“I…uh…I thought they closed down the office at one on Fridays?”
“Usually, yes. But since today’s your first day, they opted to keep regular hours. And since I missed yesterday morning, I wasn’t about to argue. So, you hungry?”
I peered up at the closed doors in front of me. I wasn’t sure when I was supposed to take lunch. Aside from the few phone calls they had delegated, I hadn’t had much conversation with anyone. I had yet to see Justin at all, and Langston had come in already on the phone.
Without instruction from my bosses, I didn’t know what to say to Jordan.
He obviously sensed my concern because he kept talking. “They’ll be taking lunch right at one. Unless they have lunch meetings scheduled or they’re out of town, they always go out together and they’re back in an hour.”
As though they heard Jordan, all four doors opened and all four men walked out.
Hmm. Now I knew what the other door was for. It appeared Justin had snuck in at some point.
Ben looked over and nodded. “We’re heading out to lunch. You’re welcome to go out if you’d like.”
“Thank you,” I told him as the four men headed down the hall. Speaking to Jordan, I said, “Sure, I’d love to go down with you.”
“Come on, girlie. Let’s get a move on then.”
Grabbing my purse, I headed toward the front. By the time I got to Jordan’s desk, the lobby was empty except for him. He bypassed me quickly and I noticed he was locking the doors that led back to the offices.
“How’s the morning so far?” he asked as we waited for the elevator to arrive.
“Good. Busy.”
“It’ll be that way. The girl before you—Andrea—she said it became too much for her to handle. That’s why she left. And the girl before her—Debbie—couldn’t seem to get along with Justin for whatever reason.”
The elevator arrived and we stepped inside.
“To tell you the truth,” he continued, “I think she got upset that Justin didn’t hit on her.”
“Really?” I turned to face Jordan, my curiosity piqued by the gossip. “Did the others?”
His golden eyebrow arched. “I think they were interested.”
There was a distinct note in Jordan’s tone. As though I was missing something, but I wasn’t sure what it was. Almost as though it was expected that all four men were to be interested at the same time. And by interested I could only assume he meant…sexually? Maybe? Hell, I had no idea because it sounded strange even as I thought it.
“Do they not hire men?” That seemed the most pertinent question.
“Of course they do.” His smile was wide. “I’m the best thing that’s happened to them, don’t you know?”
I laughed. How could I not? I truly liked Jordan.
“I mean for the secretary position.”
“Not since I’ve been here. Although there have been some men who apply, but they tend to hire them and send them out into the field.”
“Oh.”
“Have they gone over the job requirements with you yet?”
I shook my head. “I figure they’ll assign me tasks as they go along.” That seemed to be the way things were working so far.
“They usually don’t go over the full requirements until after two weeks. I think they want to ensure you’ll stick around.”
“Well, I can tell you, I have no intentions of going anywhere.” Considering the amount of money they were willing to pay, along with the benefits, it would be hard to get me to walk away. And though I hadn’t done much, I liked the feel of the office environment. My four bosses seemed relatively laid-back for the most part.
Except for Langston. That man intimidated me. But not necessarily in a bad way.
“Good.” Jordan took my arm and steered me out of the elevator when it arrived in the main lobby. “It’ll be nice for one of their girls to hang around for a while. So, what’s your pleasure?” he asked the second we stepped into the bustling sandwich shop. “I’m pretty simple. Turkey and cheddar for me.”
I didn’t even bother glancing at the menu. “Uh…roast beef and Swiss. On wheat. And spicy mustard.”
“I’m betting you’re a riot at Starbucks,” he said with a chuckle.
After we ordered and paid and our sandwiches were prepared, I followed Jordan to a table against the wall. I wasn’t surprised to see that the small restaurant was packed. From what I could tell, it was the only one in the building, which was quite convenient for those who worked nearby.
“How long have you worked here?” I asked, opening my baked Lay’s.
Jordan was unwrapping his sandwich when he smiled at me. “Eighteen months and let me tell you, it’s been a ride.”
“Really? You like working here?”
“Considering they leave me alone most of the time, sure. I get to interact with the clients, talk on the phone all day, play on the Internet when I’m bored, and they pay me to do all that…” He grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, I love it.”
I wanted to ask Jordan to give me some insight into the bosses, but I didn’t. I liked Jordan and all, but I needed to get to know him a little before I started prying. He might’ve been the kind to run to the bosses and tell them I was asking questions, for all I knew. I didn’t want to look like a nosy Nancy. Not yet, anyway.
“You don’t get bored?” As of right now, I was worried that I wasn’t going to have enough to do. And yes, the morning had passed quickly, but unless someone wanted coffee this afternoon, I wasn’t really sure what I would have on my agenda.
“Never. The pace here is fast. In fact, they work long hours. Sometimes late into the night.”
“Does their secretary?”
“Sometimes. But they always ask first. A couple of them didn’t want to, but some of them have. To be honest, I think the reason they’ve had to work late was because their secretary couldn’t handle her share of the workload.”
I made a mental note of that. I would not let these guys down.
