Just A Man (The Porter Trilogy Book 1)

by Shannon Youngblood

  Monday came around fast, and with it came excitement, nerves, and an overwhelming knowledge that I would see Alexander Porter that day. With my melt down on Friday forgotten, I enjoyed my weekend and even treated myself to a little congratulatory pampering, including a Brazilian wax. I hated them, but I always felt amazing, and a little sexy, afterwards.

  My alarm woke me up at 6am. Getting up this early was going to take some getting used to, especially since I got almost no sleep last night. Between the anticipation of a new job, seeing my new boss, and the return of my nightmares, I tossed and turned all night. I sat up in bed and sighed. This was going to be a good day, I could feel it, and damned if I wasn’t going to make sure it happened! The thought excited me as I jumped from my bed and headed for the shower.

  At 6:46 am I was washed, dried, dressed, and made up. Examining myself in the full length mirror behind my door, I couldn’t help the little smirk that popped up on my face. I looked good. Walking into the living room, Danny confirmed my thought with a little cat call, and told me again I was the sexiest person he’d ever known. He handed me a travel mug of steamy coffee and a plain bagel. Showing my appreciation with a light kiss on his cheek, I made my way through the apartment to the front door. I was ready and I was going to rock this job!

  An hour and ten minutes later, I was completely frazzled pulling into the parking structure. The traffic has been a nightmare and I had four minutes to get up to the right floor. Locking the car and shoving my keys into my purse, I jetted for the front door and to the elevator. The car seemed to take a million years to get down to the ground floor, and when the doors opened I scrambled in, pushing the top button. Thankfully, I hadn’t had to stop at reception since I was given a key card and an ID when I got the job on Friday afternoon.

  The elevator seemed to stop at every floor on the way up, but once I got to my floor it only showed 8:02am on my watch. I breathed a sigh of relief when I exited the elevator and Alexander Porter was nowhere to be seen. I sank down in the receptionist chair and shoved my purse into the bottom drawer of the desk. Since I wasn’t sure what I should do, I decided to wait for him to show up to get further instructions.

  I didn’t have to wait long before the office desk buzzed with an intercom voice. His voice. “Ms. Hightower, please come into my office.” *click* Wow, not a ‘good morning’ or ‘how are you,’ just ‘come into the office’ with a voice that sounded anything but welcoming. I took a steadying breath, stood, and marched into his office. I was not going to let him intimidate me. With the powers of my daydreaming, I bet I even exaggerated his good looks and his mood swings.

  His back was turned towards me, thankfully, when he barked out, “I do NOT tolerate tardiness, Charlotte. You will be here by 8am, or you will find another job, is that clear?”

  “Yes, Sir,” I choked out. My first day and I was already being yelled at. I was beginning to question my intense urge to see Mr. Porter again, and I was, yet again, fighting the urge to break down in tears.

  Slowly he turned in his chair, running his hands through his brown hair. He looked different, not rough and tough, but contemplative and, dare I say, almost playful, like he knew how much he was affecting me, and he was enjoying it. It was terrifying, but it was hot as hell. I had to take a gulp to get in some fresh oxygen. The air had gotten thick and the office seemed to be getting warmer by the second. What was this man doing to me? I definitely didn’t overplay his domineering personality or his exquisite good looks.

  It felt like we stood staring at each other for an hour, but in reality it probably lasted 3 seconds. I shook my head to try and clear it, but not before seeing my boss slide that mask back up over his face. He was turning back into Alexander Porter, business man extraordinaire, and I was there staring, Charlie Hightower, late to her first day. I was already exhausted.

  “Jerry will be here momentarily to give you the rundown on how I operate and how I expect my business to operate. I realize you are new and it will take some time to get used to, but I expect you to learn quickly, Charlotte.” he said, no nonsense.

  “Yes, sir—that’s not a problem, sir,” I stammered. I wanted to tell him I was a quick study, but after the interview, in which I apparently made a fool of myself, I kept my lips sealed and my pride in check. I would prove to him with actions that I could do the work and that he wouldn’t regret his decision to hire me.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Charlotte” he said as I was walking out the door. I wasn’t sure if I heard him, since he said it so low, but I turned and gave him a smile and shut the door to his office. Damn, this man had mood swings. I couldn’t keep up with them! I sank back down into the receptionist chair and evaluated our second encounter.

