by Lacey Silks
It was simple and professional, except for the smiley face he’d drawn underneath his name. I set the note aside, and that’s when I noticed a blank postcard by the vase of fresh flowers, with the stamp already affixed. If his goal had been to make me smile, then it worked. Beside it was another note with a list of Axel’s favorite boutiques, stores, and a mention of a new laptop in the carrying case at the side of the table. Plus a new cell phone on top.
Axel had spared no expense.
Someone knocked on the door. I looked in the mirror, praying that it wasn’t him because there was no way I wanted him to see me again until I’d at least had a chance to shower.
I looked through the peephole at a hotel employee, and opened the door.
“Good morning, Miss. Mr. Wagner ordered breakfast for you and insisted you stay nourished until you meet in three days. He also asked that you call him before noon.” The gentleman rolled the cart full of food past me, setting it near the table.
“Thank you.”
My hands instinctively flew to my empty pockets to tip him, but he interrupted my search, saying, “All gratuities have been taken care of.”
“Again, thank you.”
He bowed politely and left. I grabbed a muffin, bit into it, and decided that I should shower before diving into the delicious food. It had been too long since I’d had a proper breakfast, and by the way my stomach was growling with hunger, I bet I could fit most of it inside me in mere minutes.
Shower first. I’d been lucky enough to have one the day before I met Axel, so my hair wasn’t greasy yet, but my body was screaming to be rubbed clean.
Hot water softened my skin. I applied the coconut cream packed in a hotel tube and dried my hair before venturing toward the food. Sitting in a new pair of underwear and a tank top, I stuffed myself until I could barely move, then put on a fresh pair of leggings, a long sweater, knee high boots, and a scarf; a perfect get-up for a warm fall day. The rack was full of clothes, undergarments, and personal items, including a purse. I didn’t even want to guess how Axel knew my shoe size or how he’d managed to pick out this Coach purse with enough space. But he probably had someone to do this kind of thing for him. All I knew was that I definitely owed him.
I took the elevator downstairs to the hotel lobby. The click of my heels echoed on the marble floor as I headed for the front door.
“Ms. Chloe?” a receptionist called from behind the counter.
“Yes?” I stepped closer, so we wouldn’t need to yell.
“Mr. Wagner took the liberty of arranging your ride. Charlie is waiting for you outside.”
“Oh, thank you.”
I was beginning to feel like I’d woken up in a dream. In my mind, I was keeping track of how difficult it would be to pay him back for his generosity, for his trust and confidence in my designing abilities, and most of all, for saving me last night. What the hell had I been thinking? How desperate was I to end my life? I’d never realize that a weak moment and a perfect opportunity could have cost me everything.
Once in the black SUV limo, I looked over the to-do list and got my mind ready for a day full of shopping. First stop was at the apartment building he owned. It was in an older neighborhood, top floor, loft-style open concept, an absolutely gorgeous space. I’d never seen a fountain in the middle of a hallway in an apartment. When Axel said ‘luxurious,’ he meant top-of-the-line with breathtaking ocean views, stunning hardwood floors, and a perfect balance of natural and interior light.
Right away I had the idea of bringing the outdoors in with earthy tones, cool colors, and a splash of warmth in wall art, decorative vases, pillows, throws, and fruit bowls. There were five bedrooms in total in this unit alone, plus two full bathrooms, a study, an exercise room, and a library with empty shelves begging to be filled.
As I walked through I made notes, wrote down ideas, drew pictures of what I imagined for the space and immediately sat down with the laptop to order some of the larger items for delivery. Once done, I called Axel before lunch, just as he’d requested.
“Hello, Mr. Wagner.”
“Hello, Miss Chloe. It just hit me that I should know your last name if you’re going to work for me.”
“I’m not hired yet. You haven’t seen my work.”
Besides, I didn’t want him snooping around my past, so telling him my last name was definitely out of the question. And I couldn’t come up with one on the spot because talking to him after the best day I’d had since running away from home and not giggling with happiness took all my concentration.
“I believe in you, Chloe.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“Do you have everything you need?” he asked.
“I do, thank you. I mean it, Axel. No one’s done anything like this for me before, and I doubt anyone ever will. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“You’re the one doing me a favor, remember? If you do as good of a job as I think you will, it will get rid of a huge thorn in my side.”
I doubted that I was the one doing him a favor, but just went with it.
“Well, then, I’ll make sure to be the best thorn-remover there is.”
I was so giddy that I didn’t recognize my own happiness beaming from within.
“Great, can’t wait to see the results, Chloe. I’ll leave my business card in your room. Call me if you need anything; otherwise, I’ll see you at nine in the morning in three days. I’d like to have a look at the suite with you there.”
“Sounds good, Mr. Wagner.”
“And please, it’s Axel. Mr. Wagner makes me feel like my father.” He spoke his last name with distaste.
“Got it, Axel. Listen, about the hotel. It’s… it’s too big. Too expensive. I’m sure it will take me a while to pay you back for the room, and—”
“Don’t even think about paying me back. It’s part of my job to take care of you. A happy employee is a good employee.”
