by Kylie Parker
“Kate.”
“Right. Ms. Legs and Kate are having the time of their lives.” His manly tone filled her ears again, but Isabelle did not like the fact that he called Monica “Ms. Legs.” She got jealous.
“Um, Dean…” She tapped him on the stomach.
“Yeah?”
“Do me a favor, will ya? Don’t call Monica ‘Ms. Legs.’ I know, she’s a leggy girl, but, so am I, don’t you think?” At that point, she raised her right leg in the air, as much as she could. He smiled at her.
“What’s the matter, Ms. Miles? Are you jealous?” His sarcastic tone did not go unnoticed.
“Yes, I am. From now on, I don’t wanna hear anything about any ‘Ms. Legs.’ Are we clear?” Her voice was not sweet anymore. She raised her tone, much to the displeasure of Dean.
“Look, Isabelle. What’s right is right. She’s got…endless legs. Ok, I like her. But guess what: I like you more. The only reason I spoke my mind about this is because…” He hesitated to speak any further.
“Because?”
“Because I get this feeling with you… It feels like I’ve known you for years. It’s just so easy, you know?” Dean would not apologize to her. Despite that, though, he was saying all the things she wanted to hear.
“Really?” She mellowed her voice.
“Yeah. For two reasons. One: I performed for you last night. Do you think it’s that easy for someone to actually play and sing for a woman he barely knows? Two: She’s not here with me. You are.” He pointed at her with his index finger. Isabelle was embarrassed. She could not have predicted how her angry remark would get so much word out of him. After his short speech, she rewarded him with a soft kiss.
“So… Got any plans for tonight, other than pizza and gossiping with Monica and Kate?” Once again, he was sarcastic.
“Nope. Why?”
“I gotta attend this big fundraiser at nine, and I don’t have a date. Interested?” He caressed her hair, running his fingers through it.
“On one condition: I get to drive that Lamborghini of yours.” Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Dean lowered his eyes for a few seconds and then he looked up at her again.
“Deal.”
“Yaaaaaay!” Isabelle was thrilled that he would allow her to drive his expensive supercar. She even went on to kiss him once more. Nonetheless, she would have to ditch her friends, and they would probably be mad at her.
Damn it…” She frowned. “Can I bring Monica?” She squinted at him.
“Hmmm… A threesome. I’m a little tired, but…”
“Hey!” she interrupted him and banged her right hand on his left shoulder.
“I’m serious. Don’t you have any friends who would love to meet ‘Ms. Legs’?” It was her turn to be sarcastic.
“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that. Don’t test my patience, or I’ll never, ever call her by her name. Are we clear…Isabelle?” His commanding tone served as a reminder of her. Dean Marshall was not to be messed with, as many of the men she had already met.
“Why are you acting like this?” She was puzzled.
“Because I don’t like being told what to do, Isabelle. Not by you or by anyone. I don’t even allow my own father to order me around. If I can’t call her that, neither can you. Got it?”
Isabelle sucked in a deep breath. She had never been in a similar situation. His reaction had disappointed her. She tried to show some understanding, though.
“Got it. Now, about that friend…?”
“I’ll see what I can do. I’m gonna make sure to provide a pretty accurate description of her. That should make a few guys wanna date her.” He gave her a broad smile and took her in his arms.
Isabelle’s heart was filled with joy. Yes, Dean was a handful. Calling Monica “Ms. Legs” after asking him not to was a mistake. He was bothered, and he made sure to let her know. They were just getting to know each other. Unlike others, he was man enough to show emotion, and she appreciated that. Isabelle always saw what’s best in people. She did not mind the occasional confrontation, even if she was wrong.
“I’m gonna tame you, my big brute…
End of Sneak Peek
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BONUS SNEAK PEEK: Chasing Bad Boys Book 7
Chapter One
Stephanie adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she made her way through the office and to her desk. Her heart pounded, and she couldn’t help but feel nervous as she prepared for her first day at her new job as Personal Assistant to Senator Chris Skii.
Stephanie Roberson had just graduated college with her degree in political science. She had always wanted to change the world since she was a little girl. As she grew up, she realized that the best way that she ever had any hope of doing that was through politics. People often told her that there was no way any individual, particularly a young woman, could ever make a difference. But she was determined to prove them all wrong.
No sooner had she graduated than she packed up all her things and moved off to find a job in Washington, D.C. She knew that she wouldn’t immediately be selected for any major role in any elections, but she knew that she needed to get her foot in the door as soon as was humanly possible.
So, she had been absolutely delighted when she heard that Senator Chris Skii was in search of a new personal assistant. She had immediately sent in letters of reference and her resume, as well as her experience at her internship. After waiting anxiously for a response, she had been given the good news that she had been selected for the position.
Naturally, she had never been so thrilled in her life. This was going to be exactly the thing she needed to start her life off in the right direction. She could make connections working for the Senator and truly begin to have an impact on the world around her.
