An Instant Connection: Insta-Spark #3

by Moreland, Melanie

  I blinked at him. “I think—I think I’m falling in love with you, Mitch.”

  He tapped his head. “Good. Then my plan has worked. Because as crazy as it sounds, I’m already in love with you.”

  “Slowing your roll, I see.”

  He winked. “You know it.”

  He cupped my face. “I’m making you a promise right now. Honesty and you first. Always.”

  I smiled through my tears.

  “So, Amanda Clifford, with the sexy legs and wickedly talented mouth that can whistle like nobody’s business…among other things.” He paused with a sly grin, “Are you ready to come work for me, be my girlfriend, and let me kiss that gifted mouth of yours any time I want?”

  “Is that considered a benefit?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Is it a term contract?”

  He shook his head. “Perpetual.”

  “Okay, then.”

  “Yeah?” The dimples I loved popped. His smile was huge, but it was the expression in his eyes that struck me. Earnest, yearning, and determined. I knew, at that moment, I was making the right decision.

  “I accept.”

  He leaned down and kissed me. “Thank you, sweetheart, for trusting me. I won’t let you down again. We’re going to make the best team—ever.”

  And as I kissed him back, I knew he was right.

  Epilogue

  Step 1

  Mandy

  I glanced around the empty space, trying to envision what Mitch had planned. The soaring ceilings, exposed beams, and skylights made the large square footage bright and open, but it was in such disrepair, I couldn’t see beyond the piles of discarded garbage, dust and cobwebs, and especially the cooing of the pigeons that had nested in the high beams.

  Mitch came around the corner, beaming. “Well, sweetheart? What do you think?”

  “Ah…” I hesitated. “It’s so…ah, dirty?”

  He threw back his head in laughter and caught me in his arms. “It’s filthy. Disgusting, really.”

  I pursed my lips. “And we like disgusting now?”

  “No, but it works well for negotiations. I can see the potential here.” He turned me in his embrace, sweeping out his arm. “I’ll hire a company to come in and clean. Remove the critters and detox the place. Downstairs will be reception and offices. Work spaces. Up here is all mine.” He dropped a kiss to my neck, his lips warm on my skin. “Ours. I’ll create a beautiful space for you to work in beside me. The center will be a huge table—a living edge one—with space to meet clients or work at. My area will be along the back by those windows. Light,” he sighed in happiness. “So much light.”

  I folded my hands over his, squeezing them affectionately. “Tell me more.”

  “A kitchen over there so you can make me sandwiches. A private bathroom with a stand-up, multiheaded shower I can fuck you in. A big comfy sofa I can work on when I’m sketching and I can nap with you on when I need to recharge, a—”

  My laugh cut him off. “This is supposed to be an office, Mitch. You’re planning a lot of personal stuff in here.”

  He drew me closer. “I am. You’ll be with me, so it’s a given. This will be ours, Mandy. Our little empire. I won’t answer to anyone anymore, and you will never have to deal with the likes of Michelle again.”

  I sighed as I leaned back into his chest. His chin rested on my shoulder as we both studied the empty shell of the building Mitch wanted to purchase and open his own company.

  “I want to hire the best and brightest. Create a positive space where my architects and designers can thrive. Work with people equally as passionate as I am,” he mused. “And with you by my side, I can do that.”

  I nodded, beginning to see his vision. Once cleaned and rebuilt to his specifications, the space would be amazing. Clean lines, modern touches, and his design would have clients flocking in. There were already phone calls and inquiries about the rumors of his new venture.

  I thought back to the last year of our life.

  Returning to Parson Planners as Mitch’s employee had been a nerve-racking, stressful time at first. Walking through the doors beside him, I felt the resentful stares and, over the next while, discovered the people who were real as opposed to the ones who were spiteful and catty. I heard the gossip and witnessed the way conversation would cease when I entered the kitchen to get Mitch one of his endless cups of coffee. I did my best to ignore it, although at times it overwhelmed me. A few women showed their merit by treating me no differently, even going so far as to nudge my shoulder and wish me a whispered congrats on snagging the hottie. When I realized they were teasing and genuinely happy for me, I was able to relax and concentrate on my job.

  Mitch never faltered. The first day, he had stopped outside and turned to me, his usually teasing smile absent.

  “Keep your head up and be proud, Mandy. We haven’t done anything wrong. Don’t let anyone make you think we have. Nothing has changed except you have a far better pay grade and your new boss appreciates you. Understand?”

  I squared my shoulders. “Got it.”

  Each day, he was driven and passionate. He worked hard, and I loved being part of his creative projects. He was professional at all times, never displaying over-the-top PDA or drawing attention to the fact that we were a couple, but he was vigilant and fast to shut things down if he heard unkind remarks or witnessed something that displeased him. He was protective and strong but allowed me to find my own path in the office, which I appreciated. I knew he didn’t care, and if he had his way, he would demonstrate his affection openly, but he toned it down for my sake.

  Behind closed doors was a different story. He often kissed my cheek, trailed his fingers down my face, touched my arm or hand while we were working, and his praise was lavish. His good-morning kiss was long and deep, and I learned not to bother with lipstick until after it happened. Regardless of the fact that we might have spent the night together, or even arrived at the office hand in hand until we entered the building, he refused to start his day without his kiss.