  I’d been yelled at and berated, and then complimented and appreciated. My head was spinning, but this was the job I wanted, and, even though Alex Porter blew hot and cold, I was determined to see it through. I could do this.

  Jerry, on the other hand, was amazing. It was almost lunch time and I had received a tour of the entire office and had a basic grip on what I would be doing. I knew where the cafeteria and the coffee machine were located, which, according to Jerry, was vital information when you were the assistant to Alex Porter. He was a caffeine junky and everyone knew it. He also showed me the impressive mailroom with copiers and scanners and the like, and, even though I insisted I could manage, he showed me how to use all of the electronics in that room so I wouldn’t need to ask later.

  I was introduced to the blonde lobby receptionist who had looked bored before my interview. Her name was Brigitte, and, although she seemed bored the other day, today she was a riot. She had me in stitches twice in the ten minutes I was speaking with her. I knew I had to be friends with her. I gave her my phone, she entered her number, and I did the same with hers. She and Jerry both lived fairly close to Danny and I, and I foresaw many late nights in our collective futures.

  Jerry decided to take me to lunch, and, even though I tried to refuse, he declared it his treat. As instructed by Jerry, I hit the intercom buzzer for my boss and waited for a response.

  “Charlotte?” his answer was smooth, but clipped.

  “Hi, Mr. Porter, I was hoping it would be alright if I grab some lunch. I could grab something for you as well if you’d like?” I responded, equally as smooth. Talking on the phone with him was much better for my mental state since I couldn’t see him.

  “No, thank you, Charlotte. Please feel free to take your lunch whenever you’re ready.” he said, politeness dripping from each word.

  “Thank you so much, sir, I’ll be back in an hour!” and, with that, I hung up the intercom and took Jerry’s outstretched arm as we headed for the elevator. After getting on, I took a last glance at Alex Porter’s door just as he opened it and gave me the fiercest look that screamed lust. I blushed as the elevator doors closed, and felt Jerry grab my elbow to help steady my trembling body. Seriously, what was this man doing to me? One look could bring me to my knees.

  “It’s ok, hunny, I understand, he’s sex on a stick, isn’t he?” Jerry said, lightening the mood and helping me regain my ever failing equilibrium.

  I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped my lips. Jerry was absolutely right. Alex was sex on a stick, and, even though I knew I should shut down this line of talk, I just couldn’t. “Oh, the things I would do to that man, Jerry!”

  Jerry’s eyes got wide before he responded, “Oh, you’re a bad girl!”

  We laughed all the way down to the lobby floor. We decided to hit up a local hole-in-the-wall taco joint. Being from Southern California, everyone knows that a hole-in-the-wall is where you will get the most authentic Mexican food. I ordered two chicken tacos with rice, and Jerry ordered a steak burrito. We chowed down on some homemade tortilla chips and salsa while we waited. It was delicious, and the conversation was relaxing and easy. I hadn’t been this relaxed in quite some time and, as promised, Jerry picked up the check and we headed out.

  We talked and laughed wh
ile making our way back. He told me about his childhood in Anaheim and his parents. They both had passed away in a freeway accident right when he started college. I expressed my condolences. After that, he helped raise his little sister, Holly, until she started college a few years later.

  He had been working for Alex for six years and he hoped to continue on with the company, not just as a temp. He graduated college with a masters degree in business and he was hoping to get into the business end of Porter Industries. I told him that I, too, was interested in the same thing.

  As we neared the office, I felt a little tightness in my stomach. I knew it was because I still had the entire afternoon with Mr. Hot and Steamy and I didn’t know how I was going to get through it, let alone the rest of the week. “Suck it up, Hightower, this is your job!” I chanted the mantra in my head the entire walk back. Jerry had some business on the bottom floor, so I rode up alone and exited back at my desk.

