Irish Billionaire's Unwanted Black Baby (BWWM Romance)

by Ciara Cole

  “Hi, welcome to A.B. Financial, office of the CEO. How may I help you?” asked the pretty young blonde with her perky personality.

  “I’m here for the executive assistant position,” Gabrielle said brightly. “My name is Gabrielle Black.”

  “Oh.” The blonde’s eyes widened, and she tapped some buttons on her keyboard, stared at her screen and then gave Gabrielle an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, there’s been some sort of mistake.”

  “What?” No, no, no! Gabrielle wanted to scream. She could already see the job slipping through her fingers. Her perpetual ill luck was about to rear its ugly head again – or why else was this happening?

  “Your name isn’t on the list of shortlisted candidates. Though your application was received, you didn’t make the cut. The email was sent to you in error,” the receptionist said gently.

  “But…it specifically said I was to show up today for the interview. What kind of mix-up is that?” Gabrielle blurted, while trying to keep her voice calm.

  “I apologize, but these mistakes happen. The actual candidates were interviewed and tested earlier today, and my boss is in the process of making a final selection. I’m sorry.”

  “So I’m supposed to just turn around and leave?” Gabrielle breathed. This was the worst thing that could happen. She had been so happy about this job.

  She should have known it was too good to be true. Had she really believed she had what it takes?

  The blonde receptionist could only sit there with an uncomfortable look on her face, even as she kept on an apologetic smile. Gabrielle wanted to blame someone, but didn’t have it in her to pick a fight. She turned to leave, just as the phone on the desk started to beep.

  Gabrielle had already made a few steps toward the exit when the receptionist stopped her.

  “Miss Black? My boss just rang.” The blonde had her bright smile on again as Gabrielle turned to face her. “He’s agreed to grant you an audience. That is, if you’re still interested in the job.”

  Gabrielle let out a ragged breath. “Of course I am. I’d grab at any chance of getting to work here.”

  “Very good. This way please.” The receptionist had moved from behind her counter and led Gabrielle down the hallway to two huge wooden doors that seemed carved from the finest and most expensive wood.

  She lightly rapped on the door twice and a deep, husky male voice told her to come in. The receptionist opened the door and led the way for Gabrielle, whom she announced as there for the assistant job.

  As Gabrielle stepped from behind her, she planted a bright smile on her lips, but the instant she saw those green eyes, her face went slack. Sitting there in a three-piece gray suit was Adam, complete with that designer five o’clock shadow.

  Moments seemed to freeze in time. Gabrielle felt her heart virtually stop at the shocking sight of him. Positioned behind that huge desk, he projected a presence of power and masculine excellence.

  Her instant state of panic didn’t go unnoticed by Adam; a shrewd smirk tilted his perfect dusty pink lips before he glanced at the receptionist. “You may leave now, Gretchen.”

  Gabrielle wanted to scream at Gretchen not to go. Don’t leave me with him! But no sound came from her lips and the door closed behind her.

  Adam was looking at her from head to toe. Gabrielle’s knees wobbled from that familiar, heat-sensor gaze. She’d taken care with her appearance, from her sleek bun to her pencil knee-length dress in flattering maroon and nude heels. Yet she felt anything but as poised as her attire, not when she was right before the one man she’d never wanted to see again.

  The same man she’d been ignoring texts from for the last week, who as cruel fate would have it, was her would-be boss, the name behind Adam Bronson Finance. Oh, crap.

  She noticed the huge screen that took up one wall, which showed numerous monitors observing different main sections of the building and in particular, she viewed the reception area and groaned inwardly. Adam must definitely have seen her come in and argue over the error. Double crap!

  Even as she watched, he depressed a button behind his desk and the screen was hidden by a wall sliding to cover it. Gabrielle let out a shaky breath and tried to find her voice.

  “Adam…”

  “Ms. Black,” he began briskly, sweeping his eyes from her to the computer screen before him. “I understand there’s been some error on the part of my human resources team. Though it’s regretful, I’m still interested to know if you really think you can be a great fit for this job.”