  “I have to hold back for ten hours,” he grouched when I told him he was being silly.

  “I am here all day. You see me all day,” I stressed. “You even kiss me at times.”

  “Not like this,” he had countered, sweeping me into his arms and covering my mouth with his. I forgot about the office or anything else when his tongue slid along mine, sensuous and wicked. He kissed me until I was breathless and trembling in his embrace, then released me.

  “That is how I want to start my day,” he insisted. “After that, I’ll be your boss. But until that very second, I’m your Mitch, and you’re my sweetheart. Got it?”

  I lifted a trembling hand to my mouth, feeling his possession.

  “Okay,” I whispered.

  He dropped another kiss to my lips with a grin. “I’ll dial it back a bit, Mandy. I don’t want you distracted and eyeing me in an unprofessional manner, now do I?” He winked with a leer.

  I had to laugh. “Heaven forbid.”

  I had feared Michelle would be the hardest to deal with, and I was right. I had just refilled my pretty bowl of toffees, which I’d found upside down in the garbage can, when she stormed in, her face like thunder. Mitch appeared instantly, standing beside me.

  She placed a pile of paperwork on my desk, which was empty except for my candy dish.

  She stated that, given I was now Mitch’s employee, my computer and supplies would be provided by him, and I was not at liberty to remove office supplies. Anything I used would be charged to Mitch. He had perched casually on the edge of my desk, snagging toffees and opening them with gusto, humming over their flavor and forcing me to hide my grin at his actions. He interrupted her tirade.

  “What does a stapler go for these days, Mildred? A good quality one. I like a good, solid stapler.”

  She frowned, perplexed. “I have no idea. And it’s Michelle.”

  He rubbed his chin. “Any thoughts on paper clips? I like those plas
tic-coated ones—the kind that don’t leave rust spots if you spill something on them.”

  She shook her head, unsure if he was being serious. I was trying my best not to laugh.

  “Huh.” He shrugged. “I thought you’d be more up-to-date on supply costs, Milly. They certainly seem like a priority to you.”

  He unwrapped another candy and handed it to me. “Your favorite,” he said with a wink. “Be sure to order more of these, okay? And get a dish for my desk too. On my bill, of course.”

  “Of course,” I murmured, my lips twitching.

  Michelle tapped the paperwork. “These forms must be filled out immediately. If they aren’t completed today, there will be consequences.”

  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

  Mitch nodded and patted his pockets with a frown.

  “Okay, I’ll get Mandy on those straightaway. You got a pen, Matilda? We seem to be out.”

  “No,” she snapped.

  Then she went over rules and regulations, office etiquette, and guidelines—and informed me, in no uncertain terms, I was no longer an employee of Parson Planners, therefore no longer had access to the staff lounge or the perks of being a staff member.

  “Don’t overstep your position.” She sniffed, glaring at me. “You have lost all your privileges here with your foolish behavior.”

  I saw Mitch’s shoulders tense, and I knew she had crossed the line.

  He stood, smoothing down his tie and tilting his head.

  “How old do you think I am, Michelle?” he asked, cold and clipped.

  Internally I grimaced. He had never called her by her proper name or in that tone of voice.

  She huffed out a sigh. “I am aware of your age, Mitch.”

  He shook his head. “Then cease speaking to Mandy and me as if we were twelve and under your control. Frankly, the way you’ve just outlined the structure, I feel as if I’m simply renting space here instead of being part of the team the way I have been the past while. I’m not sure I welcome that feeling.” He held up his hand as she began to speak. “No. It’s my turn to talk. If Mandy is being treated as an outsider, then I will be as well since she’s a huge part of my operation now. So that being said, I expect you to follow these rules.”

  He stepped forward. “I will discuss this inane rule of supplies with Mr. Parson, and we will come to an agreement. I think you’re forgetting your place here, madam. I don’t work for you in any capacity. The way it was outlined to me, you are here to make sure things run smoothly for me if necessary. I don’t consider your bitchy attitude to be helpful in the least. In fact, it adds a level of stress to my workday I don’t appreciate. I’ll be sure to address this with the partners when I speak with them later.”

  Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. He continued.

  “You will address me as Mr. Mitchell. Not Mackenzie and certainly not Mitch. You will speak to Mandy about business items only, and you will treat her with the same respect you would any other person in this building. More so, in fact. You will refrain from discussing me or her with anyone. If I hear otherwise, I’ll go straight to the partners and address my concerns, and my lawyer will be involved. Do you understand me?”

  Their furious gazes locked in a battle of wills. She broke first, casting her eyes downward. “Yes,” she huffed out. She tapped the paperwork, addressing me. “Read through these files, sign where indicated, and return them to my office.” She swallowed, the next word ripped from her throat as if it killed her to utter it. “Please.”

  “I’ll have them to you by the end of the day.”

  She turned and marched to the door.

  “One more thing, Michelle.” Mitch emphasized her name so she knew he was serious.

  “And that is?”

  “You will knock before entering this office. Every. Damn. Time. Do I make myself clear?”