She also felt very fortunate and somewhat nervous about working with Chris Skii. Chris Skii was extremely rich, a billionaire, in fact. He had inherited a large fortune when his father died, and he insisted regularly that he intended to put that money to good use for the good of the people.
Never before had Americans adored a Senator the way that they adored Chris Skii. He was the very definition of an All-American boy. He was the youngest Senator in United States History. Before that, he had been a representative for years and had made huge strides, which led to him being elected as Senator.
Chris Skii had huge political ambitions, and he was a rare politician in that he was an independent. He avidly worked to dismantle the party system, which was what probably made him so popular, particularly to the voters. He condemned the bad parts about both of the major parties as he elevated the good parts, acknowledging that each of the parties had their pros and cons, and combined them to create a system of beliefs that could pander to everyone’s best interests. It was truly revolutionary, and the country had it’s eyes on Chris Skii as a symbol of hope and change.
Naturally, Stephanie absolutely admired him. He was everything that she one day hoped to be. Well, she had no aspirations to become a billionaire. If in no other regard, she was at least realistic in that respect. She was more than eager to learn from him and reap every benefit possible from her time as his assistant.
Stephanie continued through the office until she, at last, came to the door with a small plaque outside reading ‘Senator Chris Skii’. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
The office was of a moderate size, with a desk in front of one wall, and another smaller desk in front of another, making a bit of a discontinued L shape. In front of the desks and in the center of the room was a coffee table, surrounded by chairs and couches. There was a stand by one of the chairs that held a decanter of some amber liquid, and a couple of tumblers.
Stephanie could imagine the Senator drinking and reclining after a long day of business, and she couldn’t help the flutter of excitement that rose up inside her at the idea of being a part of that process. Stephanie moved over to her desk and began
to arrange her things. She pulled out the copy of the Senator’s schedule that had been emailed to her. She honestly had no idea what the Senator would be asking her to do as his personal assistant, but she was intent on being as prepared as was possible for anything that he might ask of her.
Stephanie vaguely noticed a coffee maker in one corner of the room. Her instincts told her to go ahead and get a pot started so that it would be close to ready when he came in, if not already done. She had no idea how he liked his coffee, but she did her best to set it to brew correctly. She vaguely wished that she had been better trained for this post, but she accepted that there was little use in wishing for what was obviously not going to happen.
Once the coffee was brewing, Stephanie moved back to her desk and checked the time. Her heart fluttered excitedly as the clock read two minutes to eight. He would surely be coming in soon, and she would begin her tasks for the day. Sure enough, no sooner had she assessed the time than she heard the door to the office open.
Chapter Two
Stephanie could barely contain her excitement as Chris Skii himself walked into the office. His eyes immediately fell upon her, and he gave her a warm smile.
“Hello,” he said, his voice calm and strong, just as it sounded on the speeches she had heard him give. “You must be Stephanie.”
He held out his hand to shake, and Stephanie eagerly took it.
“I am,” she confirmed, trying to be professional in spite of her excitement.
“I see you started the coffee,” he said with a smirk. “That shows a lot of initiative. I like it.”
He gave her a playful wink, and she blushed.
“Thank you,” she said softly as he moved to sit behind his desk.
The Senator proceeded to unpack several files from his briefcase, and Stephanie stood, somewhat anxiously as she awaited instructions. Thankfully, the coffee maker beeped as it completed its task, and she moved over to it.
“Could you put two creams and sugars in mine?” the Senator called from his desk.
“Yes sir,” Stephanie answered, and proceeded to make his drink. She took it over to his desk and set it down in front of him.
“Go ahead and have some,” the man smiled pleasantly. “Help yourself to anything in the office. You work here too, now, and your job is every bit as important as mine. Don’t let anyone make you feel any differently.”
Stephanie felt a blush bloom over her face as the man smiled at her.
“Thanks,” she said. “I’m glad you feel that way.”
“You’ll find that most of us here do,” he said. “But, like everywhere, there are people who somehow think they’re better than everyone else. If anyone ever gives you any problems, you just let me know.”
“I will,” Stephanie assured him.
“Great,” he gave her a nod. “Go get your coffee and then pull a chair over here so we can discuss all the things you’ll do here.”
Stephanie nodded and crossed the room back toward the coffee machine. She made up her drink with expediency and then moved back over to his desk, rolling her chair to sit down across from him.
“Okay,” he sighed, furrowing his brows as if he was deep in thought. “So, for the most part, it’s pretty relaxed around here. Generally, what I will need you to do is simple tasks, like make copies and run files for me. Every time I have a meeting, you’ll go in and stay by my side. Sometimes I may have you go to a meeting as my representative if I’m busy at a certain time. You’ll take notes, and keep track of everything in case I miss something, and we’ll probably come back here afterward so I can discuss things with you. I looked at your resume, and it was very impressive.”
“Thank you,” Stephanie said softly.
“Well, that means I have high expectations from you,” he said, his voice firm. “And I’m going to use this as an opportunity to train you and get you ready for a life of politics. That is what you want, right? It definitely looked that way from your application.”
“Of course,” Stephanie nodded eagerly.