Continuing with the small talk, I asked, “How many secretaries have they had?”
“About one every other month,” Jordan said around a mouthful. “Although they’ve had to go a few weeks without one from time to time. The longest was a girl who stayed for seven weeks, but they eventually had to let her go.”
One every two months? Wow.
That was a lot.
“Do you know why they don’t keep them?”
He shook his head. “I think they haven’t found anyone who can keep up with the fast pace. I don’t think it’s been personal. Then again, most of them didn’t hang out with me since we’re separated ninety-nine percent of the time. A couple were really snobbish. I think they rubbed the bosses the wrong way, too.”
For whatever reason, that statement had me conjuring up some pretty dirty images of rubbing the bosses. Only I’d be doing it the right way.
And there went my inner hussy, clearly tired of being caged. I had to get laid sometime soon or who knew what I might do.
Sheesh.
•
The phone on my desk rang right at three o’clock. It was coming from inside, so I grabbed the receiver before it rang a second time.
“Luci, when you get a minute, can you please come in here?” Justin’s voice was rich and sexy as it seemed to caress me through the phone.
Yep. I was in some serious trouble here.
Shaking myself out of my sex-hazed stupor, I answered with, “Yes, sir.”
Hanging up the phone, I started toward his office door, then paused. I went back to my desk, grabbed a notepad and pen, then returned. Tapping twice, I waited until he called me inside.
“It’s open.”
I pushed open the door and offered him a shy smile.
“Please, have a seat,” he urged, nodding toward one of the three chairs across from his desk.
Moving slowly, I glanced around, admiring every square inch of Justin’s office. I had yet to be in here, so I felt the need to take it
all in.
His desk was more traditional, a dark mahogany, probably eight feet wide or so. Very sturdy. For whatever reason, it had me thinking about being laid out on top of it, legs spread…
Shit.
I shook off the thought and took a deep breath as I moved to the chair and eased down into it. It was the same rich color as the desk, and there were two matching ones on either side of it. Like Ben’s and Landon’s offices, Justin’s also had sofas. Two, which were set up the same as Ben’s, facing each other with tables on each end. There were no windows in this room; however, there was a television on the wall and bookshelves, too. His held various products. I figured they were samples from his clients.
Something on the far right caught my eye and I squinted to see what it was.
A wave of heat engulfed me from head to toe, embarrassment making my face flush as I did a double take. There on the shelf was what looked a lot like a glass dildo. I quickly scanned a few of the other items, noticing that, yes, they were…sex toys.
Okay, so maybe that was the reason my hormones seemed to be on a pendulum. Back and forth, as though gravity-driven and picking up speed over time. Perhaps the sexual energy was ghosting through the building, turning me into a fiend.
Justin leaned back in his chair, crossed one ankle over the opposite knee, and regarded me silently.
It made me want to fidget, but I managed to keep my hands still and my knees from bouncing.
“How’re things going so far?” he inquired.
I clicked my pen over and over, then stopped myself suddenly because that was annoying. “Good. I really like it here.”
“What’re you happy about so far?”
I hadn’t expected an interrogation, so I had to think about that for a second. “I like the fast pace. Time seems to fly by. And I like talking to the managers and their team members, getting to know them.”
Justin nodded. “I talked to Ben and Landon. They said you’re doing great.”
That pleased me and I couldn’t hide the pride from my face.
Justin’s eyes traveled a little lower, then back up. That was when I decided the man had bedroom eyes. Dark, seductive, the kind you wanted a man to pin on you when he had you laid out before him, naked and willing.
Shit.
I was beginning to wonder if they were pumping something in through the air conditioning. I mean, sure, I had a strong sex drive, but this was getting ridiculous.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” I blurted, immediately realizing how personal that was.
Justin merely smiled. “Thirty-seven.”
“Oh, wow. You look much younger than that. I mean, not that you’re old.” My hand shot up and smacked over my mouth. “I’m so sorry,” I mumbled, then withdrew my hand and repeated my apology before adding, “That was completely uncalled for.”
He laughed. “It’s all right. I get that sometimes.” His eyes traveled over my face. “And how old are you, Luci?”
“Twenty-four.” I figured he already knew that since I had to put my birthdate on the application I had filled out online.
“Are you married?” he inquired.
Shaking my head, I said, “God, no.”
He seemed pleased by the answer. “Dating anyone?”
I shook my head again. “I’m not big on the relationship thing,” I admitted. “I haven’t technically had a date in about two years. I was seeing a guy in college—his name was Thomas—but that didn’t work out.”
I had no idea why I was telling this man so much about me, but I couldn’t seem to shut up.
“You?” I questioned.
This sounded far too much like a first date conversation. Certainly not a conversation appropriate for my first day on the job.
Justin shook his head. “Never married, no. Not dating anyone.” His lips curled up in a sexy grin. “However, it hasn’t been two years.”
No, I couldn’t imagine it had.
I noticed he put emphasis on the word dating; however, I wasn’t sure what that meant. Was he seeing someone? Maybe they didn’t call it dating. Friends with benefits?