  If looks could kill, he’d be dead on the floor. As it was, he appeared cool and unaffected by her anger. On the other hand, I was a shaking mess, unsure what was going to happen next.

  “Crystal,” she snapped and stormed out, the door shutting too loudly to be considered polite.

  He studied the door, then swung around. “Well, that’s handled. Let’s go to the supply room and get your stuff back.”

  “But she just said…”

  He leaned on the desk. “Fuck her. I already knew there was going to be trouble with her, and I’m prepared for it. Your things are in a box in the supply cabinet, and I’m going to go get them and you can set up your desk again and order anything else you need. I’ll be billed through the company, the way my contract outlined it, but the basics are part of the deal. She took your stuff to be a bitch—nothing more.” He snorted. “She didn’t think I’d call her on it. If she thinks I don’t know what I’m doing, she’s got it all wrong. I’ll wipe the floor with her.”

  I stared up at him, speechless, and he leaned close, cupping my cheek. “If she so much as breathes in your direction, I want to know about it, you understand? You work for me, and you are under my protection. She has zero control over you.”

  “Okay.”

  “We need to get you a new computer. You’ll have access to their drive, but I want all my work on machines I own. The same as yours. That was nonnegotiable when I spoke with them.”

  “You went to a lot of trouble over this. Over me.”

  He stood, pulling me to my feet in a tight hug. “And you’re worth it. First, remember?”

  He had never wavered from those words. But as his time with Parson Planners went by, he decided two things: he liked Toronto and wanted to stay, but he no longer wanted to work for anyone but himself. The year had been fraught with tension due to Michelle and his constant clashes with one of the partners who felt Mitch wasn’t giving them his best, even though the rest of the people involved in the project disagreed. He made life difficult for both Mitch and me whenever he could, and Mitch had been perplexed until the night we saw him and Michelle out at dinner, acting like anything but coworkers. They tried to convince him there was nothing going on, but he had laughed at them, now understanding the hostility. He couldn’t be bothered, and he didn’t care what they did outside of office hours, but he let them stew over it.

  Mitch had reached his limit.

  So here we were.

  “Are you really doing this?” I asked. “You have so many offers. You always liked having someone else manage the people, while you looked after the design.”

  He pressed a kiss to my head and walked around, lost in his thoughts. He turned, studying me across the large room.

  “You’re right, I did. But things changed this past year. I saw what happens when a place is badly run. How morale can suffer. I also saw how being treated well can change an employee’s outlook on their job. Their loyalty. I don’t want to give anyone else the opportunity to tell me how to live my life—or who I can love.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll be a good boss. I don’t have to give up what I do. I’ll have you, and we’ll hire a good office manager. Someone who treats the staff well. With my reputation, and the people I’m going to hire, we’ll put this place on the map in no time.”

  “I know you will,” I assured him.

  He grinned. “All the people coming to me with job offers right now can hire my company. They’ll get the whole experience.”

  I eyed the space. “Um, how long until you think that will happen?”

  “This is step one. I’m putting in the offer today. I’ve already got a contractor in mind, and we’ll start right away. I can work from home or a rented space. Anyone I hire can do the same. That part is easy. I think we’ll be in the space in about six months, and until then, we’ll find a spot we can meet. With the internet I can meet with anyone, anytime at the touch of a button. Our last day with Parson’s is in two weeks. As soon as we are done, MM Designs is full steam ahead.”

  I smiled. “Step one? Got another three-step plan going on?”

  He chuckled. “Yep.”
/>   I beamed at him. “I’m so proud of you, Mitch.”

  He crossed the room, taking my hand. “There’s another reason, Mandy.”

  “Oh?”

  “Toronto is your home, and you love it here. I love it here. I want to build my life with you, so this is the place it’s going to happen. We’ll start with the company and then we’ll build our life together.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  He huffed out a long breath and played with my fingers. He was serious and edgy—a mood I didn’t often see with Mitch.

  “What is it?”

  “I want something, Mandy. Something only you can give me.”

  His voice made me nervous. I tried to make him smile.

  “A blow job? Now?” I looked around. “I’d prefer to wait until I don’t have to be worried about being pooped on by pigeons, but if you insist…” I shrugged.

  He threw back his head in laughter and hugged me fast. “I’ll take you up on that later.”

  I giggled. “What do you want then?”

  “I want to buy a place to live.”

  “Oh. Move out of your rented place?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. And you need my help to find a place?”

  He slid his hand up my arm and around the back of my neck. “I want you to choose the place, because I want you to live there with me.”

  “You-you want me to move in with you?” I sputtered. He had hinted often, but he’d never come right out and said so until now.

  “I want more than that, but it’s a good start.”

  “More?” I repeated.

  “I want to marry you. Have kids. Holidays. Memories. Grandkids. I want all of it with you.”

  I could only mouth the word wow.

  He gripped my neck, pulling me close and resting his forehead to mine. “I’m trying to slow my roll here, Mandy, but you need to know the whole picture. I know it’s too much to ask right now, but please think about moving in with me. I want you with me all the time. Here at the office. Beside me at home. Asleep next to me at night. Please come and live with me.”