Coming in Handy_a Single Dad Romance
Page 31
He looked at me and I saw a fleeting smirk on his handsome face. He really was very handsome, with strong features that looked so different on him than they had on Frederick. Frederick’s nose had been ramrod straight, but Will had a slightly crooked one. Had he perhaps broken it growing up? It wouldn’t surprise me if he had; he seemed the type to get into a fight.
“What are you staring at?”
Bloody hell, what was I doing? Flustered, I looked away, taking a deep breath.
“Nothing, Sir. Sorry. Erm, your office is back there. I took the liberty of clearing it for you and stocking it with your own personal stationary. Shall I show you around?”
“Nah, I got it: desk, chair, shackles. All accounted for,” he answered, his surly voice back. “I’m pretty sure it’s not rocket science.”
“Would you like a tea or coffee before your first meeting?” I asked, ignoring his jibe, turning to face him. He was studying the calendar in earnest, a wrinkle forming between his brows. “I can get you whatever you want. Your wish is my command,” I said adding a friendly tone to my voice, hoping we could finally get off onto a good start.
“A bloody scotch would work, my head is killing me,” he muttered, walking toward the back office.
A wave of sadness came over me as yet another memory that would be hard to forget surged forth.
“There’s a bottle in the left bottom drawer of the desk. Your brother liked to have it on hand. For special occasions and such…”
William’s head shot up and he looked at me, his throat working. Emotion was brimming inside him and I glanced away, giving him a moment. It had to be difficult for him to be here as well.
“I apologise for my comment last night,” he said, surprising me. “I was pissed at… well, at everyone. Frederick, my father, you name it, and I took it out on you. What I said was uncalled for and derogatory.”
His apology seemed sincere enough and I managed a shaky nod in response. “Yes, well, I’ll be here if you need me.”
“Oh, I’m sure I will,” Prince William muttered under his breath but he didn’t look for a reaction, causing to ponder if I’d imagined the words.
“Sorry? I didn’t catch that.”
“Nothing.”
A moment passed. He was staring at me now, but I couldn’t read his expression. Whatever it was it made my whole body shiver.
“Cold?” he said with an arched brow, his eyes dipping to my chest. I could’ve sworn he was playing with me.
“No, I’m fine,” I replied and forced myself to concentrate. “Can I ask what made you change your mind? I mean, for you to come in today.”
“You want to know if your little pep-talk had an effect, do you? Looking for brownie points, or a gold star perhaps?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Er, no. I was just curious—”
“I’m sure there will be lots of things you will be curious about while I’m here, but don't think I’m going to start spilling my secrets to you, Sophie. You may have had my brother’s ear but understand this—we aren’t going to be friends, ok? I’m here. That should be enough for you and for everyone else.”
Standing there taking his verbal dressing down, I dug my fingers into my palms and waited for him to stop. He couldn’t be more unlike his brother. Frederick had been kind but his twin was down-right cruel.
“Oh and while we’re both getting on the same page I want to ask you something…”
I blinked, nodded, then held my breath for what was yet to come. I knew it wasn’t going to be praise or anything of the sort.
“Do you always dress like that?”
“Like…?” I said, stammering the word out, as I glanced down at my clothes. What was wrong with them?
“Like you’re a seventy-year old schoolmarm who’s got one foot in the retirement home?”
Flabbergasted and stunned into silence, unable to find my voice, I merely glanced down at my lilac work dress with its high collar and long skirt that reached my ankles, then back up at the prince who was also in the process of giving me a once over. But the expression on his face was not one of joy. He looked almost disgusted by my clothes. Granted, I knew I wasn’t the most fashionable woman in the palace, and I’d taken most of my work related fashion tips from my mother, whose style hadn’t changed in all of her years, but the dress was practical, comfortable and most of all professional. At least I thought so…
“I take your silence as a yes then. Well, if you’re trying to make me into something I’m not, it’s probably only fair that I have the same opportunity to go all My Fair Lady on you.”
“You’ve seen My Fair Lady?”
“Read Pygmalion too if you must know,” he paused to gauge my reaction. At that point I really didn’t know which way was up. I felt lost and confused, belittled and shamed, and also kinda impressed. There was something extremely wrong with me. “What? Did you think I couldn’t read or something?”
“No, I just wasn’t expecting something like that to come out of your mouth.”
“Why, because I’m normally an uncouth son of a b—”
“Don’t talk about your mother like that,” I quickly interrupted. “She’s the Queen. Have a little respect.”
He rolled his eyes. “It’s just an expression. Don’t get your granny panties in a twist.”
“I do not wear granny panties!” I shouted, hands on hips. That was a step too far.
“Prove it,” he responded, grinning like he’d finally won baiting me into losing my cool.
“In your dreams!”
