The Intern Serials: Complete Box Set

by Brooke Cumberland

  “And that ass wasn’t bad either,” he responds dryly.

  My body ticks at the way he’s describing her. I know I’m not much better, but hearing it from another guy—especially Paul—fuels my urge to punch him in the face.

  “Don’t say shit like that,” I growl as I slowly raise my head to look at him. The expression on his face turns from supercilious to one of being baffled.

  “Relax man. Did you call her counselor or references?”

  I want him out of my office so I can finish reports, so I tell him what he wants to hear.

  “Yeah, yeah. All good.”

  “Great, I’ll call her this afternoon and have her begin this Saturday.”

  “Good, fine. I’ll be here, I guess.” I come in every Saturday, so I’ll be training her.

  Fucking hell.

  He leaves without another word, and I continue typing hard against the keyboard. There’s a huge case that’s just had a breakthrough. I hurriedly type it out so I can get it online ASAP. Most of our customers are online. We try to get our reports out first before anyone else can.

  “Casey West will be here eight a.m. this Saturday,” Paul informs me over the phone. My body tenses up at the sound of her name. “Do you want your assistant here just in case?”

  “In case what?” I scowl. “She can’t figure out how to work the coffee maker? No, I think we’ll manage.”

  The truth is I want her alone without interruptions. Her personality and confidence have me completely captivated, and I want to know more about her—without my assistant getting in the way.

  “You have to teach her more than just how the coffee maker operates,” he warns. “She could potentially want to apply here after graduation. By teaching students the ropes of the job, they’re already pre-qualified to work here.”

  “Yes, I know, asshole,” I snap. “You don’t need to repeat everything my father tells me, you know?”

  “Oh, you mean you don’t want to have the talk about the birds and the bees?”

  “Screw off, man. I’m not a child.”

  “You’re twenty-six,” he laughs. “You may as well be.” And then he hangs up.

  Working here is a joke. No one takes me seriously being the son of the CEO. Everyone thinks I’m here because of daddy, and technically, I am, but I could’ve scored this job without his help. I double majored in college, earned above average grades, and did a lot of community work. I was no one’s charity case. I could fend for myself.

  I’m browsing through emails on my phone as I ride the elevator down to the lobby. It halts on the third floor, and I back up to let more people on. I don’t lift my head up as the elevator starts again, but suddenly I’m hit with the sound of laughter.

  It’s innocent, young, and vibrant. I’m intrigued, so I shift my body to get a better view of her. My eyes find the young girl in the front by the doors. I watch her from the side and notice she’s on her phone. She’s smiling wide and laughing with whomever she’s speaking to on the phone. The doors slide open, and I walk around a few people to exit, except the girl doesn’t move and I crash right into the back of her, pushing us both out of the elevator before the doors close. Instinctively, I wrap my free arm around her waist to catch her from face planting the floor. Her back is pressed against my chest and for a moment, I don’t want to let go.

  Her phone isn’t as lucky. It slips out of her hand and lands on the lobby floor.

  “Shit,” she curses and my arm frees her to bend down and grab it off the floor.

  “I’m so sorry,” I begin apologizing as I step back. My eyes wonder to her bare legs and up her tone thighs to a pair of black workout shorts. She’s wearing a baggy sweatshirt as if she’d been running or working out. I can smell the fresh sweat on her, but it doesn’t turn me off. In fact, it does the exact opposite.

  “That’s okay.” Her voice cracks as she turns around, and I finally get a good look at her. “Oh, Mr. Leighton,” she says surprised, and I immediately curse the bad luck that brings me to my new intern—Casey West.

  “Miss West?” I finally say as she stares up at me in silence. “I thought you weren’t coming until Saturday?”

  “Hide your disappointment, Mr. Leighton.” The corners of her mouth perk up into a cocky smile. “I was just picking up the paperwork and doing all the background check questions.” Her witty personality is spot on just like the last time.