Why did that sound more personal than it should have?
“I’ll see you on Wednesday morning, then.”
“Goodbye, Ms. Chloe.” His voice rumbled through the receiver. Was I interpreting his tone more than I should have been?
“Goodbye, Axel.”
Determined, I picked up my purse and water bottle to head out shopping.
Chapter 6
Wednesday morning couldn’t come soon enough. I spent the final night adding finishing touches to the suite, working almost until midnight, personally re-polishing all the door handles, appliances, and faucets; re-arranging pillows and throws, vases and fruit bowls; and inspecting the mirrors before I was satisfied.
Now, I was patiently waiting for Axel to arrive at the apartment, glancing at my phone every couple of minutes. This was probably the first time in my life that I wasn’t late, but I couldn’t screw up this opportunity.
Fifteen minutes before our scheduled meeting, I heard the elevator door open. With the front door ajar, I waited in the hallway. My back was straight and shoulders squared. I shook the nerves out of my arms as I heard him approach.
Relax, Chloe. You’ve got this.
Then he came into view. Wearing a suit and a tie, Axel was the epitome of a no-bullshit businessman and sexy as hell. He could have worn a potato sack for all I cared and my mouth would water just as much. This morning, his hair was slicked back, the waves of his curls perfectly lined on top of his head, yet some appeared to have a mind of their own and had broken away from the formation, making his shoulder-length hair look much shorter than it was. The aroma of his fresh aftershave hit me, and I sucked in that delicious smell of him first thing in the morning – an arousing blend of manliness, musk, and a spicier cologne than I would have chosen for him, simply because the appetizing scent made my mouth water.
Get a grip. Be professional!
But I didn’t think the way he was standing in the doorway, looking at me with hunger, was anything close to professional. That devilish spark of need in his eyes, like he wanted to grasp me by
my hair and drag me back to his man cave, was making me squirm. He took a confidant step inside, coming to within a few feet of me, making his scent known in this suite, marking his territory.
“Wow!”
He was looking straight at me, drinking me in from the bottom all the way up to my face. Heat snaked up my body, following his gaze. The buzz of something I hadn’t expected to feel flowed between us, and if I didn’t take another breath soon, I’d pass out.
“You look stunning, Chloe.”
Oh, I forgot that the last time he’d seen me was in my raggedy clothes, without makeup. Not that I wore a lot of makeup. But given that he couldn’t pull his gaze away from me, my ‘go natural’ look definitely did its job of catching his eye; not that I meant to. I quickly realized that remaining professional with him around would be a difficult task.
“Thank you. So do you. I mean, you look handsome.”
And delicious.
“But business like. I mean, you look very professional. I’m sorry. I’m just nervous to show you the suite. I hope you like it.” I stepped aside and gestured him in with my hand. “Welcome to the seventh floor of Ocean Boulevard.”
He examined the hallway and I proceeded to guide him through the apartment, explaining the design choices, which included the functionality of each room, and how I’d tried to connect the three-hundred-and-sixty degree outdoor view of the city and the ocean with the interior. From time to time, Axel placed his hand on my lower back, as if he were the one guiding me, or maybe it was something else?
He nodded, ahmed and ehmed, sometimes with his eyes getting wider and other times his brows scrunching up. From the Lord of Facial Expressions, I prayed that he’d give me a smile or make a joke, because all I could read was confusion. But Axel remained unreadable until the very end.
Once we were done with the tour, I proceeded to the dining table and showed him the sketches of other possible decorations in case he didn’t like these, as well as showed him different boards with color pallets, samples, ideas, and visions.
We sat down. He gazed from the drawings to the suite and back. The look on his face was the same one as when he first walked into the suite: composed and still completely concentrating on me. I was beginning to think that he wasn’t taking in anything I showed him.
“So, what do you think?” I asked nervously.
“I think my decision to hire you was the best one I’ve made in months. You’ve really outdone yourself. And I’m not saying that to make you feel nice. You have a beautiful talent, Chloe. I’m flabbergasted. The suite now works for anyone: a business mogul, a temporary contract, or someone who’d like to stay close to the city but feel like they’re out in the country. You’ve stayed well below the budget I had in mind, and the quality of furnishings and decorations is mind-blowing. And the attention to detail? Wow, just wow! I mean, who would have thought to buy toothbrushes and toiletries for the bathrooms? This place feels so welcoming, anyone who steps inside will feel right at home.”
Maybe he had been paying attention after all.
“Thank you. I’m glad you approve.”
He gave me a different kind of look of approval as he scanned me over once more. I could feel his heat blast my body and wondered what he was thinking. Axel took my hand and stood up, excitement coursing through his body with quick moves. “We need to celebrate this.”
In an instant, Axel morphed from a composed employer to an overjoyed hot businessman who was in no way acting like my boss.
“So I’m hired?”
“Hell, yeah. I’ll get your official salary down on paper. I promise to be fair, and we’ll sign a contract—”
I jumped up and threw my hands around his neck, slamming into him, squeezing.
“I’m so happy I could kiss you.”
