by Erika Rose
Since she wouldn’t be getting the job, Anna decided to celebrate staying with Callie instead.
The bar was pumping; Anna had been there for an hour and couldn’t believe how many people kept coming in. Loud pop music blasted through the speakers, and because it was Friday evening everyone was happily getting drunk.
But not Anna.
She rarely drank more than one drink. Growing up in a trailer park had shown her the ugly truths about alcoholism. Especially because her father still was an alcoholic. If it was up to Anna she would abstain completely but that always rendered too many questions. So she sat toying with the beer she had ordered an hour ago.
Callie was happily flirting with a suit and tie type sitting next to her and Anna was staring straight ahead when a man’s voice next to her caught her attention.
“Is this seat taken?” His voice was deep as his eyes were blue. Dark brown hair just touched his collar, but instead of looking unkempt it suited him. He was exactly Anna’s type. She forced a smile. “No, have a seat.”
“Great. What are you having?”
“Just a beer.”
“Want another?” He asked leaning closer.
Any other night Anna would’ve flirted back, but her heart wasn’t in it tonight. She found herself comparing him to Cayden Lee. His face was too pretty, not rough like Cayden’s.
“No I’m fine thanks.” She smiled at blue eyes as he called out his order to the barman.
“So you new in New York?” He asked as his beer was set down in front of him.
“Yes.” Anna said, forcing herself to sound interested. She should’ve just stayed home tonight.
“I thought so, because this place has never been lit up like it is now that you’re in it.” His white teeth were perfectly straight as he smiled wide.
Anna was about to burst out laughing at the cheesy line when her phone buzzed on the bar counter in front of her.
She noticed the Hamptons dialing code and grabbed her phone and bag in one fell swoop. “Callie I’m heading out, see you later.” She shouted over her shoulder as she made her way for door.
She answered the phone just as she stepped outside in the cold. “This is Anna.”
“Anna.” His voice sent chills up her spine; she could almost swear his voice alone warded off the cold.
“Mr. Lee?”
A husky laugh came over the phone. “Yes, it’s me. Sorry for bothering you so late on a Friday evening. I hope I didn’t interrupt something?”
Anna glanced back at the bar and the thought of blue eyes and his cheesy pick up line. “Nothing important.”
“Great. Well listen I’ll cut to the chase. You got the job. Can you start on Monday?”
Shock rendered her quiet.
“Anna, hello? Are you still there?”
“Hmm yes…I …thanks.”
Another husky laugh washed over her. “You seem surprised?”
“I am, I’m so not the right person for the job! I have no experience!”
“That’s why I want you; I can teach you everything you need to know myself.”
A blush spread across her face, if only she thought. “If you’re sure?” She said hesitantly.
“I am! Great! I’ll see you Monday morning?”
“Sure. See you then.” Anna was just about to hang up when Cayden’s voice called her back.
“If you want I can text you a great realtor’s number who’d be able to help you find an apartment on short notice?”
“That will be wonderful.” Anna took a deep breath and composed herself. “Thank you for the opportunity Mr. Lee.”
“Anna, its Cayden, just Cayden.”
With that the line went quiet. Anna wasn’t sure if she was more excited about landing her first job or the opportunity to work side by side with the most attractive man she had ever met before.
CHAPTER 3
Cayden had never been more excited to go to work on a Monday morning. He grabbed his favorite jeans from his cupboard and slipped them on. Although he wore suits at official Rosi’s events he preferred his uniform of jeans and button shirts.
All weekend he had resisted the urge to phone Anna and find out if she needed help with the move, but he had forced himself to suppress the urge.
He had no idea what he would have her do today, he’d play it by ear.
Cayden finished his morning ritual of eating granola and drinking a glass of orange juice before he left for work.
He arrived at the office a half hour early and decided to use the time to go over his meetings with suppliers this week. At the heart of running a franchise one of the most important facets were suppliers. To ensure each chain served exactly the same dishes at the same high level of quality, Cayden used the same suppliers for all his restaurants. Although distribution costs sometimes scared the bottom line, Cayden didn’t compromise quality or consistency.
There was a brief knock on his door ten minutes later.
“Good morning Mr. Lee...urghh I mean Cayden. Where would you like me to setup?” Anna stood in the door of his office wearing black tights with a long sleeve red jersey. The jersey was oversized but hinted at her slight frame underneath. Bright red patent leather boots, a handbag and red lips completed the look.
“Hello Anna. Why don’t you come inside first and I’ll tell you what I need from you.” Cayden said trying to keep his voice steady. “Would you like some coffee?”
“I’d kill for some.” Anna said before composing herself. “I mean, yes, thank you.”
Cayden smiled to himself as he walked over to the pod-coffee maker in the corner. She was as nervous as he was.
He made them each a cup, set hers down in front of her before moving around his desk and sitting down.
“So did you find an apartment yet?”
“Yes, that number you sent me. Tisha? She had a furnished apartment available right in town, so I moved in yesterday.”