  Everyone that works or interns at Leighton Enterprises goes through an extensive background check for security reasons. All of the files are confidential, and only journalists reporting on the stories can know the exclusive information.

  “Ah, yes. Of course, the paperwork.”

  Paul failed to mention she’d be here today…

  She continues eyeing me, and I wonder if she feels the electricity between us as much as I do.

  “Well, I’ll see you Saturday, Mr. Leighton,” she says as she is seductively smiling up at me. She quickly turns around and begins walking toward the lobby doors.

  I put my phone in my pocket and shake the thoughts of Casey out of my head. This is crazy. I can’t think of her like that. She’s my goddamn intern.

  * * *

  Being a model all through college and graduate school, it was never hard to find hook ups. Hell, they came to me. It was a much different lifestyle than I have now—everything was handed to me on a gold-lined platter. The clothes, partying until four a.m., limos, drinks, endless amounts of girls throwing themselves at me—it was all part of the lifestyle.

  And now?

  The partying has stopped. The limos, drinks, and endless girls stopped. Suit and briefcases became my new wardrobe, and my modeling career vanished as if it never even existed.

  I work sixty plus hours a week, take shit from my colleagues who have no faith in me, and have become a walking/talking puppet for my father who wants to mold me into the future CEO.

  The family enterprise isn’t what I have an issue with, but the fact that I’m twenty-fucking-six years old and the last thing I’m thinking of is settling down. A part of me wishes for my old life back, just to give me some sense of clarity, but that’s no longer an option for me.

  * * *

  By Friday, my mind is fully consumed with thoughts of Casey. Since the interview and bumping into her the day before, my mind has been places extremely inappropriate for someone that’ll be working for me.

  I realize I need to get the hell out of this office and clear my head. I call Ryan, another colleague of mine, and tell him to go out with me tonight. He doesn’t argue, so we plan to meet up at ten p.m. at the Dusty Row bar.

  I change into jeans and a fitted t-shirt before heading out and meeting him. The only thing on my agenda tonight is to get drunk and hopefully, lucky.

  * * *

  I wake up to the blazing sound of my alarm clock. Six-forty-five a.m. is flashing in bright red lights on my iPhone.

  Oh, fuck.

  I slowly roll over on my bed and smack into someone on the other side. I quickly rack my brain for memories of last night, but there isn’t any—well, not many at least.

  I remember beer.

  Girls.

  Shots.

  More girls.

  Liquor.

  Naked girls.

  That about sums it up.

  “Hello?” I shake her until one eye peeks open. “You need to leave, sweetheart. I have to go to work.”

  I grab a sheet and wrap it loosely around my waist. I walk to my closet and pull out my suit for the day, partially excited that I get to ‘train’ my new intern—my hot as fuck librarian-looking intern.

  “On the weekend?” she asks lazily as she shuffles around on the bed. “Mm…” she moans and pats the spot next to her on the bed, “come back to bed.”

  “I can’t. I have to get in the shower. See your way out?”

  Her expression tells me she’s offended, and her loud stomping on the floor clarifies that I’m right.

  “Do you even remember my na
me?” she asks angrily as she scoops up her clothes that are scattered on my hardwood floor.

  I smirk as she inches closer to me. “Do you remember mine?”

  She scowls. “You’re an asshole.”

  “Take a number, sweetheart. You aren’t the first one to think so,” I call out after her. She’s stomping down the hallway, and I just shrug.

  * * *

  Walking into work feels different today. I know it’s because I’ll be seeing her again and that she’s my intern. And knowing that she’s completely off limits.

  I’m already in my office logging in reports when a soft knock is at my door.

  “Come in,” I answer without looking up. I vaguely see her out of the corner of my eye. She’s not in her Grandma-wear, but she’s dressed appropriately for an office job—black, sleek skirt and a red shirt. I vaguely take in her shirt, noticing it reveals much more skin than before.