  Gabrielle’s eyes flashed. “If I didn’t think I was, I wouldn’t have applied for it in the first place.”

  “I’ve pulled up your resume, and I’ll give you this, it’s…colorful. But nothing that shows you can take on a demanding role as assistant to the CEO.”

  “So why did you ask me in here to see you? To embarrass me further?” She bristled as she gripped tightly on her clutch. “I should just go.”

  “Stop.”

  He rose from his chair, while Gabrielle angrily stood there watching as he moved from behind the desk, his fingertips gliding along the edge. Making his way around to the front, he perched on the edge of the desk and faced her with folded arms. “What would you say if I offered you the role?”

  Gabrielle stared at him for a moment, then huffed. “Why would you do that? It’s clear I was never in the running. I don’t even know what I was expecting when I walked in here. I just thought…” She shook her head angrily. “Just forget it. I’m not interested.”

  “You should be. It’s one of the most sought-after positions. The perks alone make this a job some would give anything for – not to mention the fantastic salary. And if I do say so myself, I have a great track record as an employer. While you, Ms. Black, need a job.”

  There, he’d said it. Made it known that she wasn’t anything like he’d believed she was. Gabrielle’s eyes flew to look anywhere but at him. “Okay, fine. I do need the job. So? There’s no shame in that. But I refuse to accept charity. This all seemed like some crazy fluke anyway. I should have known it when I saw that email.”

  “Trust me, this has nothing to do with charity. It’s an opportunity – and you’d be a fool not to accept. If you do, you can start right away,” he said coolly, straightening from his desk and moving to one of the picture windows. “As is customary, it will be in the contract that I won’t be able to fire you for ninety days. That should be enough for you to know I’m not playing a game. Also, it would be enough time for you to prove your worth.”

  Gabrielle was gaping at him. “You mean…it’s not a joke? You will give me the job for real? Even after…”

  He spun smartly on his heels, eyebrow cocked at her. “If you’re talking about the night we met, then you needn’t trouble yourself bringing it up. This is entirely a business arrangement, and I suggest you keep that in mind. To me, you’re simply an assistant and one under a trial period. Believe me, if you aren’t up to scratch by the end of that time, you’ll be out on your ass.”

  Gabrielle squirmed, trying not to let her mind wander to dangerous corners at the look in those eyes when he spoke the last words. His cool tone said one thing, but the way he looked at her said another. Even though he was treating her like a total stranger, the underlying physical tension could be cut with a machete.

  Why didn’t he just come right out about that night? And the fact that she’d ignored any of his advances to meet up again? Maybe she’d wounded his manly pride. More so for the way she’d made him think she was something she wasn’t. Now it was all out in the open and nothing could have been more embarrassing, or just plain wrong.

  If she had any pride left, she’d just turn around and leave. But could she afford to pass up this great chance? Adam was right; this was a dream job and she’d be a fool to say no. She just had to decide if she could brave working for the most dangerous man to her equilibrium – especially after what they’d shared, even fleetingly.

  It will be just business, he said so h
imself. Gabrielle decided that if he could act like that night didn’t happen, then so would she. Gabrielle had already buried it to the farthest part of her mind. Seeing Adam each day would be a constant reminder of the one night she’d acted way out of her character. Still, she had to try. She was sick of living off someone else’s generosity, even though it was her best friend’s. She needed the stability of a good job, or she would have to leave New York for good, and give up her dreams.

  “Well, Ms. Black?”

  His arched brow seemed to taunt her to say no, to go running like she always did. Gabrielle ignored the butterflies coming alive in her stomach, just meeting those enigmatic green eyes. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but she could bet he felt she didn’t have the guts to take this head-on. Gabrielle’s fighting spirit wanted to prove him wrong.

  “I’ll do it. And...thank you for the offer.”