I glanced back toward the wall, then dropped my eyes to my lap when I noticed a thick black dildo. “Are any of the others? You know, married?”
Shit.
Someone should gag me now and put an end to this insanity.
“No. Landon and Langston have never been married. Ben was married back in his early twenties. Didn’t work out. And no, they’re not dating anyone at the moment either.”
I nodded, a little surprised that Justin would offer up that information so easily.
“Do you live close?” Justin asked.
I shrugged. “Not too far. About twenty minutes on a good day. You?”
“I’ve got a house about an hour from here,” he stated. “But I have an apartment here in the city for the nights I don’t want to drive that far. We all do, actually. I tend to spend more time at the apartment these days.”
“That must be nice.”
His smile was a little wicked if I wasn’t mistaken. “Very. Plus, it’s in this building, so that makes it convenient.”
“I’d say so.”
We stared at one another for what felt like an interminably long time before finally Justin cleared his throat and sat up straight. “Well, that’s all I had. Just wanted to check in. Make sure things are going well.”
“They are,” I said quickly, then got to my feet. “Very well.”
“Good to hear.”
I turned toward the door.
“And Luci?”
I peered at him over my shoulder, noticing the way his eyes were glued to my legs. “Hmm?”
He lifted his gaze to meet mine. “If you need anything, anything at all, just let me know.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once again, there was a flare of heat in his eyes, but I didn’t get to see it long because I slipped out the door, terrified of what might possibly come out of my mouth next.
Seven
IT WAS ALMOST FIVE AND I was about to get up to ask if anyone needed me to do anything when Langston stuck his head out of his office door. I instantly glanced in his direction and he crooked his finger, inviting me to join him.
With a fluttery feeling in my belly, I got to my feet, smoothed out my skirt, then headed to his office. It took everything in me not to skip.
Clearly I needed something to do.
“Yes, sir?”
“Come in. Have a seat.” He motioned toward the chairs in front of his desk.
I noticed the way his eyes slipped down to my legs. It looked almost as though he was gauging the length of my skirt. In an effort to show him that I had heeded his warning, I let my arms dangle listlessly at my sides, proving my skirt was as long as my fingertips. Barely.
His gaze shot up to mine and I realized he caught on to what I was doing. The smirk that curled his lips was rather sexy.
Quickly looking away, I tried to play it off. It wasn’t hard to do because I was curious as to what made this man tick and I figured his office would probably give me a little insight. I had only caught a glimpse of this room earlier in the day, and now that I was here, I couldn’t keep from checking it out.
I was pretty sure his office was bigger than all the others. The floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the entire right wall offered a fabulous view of downtown, without the interruption of the building I could see out my window.
The furniture was rustic, like Landon’s. Almost all raw wood and brown leather. There were some wrought iron decorations adorning the walls and a couple of pictures. The floor was dark hardwood with several rugs laid out beneath the furniture. His desk was large and he was sitting behind it, staring at me.
Not only staring. He was waiting.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered as I took a seat, placing my hands in my lap. “You have a very nice office.”
“Thank you.” He leaned back, resting his arms on the armrests as he regarded me. “I take
it you’ve had a chance to talk to everyone today?”
“I have.” I smiled. “It’s been a good day.”
“And you’ve learned the system? Understand how the calendar works? Got your email set up?”
“Yes, sir. Ben’s been very helpful, walking me through everything and answering all my questions. But I’m good with software applications, and I know my way around a computer, so it’s not too difficult.”
He nodded. “Glad to hear it.”
Langston regarded me for a long time, making my insides quiver. There was something about him that was distinctly different than the others. For one, he always seemed to be assessing. As though he was playing things out in his head. Unlike Landon and Ben, he wasn’t quick to smile and he didn’t speak much. Not to me, at least. I’d heard him on the phone, so I knew he didn’t have an issue talking. And when he did, he was eloquent, if not a little demanding. It just seemed he was standoffish with me.
But it wasn’t just that. It was in the way he looked at me. As though he wanted to tie me up and have his wicked way with me.
Then again, sex-deprived woman that I was, it could’ve very well just been my imagination.
I felt as though he was waiting for me to ask questions, so I came up with one. “Is there anything I can do for you? Something that I haven’t been taught yet?”
“Not at the moment, but I’ll be sure to let you know if somethin’ comes up.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you read, Luci? For entertainment?”
“A little,” I admitted. “I’ve enjoyed romantic suspense.”
Langston turned and grabbed something from one of the shelves behind him. He turned back and pushed a paperback book across his desk. “Not romantic suspense, but I think you’ll enjoy it. It’s a new release from one of my clients. I’d be interested in your take on it if you don’t mind.”
I leaned forward and pulled the book closer, admiring the cover. It was sexy, with the image of a woman on her knees, staring up at a handsome dark-haired man, who was shirtless. I glanced at the title: His Name Is Sir.
Picking up the book, I smiled at him. “I’d be honored to read it.”
He nodded again, still watching me intently. “Thank you, Luci.”
Office Intrigue Page 5