  “Good morning, Mr. Leighton,” she says confidently. I finally look up and curse myself immediately for doing so. Getting a better view of her, I notice her clothes are clung tight to her, showing off every curve and her taut nipples. She’s smiling ear to ear and resting her hands in front of her.

  “Good morning, Miss West. Welcome.”

  “Thank you.” She smiles at me, and I swallow. “Oh, I forgot to say thank you for this opportunity. I’m absolutely grateful.”

  “Sure, well, you deserve it,” I reply kindly.

  “Oh, and please call me Ceci. I mean if that’s okay,” she stammers nervously.

  “Ceci?” I raise an eyebrow.

  She giggles, and it nearly kills me. That sound. The sound of her laugh is probably the best sound I’ve ever heard.

  “Yeah…” she begins shifting back and forth on her feet, “it’s a nickname,” she explains. “My younger brother couldn’t pronounce my name when he was a toddler and ended up calling me Ceci. And well, it’s just stuck all these years, I guess.”

  “Sounds good. Ceci it is.” I roll her name with my tongue, and it feels so good…as if I could say her name over and over again.

  “What would you like me to do? Do you have some kind of list or agenda that you’d like me to follow? A schedule perhaps?”

  That was supposed to be on my to-do list last night. Shit.

  “Well, first. Do you know how to operate a coffee maker?” I grin.

  She gives me a confused expression, and I’m afraid I might have scared her off already.

  I smile and grab my wallet out of my back pocket. “Never mind. There’s a Starbucks one block west from here. I’ll take a dark coffee, two sugars. And whatever you’d like.” I hand her my company credit card and her hand briefly grazes mine before taking it.

  “Absolutely, sir. I’ll be right back.” She spins on her heel and is out the door in ten seconds flat.

  While she’s gone, I try to think of things she can do when she returns, so I don’t feel like a goddamn babysitter, but it’s so hard to concentrate when all I can think of are her damn legs.

  Note: No allowing skirts at work.

  On second thought…

  Only short skirts allowed.

  Chapter Four

  Bentley

  I WAIT IMPATIENTLY until she walks back in, sashaying her hips with ease. She gently places my coffee on my desk and smiles up at me.

  Now what do I fucking do with her?

  Shit…there’s a lot I’d like to do with her.

  “Dark coffee, two sugars, sir.”

  “Thank you,” I breathe out. I give my attention back to my computer, hoping she’ll take the hint and leave.

  “Sir?” Her voice cracks. “Where would you like me?”

  My jaw twitches at the innuendo she’s just put in my head. I try not to stare at her, but the way her soft, pink lips are perking up at me makes it hard to tear my eyes away.

  “I’ve made a list—you can start with that,” I respond coldly. She doesn’t deserve it, but I need to remind myself of the situation we’re in currently.

  Boss.

  Intern.

  Off limits.

  She inches closer to grab the list from my hand, slowly brushing her fingers over my knuckles. She keeps eye contact with me the entire time, completely pissing me off. This girl wasn’t a scared little intern, and she wasn’t intimidated by my authority. Hell, I bet she even takes charge in the bedroom.

  “You can go now,” I toss out.

  This girl was either messing with me, or completely oblivious to the way she could attract men. Either way, I couldn’t have that in my office. This was strictly business.

  Or so that’s what I’m trying to tell myself.

  “You can use the office across from mine for now. Mr. Baumann doesn’t come in on Saturdays,” I add before she turns on her heel and walks out. She needs to be far away from me right now.

  I grab my coffee and bring it to my mouth. The smell on the lid grabs my attention before I take a sip. I bring it up to my nose and smell her scent—a mixture of fruity lip-gloss and expensive shampoo—as if she took a sip of my coffee first.

  I instantly adjust my pants at the thought of her lips on my coffee lid. It’s an innocent gesture, but smelling the scent and imagining where I’d want those perfect, warm lips is anything, but innocent.

  I bury my head in case files all morning. Leighton Enterprises is a full-round corporation, meaning we do many things under the same scope. We investigate criminal cases and report our findings. We also report on major murder cases in the US, such as the case of Caylee Anthony. Leighton Enterprises worked day and night on that one, keeping up with new information and building reports from it.