“That’s good to hear. Well I’d like you to know I’m as much in the dark as you are about what you need to do, I’ve never had an assistant before.”
“Well I’m happy to be of help wherever you need me. I’ll assist you in anyway you require.” Anna smiled widely before the double-meaning sunk in. “I mean uhmm…”
Cayden laughed. “I know what you meant. I’m glad you’re eager. I don’t have a list of duties or a job description so I’m just going to tell you more or less what I need.”
Anna nodded and sipped from her cup before setting it down. “All right Cayden what do you need me to do?”
Cayden felt the familiar stir in his groin. There had never been this much sexual attraction between him and a girl before. Especially not an employee. Elizabeth would slaughter him if she found out he hired Anna because he couldn’t get his mind off her.
“Well firstly I need someone to manage my diary. I’m an in-the-moment kind of guy so I sometimes forget about appointments.”
Anna nodded eagerly and indicated for him to continue.
“Then I need someone who can sort out the small things in the restaurant downstairs when I’m not here or basically…let’s just say I need another set of hands.”
Anna smiled, her sky blue eyes shining at him. “As long as you show me what you need these hands to do, they’re all yours.” Anna held out her hands and horror crossed her face as she realized what she had just said.
Cayden laughed softly and pushed the thoughts of her holding his manhood aside. “Well right now I need those hands to hunt up a diary in the store room at the stairs and while you’re there you can grab all the stationary you need. I’ve arranged for a desk to be setup outside my office. There is already a laptop waiting for you along with your username, password and email account.”
“Great!” Anna said standing up. “I’ll get right to it.”
“I have a meeting at ten am with a few distributors in the boardroom, I’d like for you to sit in on that.”
&n
bsp; “Sure.” She called over her shoulder as she headed for the storage room.
Cayden couldn’t help but notice her fine sculpted rear in the tight jeans she wore.
“Ever heard of a sexual harassment suit?” Elizabeth said peering through the door as Anna sauntered towards the storeroom.
“Elizabeth don’t start.” Cayden sighed.
“Cayden, she has no experience, is the least qualified, and wears…jeans to work.” Elizabeth said disgusted as she walked into his office.
Cayden cleared his throat. “Elizabeth, I wear jeans to work! And besides I think the fact that she hasn’t been tainted by other company’s policies makes her a perfect fit.”
“Alright.” Elizabeth shrugged. “Just remember if she doesn’t work out, I’m out.”
“Yeah yeah,” Cayden waved her off.”
At five to ten Cayden sat down at the head of the table in his boardroom. He was meeting with three different beef suppliers, three of the best in the country. They would each have a chance to vie for the position as Rosetta’s Ravioli’s beef supplier.
Anna walked in with a notebook and a pair of black framed glasses perched on her nose. She looked like the sexy librarian every man dreams about, Cayden thought.
“Do you have a minute while we wait?” Anna asked sitting down next to him.
“Sure.” Cayden said angling his chair towards her.
“I’ve settled in, copied your diary from Elizabeth’s, scary lady I might add, but I have one question for you.”
“Okay,” Cayden said easily. Most people found Elizabeth intimidating.
“Why are the walls painted dark red?”
Cayden shrugged. “Rosetta’s main colors are dark red and green, it fits.”
“No, it doesn’t fit.” Anna said disgustedly.
Agitated Cayden huffed. “What do you mean?”
“In a restaurant yes, on menu’s yes, as a carpet, definitely but as the main color on a floor of working offices. NO! It feels like we’re working inside a cow?”
“What?”
“You heard me, it’s like someone emptied the cow and housed your offices inside, it’s …creepy.”
Feeling his temper rise Cayden snapped. “What color would you have suggested if your opinion is that strong? White would be too clinical, grey would be to social services and yellow would probably be too sunny?”
“Blue.” Anna said confidently. “It calms the mind allowing it to focus better, and has proven to increase work flow and profit margins. Although, if you want to keep with the Rosetta’s theme why didn’t you paint them white with a green and red border?”
Cayden wanted to object but the first supplier had arrived.
The meeting had just concluded and Anna excused herself to answer a phone ringing by her desk.
“That’s some prime ass you’ve got yourself there Lee.” Said Tommy Walker, a beef trader from Texas. “I’d ride that ass any time.”
Cayden felt an unfamiliar protective twinge stab at his heart even as his temper rose. “Tommy if you value the chance of getting this contract at all I suggest you keep your comments about my assistant to yourself.”
Tommy nodded. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I look forward to hearing from you.”
Cayden stood and shook his hand. He greeted the other suppliers automatically as his mind had already returned to his assistant. He couldn’t exactly ask her not to be sexy. The clothes she wore weren’t overtly sexual, she simply was.
CHAPTER 4
Anna stepped into her apartment with the small bag of groceries she had picked up on her way back from work. She set the bag down on the breakfast table by the window and pulled out the incense. First things first, she needed the apartment to smell like home. Not like a musty holiday flat that had been doused with disinfectant too many times.