He chuckled and crossed his arms. “Back to business though. I forbid you to ever wear that dress again. It literally hurts my eyes. Burn it for both our sakes. And if you’re going to be my personal assistant—”
“I’m not a PA,” I interrupted again, but he stepped forward and suddenly placed his right forefinger vertically against my lips, silencing me.
I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak. All I could think about was that his finger was upon my lips and how good it would feel to take it into my mouth.
“…If you’re going to be my personal assistant, secretary, dogsbody, servant, whatever, then I can’t have you dressed like that. It would reflect badly upon me and my reputation, and this office, don’t you see? I want you polished and pristine, with some semblance of modern style. We need to get you into the twenty-first century, or at the very least the twentieth. And showing a bit of leg wouldn’t kill you.”
“I—”
Will shook his head. He wasn’t finished yet.
“So, do us both a favour, grab a girlfriend—you do have friends right?”
I responded with a meek shrug.
“Whatever, go alone if you have to, or better yet get a personal shopper. I’m sure I can get you a name, Lottie knows everyone in that world, but get yourself some new clothes. Cause that thing looks like it should be in a museum. Don’t forget shoes either,” he continued as he tilted his body to the side to peek under the long skirt of my dress. “God, what are those? Never mind, I don’t even want to know. Just get something better, and put it on my account. I presume you have access to my accounts?”
I nodded; there was nothing else I could do. This was probably the most he’d said to me since we’d met and I was having a hard time digesting it all while his warm skin was still in contact with mine.
“Good then. Glad that’s settled.” He dropped his hand and took a step back, studying me. Presumably waiting for some kind of response. “Was there anything you wanted to say or anything else you needed to tell me?”
I snapped out of my daze, and managed to break eye contact finally. A thousand thoughts buzzed inside my head. Fleeting from one corner to the other, colliding dumbly, and it seemed like I was never going to straighten out the mess or ever catch a coherent thought again while he looked at me. But after a few short breaths the chaos began to right itself and I fell back into my professional mode.
“Erm, my mobile number is programmed into yours on the des
k.”
“Oh? You already want me to make a booty call? Did Frederick do that too?”
“Oh, God. No, I didn’t mean that—”
“Relax. You really have to start to learn when I’m messing with you.”
“I’ll try.”
“Good. But yeah, I already have a phone,” he said, a little puzzled, and thankfully getting back on topic.
“I took the liberty of getting you setup on a secure work mobile,” I explained, marvelling at how I was able to string a full sentence together. “It’s standard procedure. And it helps. Frederick had one. He preferred to keep his personal and work life separate.” Given this was all new to Will, I thought he would appreciate being able to keep some things private, whatever he could at least.
“Sounds fair.”
He looked at me expectantly again and I quickly blurted, “Don’t forget you have twenty minutes until you are due to meet with your family.”
He sighed, “How could I forget? Though I’m sure you’ll remind me again and again until I go.”
“Yes, well, that is my job.”
“Mhm, that makes me think. Sophie, seeing how I am technically your new boss. Your new master as it were, you’d best be calling me Sir all the time from now on too. It’s only proper after all and I’ve noticed you’ve become lax on that score. Gotta adhere to all these pesky antiquated rules… no wiggle room on that I’m afraid. Plus it’ll please me. And you want to please me, right?”
Yes, Sir? I spontaneously thought.
He smirked again but gave me no chance to respond out loud, not that I would’ve been able with my mouth hanging open again, catching flies. He walked to his office, never looking back, and shut the door with a firm thud.
I waited, counting to ten, before allowing myself to collapse in my chair, feeling as if I’d ran a marathon in the span of a few minutes.
Continue reading Royal Master
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Also by Emilia Beaumont
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Reigning Love Series
Royal Master
Royal Daddy
Expecting & Loving Series:
Expecting my Billionaire Stepbrother’s Baby
Loving my Billionaire Stepbrother’s Baby
Forbidden Desires Series:
Snake
Vulture
Shark
Damaged Series:
The Play Book
The Curve Ball
The Love Game
The Lucky Draw ~ coming soon
Stand Alones:
Billionaire Stepbrother
Kiss Me Again
Hitman’s Revenge
Dream Daddy (a Dark Daddy’s Best Friend Romance)
Daddy Ever After (a Billionaire Romance)
Royal Bastard
Bad Boy’s Wedding
Five Night Valentine
Mail Order Bridesmaid (a Fake Fiancée Romance)
About the Author
Emilia Beaumont is a full-time writer, originally hailing from England. She now lives in Ireland with her husband and a house full of cats. Surrounded by peaceful emerald fields she always has a pen and notebook to hand ready for when the next saucy idea strikes. Emilia is also an avid comic-book reader and a wildlife advocate.
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