  “You won’t be thanking me when you see I’m as much a stickler for perfection as I am intolerant of excuses. So don’t think this is going to be a cake walk by any stretch.”

  Gabrielle lifted her chin. “I don’t expect any preferential treatment, but I do ask that you be fair. It wouldn’t be right if you chose to make any of this personal.”

  “If I was taking any of this personal, I wouldn’t select you over other more experienced and qualified candidates. What you do have is potential. Something that could bring a fresh perspective I’ve been looking for. And I think you deserve a chance.”

  Somehow, she couldn’t believe that was all there was. “That’s it? You’re sure there’s no other reason?”

  Silence passed for a few moments, before he strode to stand just inches in front of her. His fingers raised her chin so she could meet his deep green gaze. “What other reason could there be?”

  She shrugged, his magnetic proximity making her breathless. “I…we…”

  “There’s no we, Ms. Black. You made that point clear, that you can easily have sex with someone, but then find it so hard to pick up their call or even answer their texts.” He shook his head, as if pondering her senses, and Gabrielle rushed to speak.

  “It was one chance encounter, nothing else. Not that it would have led to anything anyway,” she blurted, and her eyes dared him to deny it. She’d always guessed that Adam was out of her league, and now she was sure of it. She hadn’t wanted to fool herself into pretending there was something there, when it was best to simply stay in her lane.

  “That wasn’t your decision to make, Ms. Black, whether it would lead to something or not. That would have been up to me, not you.” His voice was low, yet rang deep with gruff authority. Gabrielle wanted to smack his face for his arrogance, yet her knees went weak and her hidden center, moist. She really didn’t want to be turned on at this time, but he was so close, his body brushing against hers.

  It triggered something deep within her, reminding her that it was barely a week since their fast and filthy sex in the public men’s room.

  The tip of her tongue grazed her bottom lip, and she caught his hooded gaze following the action. Against her stomach, his member hardened in his pants and it made her gasp to feel his desire. But just as his head began to descend to her lips, he unexpectedly pulled away.

  Gabrielle watched him take a step back and straighten up, while her chest rose and fell as she tried to calm herself. The heavily charged moment passed, and the detached look on his face made the room suddenly seem arctic. Gabrielle shivered subconsciously.

  “None of that matters now,” Adam drawled. “I meant what I said before – we’ll keep this professional. Nothing more and nothing less.” His tone of finality made Gabrielle feel a strange sense of loss. Keeping her expression as neutral as his, she squared her shoulders.

  “I really want to start the job on the right footing, so your words come as a relief,” she said, telling herself she really meant it.

  “That’s good to know.” He walked to the door and opened it. “Gretchen will start you on the process while I have a word with my HR team.”

  Gabrielle stared at him and for one last time, searched his inscrutable face for answers. She still questioned whether she was making a mistake. She had an undeniable attraction for Adam, and she sensed it was mutual but she had to decide to firmly put it all behind her for the good of all concerned. Would she come to wish she’d given them more of a chance?

  None of that matters now, he’d said. And she had no choice but to believe him.

  So Gabrielle decided to focus on making sure none of this came back to bite her in the ass. Continuously being around him, working for him, was going to be one hell of a task, especially when he made it clear she didn’t even meet the standard. But she’d make this a success and prove to Adam she was up to the challenge – in every way.

  Chapter Five

  Adam had been shocked to look up at the closed circuit monitors and see Gabrielle walk into the outer office.

  His first thought had been that she’d found out who he was and had come to see him after ignoring his calls and texts.

  But then when he realized she was here for the assistant job, his thoughts grew calculative. This woman who’d stayed rooted in his subconscious since that one night had unknowingly walked back into his life. Suddenly he wasn’t sure what to make of this opportunity. It would have been so easy to let her leave after she’d discovered there’d been a mistake with the email.

  Somehow though, he was reaching for the phone before he could stop himself, telling Gretchen to let her in to see him.

