I was bent over the large chest freezer, checking dates and clearing away any old items when I heard a slight cough behind me. Jumping in surprise I banged my head on the lid of the freezer. “Shit” I hissed and shot up.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to make you jump, Miss Stone” his deep voice said from behind me making me spin round and observe him leant lazily against the doorframe, his ankles and arms folded in front of him.
“No, no it’s my fault sorry, and please call me Ava, Mr Fox” his gaze dropped to my mouth where I was chewing on the fingertip of my little finger, a habit that I did when I was nervous and one that had proved difficult to break my entire life.
He cocked his head and continued to gaze at my mouth, “Ava.”
Just hearing my name roll of his tongue in his low husky tone sent a shiver through me. His eyes then lifted to my face, “I was wondering if you were ready to go through your schedule and sign some necessary paperwork?”
His face still didn’t display a smile and I wondered if he had ever smiled in his life. “Yeah, that’s fine. Would you like a drink whilst we do it… uhh, while we get on with it…?”
His eyebrow lifted and one side of his mouth curled upwards as I groaned. “Sorry Mr Fox, I’m a little nervous. Would you like a drink?” I asked, leaving it at that.
God, he must think I’m an idiot; either that or a sex craved nymphomaniac.
He actually smiled then, a grin erupting on his face and it made him even more stunning, his eyes twinkling brightly and his lips curved deliciously, and I started to imagine what those soft plump lips could do to sate the throb between my lips.
God damn it, Ava!
“Yes I’d like that… a drink that is.” I was sure the tone of his voice had dropped a level and the throb spread hotter through my lower stomach.
Oh God!
I coughed and smiled gingerly. “Where will you be and I’ll bring it through?” I asked quietly.
His face resumed its usual stern expression, “My office. Up the stairs, first door on the left.” With that he turned abruptly and disappeared through the doorway, leaving me to let out the huge breath I had been holding.
Balancing the tray containing two mugs of coffee, sugar and milk I knocked on the office door. “Yep” I heard Mason shout and I opened the door and entered.
His office was completely different to the rest of the dark wooded house. It was all chic smoky glass, abstract art and on one wall was a large framed photograph of a pretty dark haired girl in her early 20’s, laughing at the camera as Mason had his arms wrapped around her waist as though he was trying to spin her round.
An intense jealousy raged through me at the sight of the love obviously shared between them and it made me gasp at my insane reaction.
On the opposite wall was a huge window overlooking the garden and a ginormous desk was sat in front of it. Mason was sat in a large leather chair with his back to me staring out of the window.
When he heard my intake of breathe he swung round and actually smiled at me. “Ava, sit down, please” he motioned to a chair facing his desk.
Placing the tray on his desk I kept my gaze on the coffee. “Sugar and milk?” I asked him without lifting my eyes. This man made me nervous for some reason.
I had always felt comfortable in my own skin, ever since George had nurtured me back to life but being in Mason’s presence was bringing out some unknown emotions in me. I had never really been attracted to any man, oh I knew I wasn’t gay but I had never found a man that did it for me, but Mason was making me feel things that were hidden so far away in me it was unsettling.
“Here, I’ll do it” Mason said as he stood, noticing my hands were trembling.
“If you don’t mind, Mr Fox I’d rather and then I’ll know how you like to have it” I looked at him and smiled nervously.
“Oh, yeah okay, “he frowned; he seemed to be struggling to remember how he took his coffee and he shifted slightly in his chair and cleared his throat. “White with one sugar… I think” he pursed his lips and shook his head.
I looked at him now, properly and smiled “You sure?” I couldn’t help the sly smile twitching my lips as one of my eyebrows lifted, mocking him.
He narrowed his eyes and nodded firmly. “Yes” and that was it, he was back to his usual grim self.
After preparing his coffee and mine I handed him the cup and his fingers brushed mine, sending a small jolt through me, flowing electricity down to area’s I kept hidden.
I frowned to myself and as he placed his cup on the desk he rubbed the edge of his fingers; had he felt it too?
“Right,” he looked at me “I’ve never had an assistant before so I need to know what your duties consist of, Ava” he cocked his head and held my gaze, “What you do for me” he added with a slight twitch in his lips.