She lit the incense and let the sandalwood scent drift over her as she unpacked the milk, cheese and a few other essentials. By the time that was done she kicked off her red heels and decided to unpack the last two boxes she hadn’t gotten to yesterday.
Anna plugged her iPod into the sound system and listened to the easy vocals of Tracy Chapman as she unpacked her collection of books, DVD’s and her valued Royal Albert teacups.
Before her mother had passed away there was nothing better she loved than a cup of tea. The first Christmas after her mother’s passing her father had given her a Royal Albert cup and saucer. Being sixteen, Anna didn’t realize the value, but cherished the gift like none other as it reminded her of her mother. She had since added two more cup and saucer sets.
With her prized possessions unpacked and meticulously dusted Anna went in search of something to do. She refolded the clothes in her cupboard she had unpacked the day before and gave the bathroom another scrub.
When she reached the kitchen to check the time on her phone she realized it was only seven pm. The rest of the night lay ahead of her like a dark open chasm. Anna knew it was because it was the first time she was living solo. The idea had appealed to her ever since her sixteenth birthday but instead of finding it a dream come true, Anna found it lonely.
She grabbed her purse and decided to head back to the office. The entrance to the offices was through the main restaurant so she wouldn’t need a key.
Anna didn’t know what she would do once she got there, but there were bound to be some filing cabinets that needed straightening or maybe she would dust and vacuum. Anything but be alone in her apartment.
A few hours later Anna had repacked the entire storage room, meticulously labeled each rack and drawn up and inventory. She looked at the final result with a sense of achievement. Now it wouldn’t take you twenty minutes to find something as simple as a pen, she thought. She walked towards her desk wondering what she was going to do next. She was hesitant to attempt the filing as she wasn’t familiar with Elizabeth’s system.
Vacuum!
The idea sprang to mind. Great idea, especially the storage room. It needed a good vacuum since it had just been turned upside down before she straightened it.
Anna lugged the large vacuum cleaner from its housing cupboard in the tiny kitchen towards the storage room. Kicking off her heels she plugged it in and started vacuuming the storage room. The old machine was heavy and made a horrible noise; Anna hoped the clients down in the restaurant couldn’t hear it.
She had just about finished vacuuming the small area when a tap on her shoulder made her jump.
“Crap!” she shouted as she hit the power-off button on the vacuum. She turned around and saw Cayden smiling at her with a confused expression.
“I didn’t mention anything about after hour cleaning responsibilities did I?” His smile was arrogant as he watched her.
“No,” Anna said brushing the hair from her face. “The new apartment is great, but I’m used to having people around so I came back here.”
“To clean?”
“No, well eventually yes. I actually started with re-organizing the store-room and by the time I was done it needed a good vacuuming.”
“Well that’s done now, you can go home.”
Anna wasn’t sure if he was mocking her or chasing her away. His face was very hard to read. “I’ll just get my things.”
She had just walked down the corridor when she heard Cayden call after her, “Want some coffee before you go?”
She spun around before she could think better of it. “Sure, I’d like that.”
Anna followed Cayden into his office and sat down in the small seating area to the one side of his office. “What are you doing here so late?” she asked as he joined her setting the mugs down on the small table.
“I was actually downstairs, I have a manager there most nights but I like to keep my hand in.”
There was no way Anna could deny the attraction sizzling between them. She swallowed hoping it would force the butterflies down before meeting his eyes again.
The silence hung ov
er them, heady and full of unsaid words.
It was Cayden who broke the silence. “So do you look forward to working here?”
“Yes.” Anna grinned. “I never could’ve imagined my first job would be as assistant to the wealthy owner of Rosetta’s Ravioli.”
At the mention of his wealth something passed over Cayden’s face. “Well I wasn’t always wealthy.” He said with a terse voice.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to offend you in any way.”
“It’s fine.” He smiled as he finished his coffee and set the cup down. Anna knew when she was being dismissed.
She quickly drank the remaining coffee in her cup and stood. “Thanks for the coffee.”
Cayden nodded stiffly.
Anna smiled at him before she headed for the door. She turned around to ask him something and found Cayden’s face a few inches from hers.
They were standing so close Anna could smell his aftershave. It held hints of lemon and cedar wood, distinctly male yet clean.
Unconsciously she licked her lips and watched his eyes trail down to her mouth.
He hadn’t moved. His fingers were still hooked into the belt loops of his jeans, his detached stance and hungry gaze made him hotter than ever.
In the back of her mind Anna knew she needed to leave, but she couldn’t help wanting to play with fire.
A cocky grin slowly spread across Cayden’s face. “Did you need something?” He blinked lazily before focusing on her again.
Heat had pooled between Anna’s thighs, she closed her mouth for fear of drooling as she got lost in his gaze. “No, I uhm…”
Screw it! Anna thought as she moved closer, better to have her fantasy proven wrong than to spend every waking second wondering what it would be like to kiss Cayden. She saw surprise flash into his eyes as she kept her eyes open and softly lay her lips against his.
More experimental than passionate. Looking into his eyes as their lips brushed was even more of a turn on.