“Well, you came to the right place,” he smiled and leaned back in his chair. “I wish I had had a better mentor when I was your age. I mean, hey, I guess I turned out pretty well, but I still wish I had been able to have a better experience when I was just starting out. But none of that matters now. Look, just stick with me and do as I say, and I promise you will take a lot from this experience. Okay?”
“Sir,” Stephanie said. “In all honesty, I’m just glad to be here.”
He smiled at her and laughed.
“You know, you can call me Chris,” he said, his voice softer. “I’m starting to feel old with all these titles like ‘sir’ and ‘Senator” being thrown around. I guess some people really get off on that, but not me. You call me Chris, and I’ll call you Stephanie, alright?”
“Alright,” Stephanie accepted, though hesitantly. It seemed he could sense her apprehension, and he moved his hand across the table to take hers.
“You’ll get used to it,” he said encouragingly his voice hushed, and his blue eyes sincere. “I promise.”
Stephanie felt a brief stirring of emotion, and it alarmed her. She had always known Chris Skii was an attractive man, but she didn’t think she would fall under his spell quite so soon. She gave him a small smile and withdrew her hand from under his, making a mental note to really be on her guard.
“Okay,” Chris leaned back and clapped his hands together. “First task: I need this stack to be shredded, and this stack to be copied, ten of each paper. Go!”
He gave her a broad smile as he finished his instructions, and just like that, Stephanie began her first day of work. All day she ran about, doing various tasks such as making copies and shredding papers. Chris had her attend a meeting with him, and she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed simply by the quantity of notes that she took.
After the meeting, they went back to their office, and Stephanie barely managed to keep up with Chris as he drilled her over what happened in the meeting, and what she had taken from it. She was obviously flustered, and she hastily tried to keep up with his questions, flipping through her notepad furiously with each question he sent her way. He seemed to vaguely enjoy watching her flounder.
“This is how it’s going to be,” he said, an edge of humor in his voice. “You’d better get used to it.”
Stephanie frowned slightly. She had known this job wasn’t going to be easy, but she would still need time to really get the hang of things. After all, it was still only her first day. When the day was finally over, and Chris had gone home, she spent a few minutes organizing the office before leaving herself.
Stephanie dragged herself out of the office and took the metro home. She immediately collapsed onto her couch in her small apartment, allowing her eyes to close. She kicked off her shoes and stretched out her toes, glad to not be running around between a dozen different offices. After she had recuperated for a while, she set about making herself a dinner of salad and bread.
By the time she finished eating, she felt much refreshed, and she was able to look back on her day with much more optimism and enthusiasm. Of course, she had felt overwhelmed, but she was always overwhelmed by new things. She was more than grateful that she had been granted such an incredible opportunity so early in her career, and she was determined to do everything in her power to impress the people she worked for.
With that mentality, Stephanie cleaned up the mess she had made from making dinner and brought order to her slightly disheveled home before retiring for the night.
The next morning, Stephanie was awoken by her alarm, and she immediately dressed in a pair of shorts and a racer top, ready for her morning run. She loved the sounds of the city rushing past her as she pounded the sidewalk, getting her energy levels boosted for the day.
When she returned home, she stripped out of her sweaty clothes and took a shower, then dried her hair and put on her makeup. She elected a pair of gray slacks and a white blouse to wear to work, along with a
pair of black flats. That way, she would be more able to run about on various errands. When she was finally dressed and satisfied with her appearance, she made her way out of her apartment and to the subway station to take the metro to work.
Stephanie was greeted by a few familiar faces as she entered the office, and she offered a kind smile to everyone that she saw. She held on to the hopes that soon, she would be accepted here as a familiar part of the office life, and people would be more welcome. For now, though, all she could do was be kind and wait for them to respond how they would.
Stephanie unlocked the door to Chris’s office and moved inside the door. She started the coffee machine and waited patiently for Chris to arrive so that they could begin yet another day at the office. When he finally did, arrive, though, the sight was not what she had expected to see.
Her employer looked as though he had been hit by a bus. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his blonde hair was disheveled at best. He had a layer of stubble on his cheeks and jaw as if he had forgotten to change that morning. He looked over at Stephanie, his blue eyes dull, and she frowned in concern.
“Sir?” she took a tentative step toward him. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, yeah,” he waved her off, his tone distant. “Coffee?”
Stephanie nodded and immediately moved to pour him a cup, fixing it the way he liked it as he moved toward his desk. When he was seated, she put the cup down in front of him. He took a long drag from the cup and then sighed. She could see his eyes gaining more focus. Stephanie vaguely noticed that he was wearing the same clothes that he had worn the previous day. Stephanie caught eyes with him, and she blushed as she realized that he was watching her take in his appearance.
“I had a busy night,” he said with a wry smile.
Stephanie said nothing.
“Can you drive?” he asked her.
“Yes,” Stephanie answered hesitantly, not sure where he was going. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, tossing them to her. Stephanie, fortunately, had the presence of mind to snatch them out of the air as they flew toward her.