  Adam still questioned his sanity in letting her work for him. When she’d walked in and stood there in her sexy figure-shaping pencil dress, he’d felt himself harden as he sat behind his desk.

  He knew from the flash in her eyes that though she’d taken the job, she wasn’t going to let him intimidate her. Well, neither was Adam going to let his guard down. No matter how sexy and tempting she was, he’d keep this professional.

  He’d prided himself too long for being in control. But with Gabrielle, nothing seemed so cut and dried. He was used to being the one fending off a woman’s attentions, and her rebuff had irked. Perhaps it was his pride still at work here, and getting her to work for him was his way of exerting his authority.

  Not ready to delve too deeply into his motives, Adam instead drew from his hard-won willpower. In the weeks that followed, he planned to keep his word and make sure nothing out of line occurred. He wouldn’t give Gabrielle that satisfaction.

  He was ready to play her game and act like that night never happened. But the fact remained that she was still as sexy as the first time they met. He all too easily remembered her sweet, needy taste on his lips as they kissed. How her nipples had felt so juicy between his teeth as he sucked on them. The sultry scent of jasmine on her neck, and how her she sounded when she came for him.

  Adam swore under his breath and ran his hand through his hair, ignoring the throb in his pants as he reached for the phone. If he had any sense, he’d be calling HR to cancel his job offer for Ms. Gabrielle Black. A part of him hoped she’d change her mind about taking the job and simply leave.

  But no – when he rang HR, they told him she was with them, readying to sign her employment contract and start orientation.

  So she wasn’t running, yet. A thin smile crossed his lips. Before she so fortuitously showed up, he’d been ready to set her from his mind after a week of unanswered advances. What tomorrow would bring, he couldn’t tell. All he’d ever cared for was business and staying ahead of the game.

  But for the first time in ages, he’d encountered a diversion that actually sparked his interest, in the image of a certain honey-skinned beauty too sexy for her own good. Whether he would keep to his own stipulations of all work and no play where she was concerned remained to be seen.

  Chapter Six

  “Girl…!” Ayana cocked her head to the side as she dragged the word out, her tone filled with both disbelief and awe. “Tell me this is a joke.”

  “
I promise you, it is not,” Gabrielle said, puffing out a breath at the bangs hanging over her temple. “Adam and my boss are one and the same. He runs a Fortune 500 company, is worth ooh, maybe a billion dollars – and I slept with him a week ago in the men’s room of a bar.”

  “That’s the most shocking of all,” breathed Ayana, falling heavily into her chair as she stared at Gabrielle. “What on earth came over you? No, wait – I can guess the answer to that.”

  Ayana’s face suddenly split into an impossibly wide smile and Gabrielle groaned. “Now this is the reason I never wanted to tell you about it. Can you possibly be any more crude?”

  “I’m not being crude! I’m just – it’s all like one big impossible plot twist. You walk into this company and find out you were never even meant to get the job, and then magically, Adam turns out to be the CEO. Did he really say you could work for the company?” Ayana’s eyes danced with glee.

  “Only for a trial period – and then we’ll see,” Gabrielle said. “I just hate to feel indebted, like I owe him for giving me the chance.”

  “All the more reason why you have to surpass his expectations and show him you deserve it,” Ayana said firmly, shooting to her feet. “Well, if you’re going to be the assistant to a billionaire CEO, you might as well start to look the part. Let’s go shopping!”

  Gabrielle sighed. “How can you be so upbeat about this?”

  “You know me. I always look on the bright side of things,” Ayana said, throwing an arm around Gabrielle’s shoulders. “Besides, you’re always there for me, spurring me on and believing in me, so why can’t I do the same?”

  “Thanks, Ayana,” Gabrielle said with a smile. She was glad to have Ayana as a friend – and that was more reason why she had to take the job, so she could start trying to pay her best friend back for all the support. Especially with all the loans and bills. Even though Ayana never ever made a big deal about it, Gabrielle couldn’t help but have it on her conscience. In that frame of mind, she was determined to make a success of her new job.