As soon as I realized how immature it must have looked, and how inappropriate my words sounded, I slid down his body, back to the floor, inadvertently feeling all his hard muscles on the way down.
“I’m sorry. That’s so unprofessional.”
He straightened his suit. A shadow of confusion flashed across his face, but it vanished just as quickly, as Axel regained his self-control.
“Are you busy tonight?”
“Hmm, let me check my calendar.” I pretended to ponder for a moment. “I don’t think so, unless my new boss wants me to start working right away.”
“No. Tonight’s definitely for celebrating. You don’t start on the remaining units until tomorrow. There’s thirty of them in this building. How long do you think it will take you?”
“I have to take a look at the apartment sizes, but judging from the look of the building, and I can probably use similar furnishing… Hmm… we need to discuss what you’re looking for in each unit and whether you want specific themes, textures—”
“Chloe, how about you worry about all that.” He laughed freely. It was mesmerizing watching him laugh. “Now, how about the timeframe?”
“A month should be enough.”
“That quick?”
“I’m sort of an overachiever. But yeah, I can do it.”
“Listen, I don’t want you to stress, so if you need more time, just let me know. I’m easy to work with.”
The anxiousness to discover just how easy it was to work with Axel grew and I pushed it aside, reminding myself that I should have been grateful. He saved my life and gave me a chance that few people would.
“Are you kidding me? This is a dream job. And a dream job doesn’t feel like a job. It feels fun and so perfect.”
“I’m happy that you’re happy. So, I’ll pick you up at six at the hotel. Will that work?”
Ha! Will that work? I chuckled on the inside. My calendar was completely open and would remain filled only with whatever Axel requested of me for the next month – and hopefully a while longer after that if he was pleased with my decorating skills. So far, the prognosis was positive.
“Yes, that sounds…” I wanted to say wonderful, but I didn’t want to sound unprofessional. Although something told me that we were crossing the lines of professionalism each time we looked at each other. And so I added, “…perfect.”
After he left, I took the opportunity to visit every single room in the building, taking notes of the layouts, views, and needs of each unit, visually placing the new furniture I’d have to order. This was how my life should have started after college: happy and excited about new opportunities, not lost in sorrows of one’s humanity being stolen. That dreadful evening would haunt me until justice was served.
Except I wasn’t ready to stand up against my attackers just yet. I didn’t think I would be for a while.
Chapter 7
Axel sent a limo for me and texted that he’d meet me at the restaurant. I didn’t know why, but for some reason I’d thought he would pick me up.
This isn’t a date.
It was a business meeting. In the evening. In an expensive restaurant. A restaurant he’d asked me to.
My foot cranked to the side as I entered the limo.
In high heels which he had picked.
I looked down at the new dress that was part of the wardrobe Axel had left at the hotel. Maybe he hadn’t even bought this, but had someone else do it for him. That had to be it. When I slipped on the curve-hugging little black ensemble, I wondered how he knew my size and why someone would wear this sexy piece to work. But then I thought that perhaps businesswomen in New York dressed more provocatively, and so I went with it.
This isn’t a date. I made a promise to repeat that to myself until I actually believed it.
I then shifted in my seat, remembering the black lace panties I was wearing; again, wondering whether Axel had picked them out himself or had someone else do it. Because if he’d been the one to choose them, why had he chosen these lacy things? Not that I was complaining. Having a fresh pair of underwear, instead of the other two pairs I had stashed in my backpack from home, was definitely a welcome change. That they were pretty was just an adde
d bonus.
I’d better get used to the fact that he was going to be my boss and accept a hands-off policy, no matter how attracted I felt to him. I wouldn’t do anything to destroy this opportunity. The quicker I got my shit together, the quicker I could make amends with my family.
When the limo pulled up to the restaurant, Axel was already standing at the curb waiting. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit, a shade darker than the one he’d had on that morning, perfectly cut to fit his lean physique. I took a deep breath and stepped out once the door was opened for me. His mouth opened a fraction and then closed as he composed himself.
I took his offered hand and he led us inside, me under the hold of his strong arm, without saying a word. Who would have thought that less than four days ago I’d been on the verge of jumping off a twentieth-floor balcony ledge?
We were seated across from each other, in a private booth at Olivier’s. The decor was mostly reds and dark brown tones, way different from how I’d imagined the posh restaurant from the outside, yet extremely comfortable.
“Thank you for inviting me out. It’s been a while since I had a chance to be civil.”
“Well, hopefully we can make a habit of this. You decorate my apartments, we meet for dinner to discuss future projects, and everyone stays happy.” He pulled out a stack of papers from a folder that was on the table before we were seated. “This is a regular work contract for the building you’re decorating. It gets extended each time you complete a project to satisfaction. Take your time reading it through. You don’t need to sign it tonight. If you’re more comfortable having a lawyer look through it, that’s fine as well.”
He pushed the papers my way. I flipped through the first few pages, cringing at the fake last name, Williams, I’d given Axel. Maybe after a while I’d be able to tell him more about my real past, but not yet.
“No, I can do it now, if you don’t mind.” There was no way I’d miss this opportunity. What if he changed his mind? “It shouldn’t take long.”