouse with big black polka dots on it.
“I mean, you look good…” He says, backtracking.
I laugh. “I tried to buy adult clothes. I swear, I did. I even tried on a beige skirt. Beige! I mean, why is that an option? And why would someone choose beige over teal?”
Lucas just grins at me and shakes his head. “At least it doesn’t have glitter on it.”
“Exactly. Baby steps.” I nod at him. “Are you going to be ok here?” I ask, changing topics.
“For the last time, I’m fiiiiiine. Seriously, I’ll just be playing video games all day.”
I open my mouth to reprimand him, but he throws his h
ands out in front of him in surrender.
“Kidding, kidding. I know you talked to the school so I can do my classes online.”
I give him a warning look as I walk out of my room and collect my things for the day.
“Ok, then. There are leftovers in the fridge, and I’m just a phone call away. If you—”
“Luna, chill. I’ll be fine for a few hours, ok? Now go on, get out of here so I can play video games,” he winks, shoving me towards the door.
“Lucas!”
He snickers, and then closes the door behind me. I wait until I hear the lock click, and then I head to the car.
It only takes me thirty minutes to drive to the office, which is pretty much a miracle in New York. Better still, my new job pays for a parking pass. I spend the first two hours of my day filling out paper work, and then Tiffany, the front desk secretary, shows me to my new desk. It’s right outside of Declan’s office, which makes sense, but still makes me giddy. Much more than it should.
I steal a glance through the glass wall beside his door. Sure enough, the formidable man himself is sitting at his messy desk, phone in one hand, while pecking at his keyboard with the other hand. Just then, his eyes snap up to meet mine, almost like he felt me staring at him.
He skims his gaze down my body, but then looks angry and darts his eyes away. Does he regret hiring me already?
“Alright, so this is your space. You can log in with the credentials there on the sticky note,” Tiffany says, pulling me back into the present.
“Great, thanks.”
“Mmhmm,” she says. She sounds distracted, so I look up at her. Tiffany has her eyes trained on Declan, biting her bottom lip and leaning forward as if pulled towards him by a magnet. It shouldn’t make me jealous… but it does.
“So, can I bring in photos and stuff? You know, personalize the space?” I ask, hoping to break her out of that lustful look she’s giving Declan.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about all that if I were you.”
“Why?”
“Declan has a bit of a reputation around here. He doesn’t keep assistants around for very long. He usually finds them…” Tiffany eyes me up and down. “… Lacking.”