  As soon as my purse plopped into the bottom drawer and I sat down at my desk the intercom buzzed. “Hi, Mr. Porter, what can I do for you?”

  “I’d like some coffee, Charlotte,” he snapped, my good mood flying away in the breeze.

  “Right away, sir” I responded. Standing up, I made my way to the cafeteria and, per Jerry’s suggestions and guidance, I made my boss a cup of dark roast with 2 sugars. No cream. I gave myself a little pat on the back as I made my way to his office. He hadn’t specified what he liked, but he knew I would know, and I had an overwhelming urge to make him proud of me. I knew I wouldn’t receive any praise for my java pouring skills, but, inside, I knew I was proud of myself.

  Knocking on his door, he beckoned me in. Seeing him again almost had me stumbling, his presence was really starting to affect my balance, but I kept my composure and waltzed over to his desk. Setting the coffee down in front of him, I watched him pick it up and bring it to his lips. I was mesmerized by the way his lips briefly skimmed across the rim of the cup as he blew slightly on the scalding liquid. He took a small sip and closed his eyes, savoring the taste, before his tongue came out to lick the small drop that threatened to dribble down the cup.

  I felt myself grow wet between my legs. The thought of his tongue doing that to me, caressing my inner thigh, stroking my clit, had my cheeks redding and my mind hazy. I really had to get a grip. My wayward thoughts were going to be the death of me, and, once again, I found myself praying he wasn’t a mind reader. When I glanced back at Mr. Porter, I saw such an intense rage I had to take a step back.

  In a calm low voice he said, “Do I pay you to daydream, Charlotte?”

  “No, sir,” I squeaked out, barely breathing out the words. With my lust filled thoughts officially gone, I watched as he stood up from his office chair, set down his coffee and snaked around the desk, standing right in front of me. I kept my head down, ashamed of the way I felt, both upset at my never ending day dreams, and embarrassed for the content of said dreams.

  “Look at me, Charlotte,” he said, mere inches from me.

  I tilted my head up,and, there in his eyes, I saw it. The knowledge that he knew exactly what I was thinking. In turn, I blushed again and briefly looked away. My skin was beginning to prickle and I felt the goosebumps raise up on my arms; the hair on the back of my neck on end. My breathing became shallow and labored and it took everything in my power to stay standing, since my legs had suddenly turned to jell-o.

  “You feel it too, don’t you, Charlotte?” he smirked at me.

  I did feel it, I felt it through my core, but this was a bad idea, and I knew it, and said so. “I’m not sure what you mean, Mr. Porter.” I tried for demure and, with a shaky voice it probably sounded slightly convincing, but I had a feeling Alex Porter didn’t miss much, and he confirmed it.

  “Bullshit, Charlotte, don’t lie to me!” he shouted. Then, when he saw me flinch at his bark, his eyes cooled slightly and his voice softened into an almost whisper. “Never lie to me, Charlotte, never.” He tilted my head back up and gazed into my eyes. It felt like he was looking deep into my soul. I couldn’t look into his though. They were closed off and distant, an impenetrable wall shielding the outside world from his thoughts and feelings. I took a step back, out of his grasp. I needed the distance to calm my raging hormones and to compose my next thought.

  “Yes, Mr. Porter,” I said, nodding my head, “I feel it, but you’re my boss, I don’t know you, and frankly, you scare the shit out of me.” My mom always told me honesty was the best policy, and, in my truth, I figured he would fire me, or bring that anger back to his eyes. Instead, I heard a beautiful sound.

  He chuckled, and I relaxed a little bit. He took a step closer to me, and then another, till he was inches away again. I felt my nipples harden and brush against the soft material of my blouse. The shock from the contact was electrifying. I gasped and felt my cheeks heat simultaneously. He was staring at me with humor dancing in his eyes. “Charlotte, you’re blushing.”

  I bit my lower lip and looked up at him through lowered eyelashes. What was he thinking? He was such a conundrum to me. One second, he is barking out orders, and, the next, he was calm. My head started spinning again and I had to take in a few mouthfuls of precious oxygen to center myself.