  Often, the police reports are included in the cases we receive, but sometimes they go missing or aren’t filled out accurately. It then becomes our job to try to fill in the missing gaps to write a full, thorough story.

  I became interested in criminology after a huge murder flooded the headlines when I was seventeen. My dad worked night and day on that case, making sure to keep up with the news and report anything new that came in. To be the first to report it and to update it added to the Leighton Enterprises’ name. We pride ourselves on being accurate and efficient—all while being number one.

  Unfortunately, all we could report was case updates and news from the investigation—the case was never solved. It’s one of the biggest unsolved cases in Nebraska.

  I shuffle through files sitting on my desk and don’t notice that my office door is opening. She walks in with ease, smiling as she walks up to my desk.

  “Yes?” I snarl, not making eye contact with her.

  “I’m all done,” she replies simply. “What else can I do for you? Is there anything maybe…” she pauses, biting down on her lower lip, “more challenging that I can do?” Her voice is higher as she anticipates my response.

  I look down at my desk pretending to stack papers and smirk at how her innocent questions suddenly sound dirty in my head.

  “Well…what can you do, Miss West?” I clear my throat. “I mean Ceci. I know you have high achievements, so you tell me. What do you want to learn?” I look up at her this time and watch her squirm at my words.

  She grins and steps closer. “What can you teach me?”

  I adjust my pants again—my damn cock can’t behave. This girl is a twenty-one-year-old naïve college student, and I’m her boss, I remind my cock, but it does nothing to tame itself.

  “Are you okay?” she asks leaning over my desk to where my hand is trying to hide the tent I’m now sporting.

  “For someone so well-educated, you’re sure a curious little thing,” I respond nervously trying to get her eyes off my junk.

  She giggles.

  She actually fucking giggles.

  “Sorry, sir. It’s just…you look very uncomfortable. Like you’re trying to scratch your skin off or something.”

  “Excuse me?” My eyes meet hers.

  “Oh, shit.” She covers her mouth with her hand. “I’m so sorry.
That was really inappropriate.” I can tell she’s still smiling.

  I pull my chair back and stand up, towering over her tiny size. “I think it’s best you go home for the day.”

  She checks her watch quick before speaking. “It’s not even noon, sir. Please, I’m so sorry. It’ll never happen again. I really want to be here. Just tell me what to do. Anything. I’ll do it.”

  I sit back down and think about her request. She looks at me pleadingly and like the sucker I am, I give in. “Fine.” I breathe out. “I’ll show you the software we use. You’ll need to know how to operate it.”

  She clasps her hands tightly together and thanks me over and over. I nod, hardly acknowledging, and then I tell her to bring a chair over to my side.

  I move my chair over to give her enough room, but with the way my computer is angled, she has to lean over me to get a good view.

  “All right, so…” I clear my throat as I try to concentrate on the screen and not the fact that I can feel her warm breath on my neck, “it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it.”

  “Don’t worry, Mr. Leighton.” She interrupts. “I’m a fast learner.” I can hear the seduction in her voice and immediately realize how bad of an idea this is. Her body is close to mine as she leans over her chair. Her breasts are rubbing against the back of my arm, and I can tell her skin is silky smooth just from the contact.

  My cock twitches and I move forward to avoid her body against mine. I swallow hard as I continue. “Here is where each case is located. They are categorized by date, location, file number, and last name. You can do easy searches by this icon up here, as well as typing in the first couple letters of the name. It’s very user friendly.”

  Just when I think I’m home free, and my cock tames itself, she leans off her chair and puts a hand on my shoulder as she reaches a finger to the screen. My body immediately tenses at the touch of her hand. Even if it’s an innocent gesture, she knows what she’s fucking doing.

  “What’s this icon down here?” she asks, oblivious to the mini heart attacks she’s currently giving me.