Oh God, what I COULD do for him!!
A warm feeling pooled between my thighs and I fidgeted in my seat, my teeth chewing on my little finger again. What the hell was happening to me? I decided I would need to give my vibrator a good workout tonight to bring my mind out of the gutter.
I cleared my throat. “Well Mr Fox, it’s usually personal things such as shopping, cooking, laundry, kind of like a housekeeper, but then I also could deal with your personal appointments, pay your bills and accompany you on any engagements you need me for. To be brutally honest…” I swallowed, not sure how to say this last part, “…whatever you need from me.”
I sucked in my lips, knowing how it sounded but there wasn’t any other way to say it.
His eyebrows lifted and he bit his bottom lip, “Whatever I need.” It was said as a statement not a question and he cocked his head, a small twinkle in his eye as his gaze settled on my mouth.
I swallowed again. “Yes Mr Fox, within reason of course” I added, trying to get the erotic pictures out of my head. My breathing had become heavy and I was struggling not to shut my eyes and let out a groan.
“Of Course” he smirked, his eyes on mine as he shifted position in his seat. He seemed to shake his head of some thought and cleared his throat “Right, Ava that sounds… fun.” Another smile lifted his mouth.
Wow where were they all coming from? I didn’t think this man had it in him.
“So say shopping, laundry and cooking for now, and then we can ease you in to the business side of things. I have a cleaner come in three times a week so I’ll leave the housework to her and then we’ll just play it by ear. I’m sure we’ll work round it together” he glanced down at some paperwork, tapped his fingers on the desk and then looked at me, “However Ava, I need you to sign a NDA, and I know George has vouched for you but I need the extra security.”
He seemed nervous now and I empathised with him. I think he thought it was rude to ask “That’s fine, Mr Fox. I expected it anyway. But can I just say, anything, and I mean anything that occurs while I’m in your employment is in strict confidence. Even your shopping list is top secret” I smiled, trying to ease his worries and his face spilt in to a wonderful grin.
My god this man was beautiful when he smiled and I marginally managed to suppress the small groan that threatened to surface.
He tipped his head and passed me the contract to sign. “Thank you, Ava.” I shrugged and skimmed over the contract wording before I signed and handed it back to him.
“Right, I need your bank details for you salary, your mobile number so I can reach you and the usual information, you know address, date of birth, that sort of thing” he said as he handed me a notepad to write it all down.
As I jotted down the things he had asked for, the room was silent but I could feel his eyes watching my hand sweep across the paper, his breathing seemed to get heavy and I wondered if he had a fetish for pens… or hands.
I lifted my gaze to his when I had finished and his eyes locked on mine, we seemed to stare at each other for a long while, both of us lost in each other’s scrutiny.
I broke the contact and lowered my eyes to my lap as my little
finger snaked its way to my mouth, chewing rapidly on my fingertip. I was sure I heard a slight groan from Mason but he quickly covered it by coughing and standing up swiftly. “Right Ava, what do you need to do first?” he asked, his eyes now regarding the garden through the window.
“Well I would be grateful if you could write down what things you like to eat so I can do your shopping, you don’t seem to have much in.”
He nodded and flipped a page on the notebook. “Anything really, I’m not a fussy eater. I have a bit of a sweet tooth so I like to have lots of sugary things in.”
He ripped the paper from the notepad and pulled his wallet from his pocket, retrieved some cash and handed it me with the shopping list, “I’ll sort out a credit card for you, Ava so you don’t have to keep coming and asking for the cash.”
He also handed me an envelope, “There’s the front door key and alarm code.”
I took the items from him and nodded. “No rush. I can pay and then save the receipts for you till then.” He nodded and his phone rang on his desk. “Right, I’ll go do your shopping. I’ve wrote my mobile number down if you need to reach me.”
I turned swiftly and exited the room, shutting the door quietly I leant against it and took a deep breath. It was going to be hard to rein in my reactions to this man but I also knew that I wouldn’t and couldn’t have any sort of relationship with him, my past life always at the front of my mind, crushing any thoughts of a sexual relationship with anyone.
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