  What was I supposed to say? Where did I go from here? These are not the things someone should be thinking about on their first day at a new job. I should be concerned with finding my way around, remembering other staff members’ names, and learning the responsibilities of a new job, not whether I can feel the electric spark between the boss and I.

  “Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Porter?” I said, surprising myself with the level of calmness in my question.

  “There are a great many things I would like you to do for me, Charlotte.” Glancing at his watch, he sighed, “But, for now, I have a conference call to attend. Please hold all my calls. I won’t see you again until tomorrow… Until then, Ms. Hightower,” he said, dismissing me with a look that would stay in my head the rest of the evening.

  I walked out of his office without another glance, too afraid to speak for fear of what might come out. What did he want me to do for him? I didn’t know what he meant by that, and I couldn’t decide if I was excited for the possibility or petrified. Sitting back at my desk, I hit the “do not disturb” on his phone line and sunk in my chair. I needed time to process. Was he propositioning me? Was this why his assistants never lasted long? I was determined to do what I needed to do to keep this job and start my career, but was I willing to risk my integrity?

  Shaking me from my day dream, again, my phone vibrated. It was a text, but I didn’t recognize the number. I cautiously opened it. There was no company policy banning phones, essentially because we dealt with phone apps, and, since I was the assistant to the big boss, I needed my phone on me at all times in case he needed to get a hold of me when I wasn’t at my desk.

  From- (310) 555-7481

  I believe I told you I don’t pay you to daydream. You’re making it difficult for me not to come out there.

  Shit, shit, shit! How did he know? I looked up to see the little round black camera staring at me from the corner of the office. How could I be so stupid? The biggest technology company in the world and the richest owner; why would I think he wouldn’t have cameras? Twice in one day I had been scolded like a petulant child. Maybe that was a record for Alex Porter, but somehow I didn’t think so.

  I didn’t text him back. I was scared I’d be tempted to draw him out. And I didn’t want to disturb him from his work, but I desperately wanted to see his face again. Shaking my head, I flicked the mouse to rid the monitor from the screen saver and I got to work reading through his email correspondence to find the items waiting for replies from me.

  I looked over the rest of the workload for the day. Alex received a proposal for an app that would allow someone to put in their bills and their paychecks and it would automatically calculate when to pay each bill and how much extra money they would have after every check. It was a
brilliant app, and I’d hoped it would do well. My job was to read over the proposal and do various checks on the app itself as well as the designer. I needed to ensure that they had a clean background; no frauds or scams in the past. I made sure that all parts of the application were filled, and, then, I had to type up their draft into our own system. It was time consuming, but exactly what I needed at this point.

  The next time I glanced up, it was 4:58 pm. True to his word, I didn’t see or hear from Alex after lunch. I was relieved, but slightly upset. I was hoping to catch a glance before I headed home for the day, but I knew that wouldn’t happen. At 5:00 pm, I shut down the computer and grabbed my purse from the drawer. Checking to make sure I had everything, I marched toward the elevator doors, and pressed the down button. It had been a crazy day and I couldn’t wait to get home to dish about the day to Danny over a glass of wine. The thought made me smile as I stepped in to make my descent.

  Chapter 4

  The drive home was just as bad as the drive to work that morning, and I had to make a mental note to set my alarm clock a few minutes early for the next day. I had no desire to experience angry Mr. Porter again, especially when the solution was easy to rectify. I decided I could go for a glass of something stronger than wine this evening, so I stopped at our local liquor store. Brandy was the way to go for this kind of night, and, after I paid, I hopped back into the car to head home.

  I thought back over the day. I was late. Bad. I had lunch with Jerry. Good. I was caught daydreaming. Bad. I went through most of my first assignment with no glitches. Good. Overall it seemed like my tallies were equal on both sides. I tipped the scales into the good side with my successful coffee delivery. I still needed a drink desperately, but I felt a little bit better by the time I pulled up to my apartment. Sometimes, all you needed was to give yourself a good pep talk and the thought of the mental medicinal qualities of an alcoholic beverage to boost you up.