by A. Gorman
Gasping for breath, I notice I still have Aedan’s head held tightly between my legs. I try to move, but my body is Jell-O and unable to go anywhere. He gently lifts up and is able to get out of my hold.
“Well, you seemed to enjoy that.” He chuckles.
“Uh-huh…” I close my eyes, enjoying the subsiding pulses running through my body. He picks me up and I open my mouth to object to him using his arm.
“Shh,” he says and carries me into our room.
He places me in bed, pulls the covers around me, and I feel myself falling asleep.
Chapter Three
Jesse
I wake up, feeling fully rested for the first time in days, weeks, or maybe even months. Rolling over, I find Aedan not in bed. I pull myself from the warm bed to search for him, and I walk out of our bedroom to hear his voice echoing in the hallway. He’s in the office upstairs. When I open the door, he looks up and our eyes meet. I blush as I remember what we did on that desk last night.
“Yes, I’ll be in the office, so you can email me or call me with any updates…” he says to the person on the other end. He thanks them and hangs up. “I was about to come in the bedroom to wake you.”
“I thought maybe you were trying to sneak off and get dressed before me, even though you shouldn’t be working.” I lean against the doorjamb and twirl the bottom of my t-shirt around my fingers.
“I know, but I need to make sure everything is being handled properly since there will be changes implemented today. I thought about taking a shower with you this morning. A nice little surprise, and it’s a great way to start the day.” He winks with a sexy grin, which sends jolts of excitement through my body.
“Oh, it is.”
“How are you feeling this morning? Excited to finally get where you wanted to be after working so hard?” I sit down in his lap, and I can feel him hardening beneath me.
“Yes, I’m so excited. Well, I was. I’m not sure. Some moments it feels surreal that I’m finally getting the company after thinking I wasn’t going to. Now that I am, I’m afraid that it will be taken away from me. I know that sounds crazy.”
“I think I understand. You don’t want to jinx it.”
“Something like that, but if I sit and really think about it, no one can take my position away from me once Dad has signed the company over to me.” I give him a small smile, hoping no one tries to undo what I’ve worked for during the past six years.
Aedan nods. “I hope you don’t mind that we cleared your schedule until next week.”
“No, I trust you and how you handle everyone’s safety. I hope it will be okay to interview for an assistant, though. I’m sure Nadia wouldn’t want to work for both of us.”
“I agree with you there, but I did email her to ask her to assist you until you get someone else.”
“Thank you. I didn’t know how she would take it if I asked her. You know she didn’t care much for me working with her. Something about me messing up her organization, but I think she was a little jealous of me.”
“I’m not sure that’s the case. I try to keep our relationship on a professional level, but she knows about my family and us. She’s an excellent assistant and I respect her opinions.”
“I’ll remember that when she’s rolling her eyes at me…it’s bound to happen.” I laugh.
“Probably. We’d better get going, you don’t want to be late on your first day as owner.”
I look at the clock on the wall. Damn it—I’m going to be cutting it close. “We need to hurry.” I rise to my feet, then lean over Aedan to give him a kiss. I lick his lips and tease them with mine, and make him want me, leaving him breathless for once.
“We could always just work from home today,” he says as he grabs at my waist, but I move out of the way.
“Sorry, no can do.” I walk out of the office, swaying my hips. Aedan runs behind me, grabs me by the waist, and carries me to the bathroom. There’s no sense in telling him to take it easy, because he won’t listen.
***
Kevin pulls the SUV up in front the building, then opens the door to let me out at the front entrance. Aedan drove separately in case he needs to leave, but he followed closely behind us. I can feel him behind me as I walk toward the building before the doorman opens the door.
“Good morning, Ms. McCoy, Mr. Hughes.”
“Good morning, Henry,” I cheerfully reply.
I walk to the bank of elevators, trying not to ignore Aedan, but I want to get on the elevator and push the button…the button that starts my new position today. The doors open, and I swiftly get in, and he chuckles behind me.
“That excited to get to work?”
“Yes. No. Well, I wanted to push the button.” I blush.
“Push it. We have a lot to get through this morning.”
I push the button and the doors close a few moments later. The car whisks us away to the fiftieth floor. The doors open, and new signage greets me when I step off the elevator. McCoy Investments, Jesse McCoy, Owner is on a glass wall that wasn’t here when I was here Friday. And below it, Aedan Hughes, Senior Security Officer. The addition makes the space look elegant.
“This is all new…?”
“Your father’s last change as acting owner. He went to HR and created a new position. Since my old job was vacant, I promoted Sam.”
“Nice. So you’re right under me.”
“I am.”
“I like that idea.” I smirk.
“I’m sure you do.”
I point to the glass. “Whose idea was this?”
“Security department’s. To get through the doors, you have to place your thumb on the scanner or be buzzed in by an assistant. We aren’t taking any chances. All around the building these scanners have been implemented and the glass has been installed on all the floors. No one can get in unless we want them to be here.”
“I like that. It makes me feel extra safe.”
“Good, we want you and everyone to feel that way. No one should have to work in fear, Jesse.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“I know, but I want you to know I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
I lean in to kiss him but stop myself. This is work. “I owe you one.”
He winks. “I’ll keep track.”
“I’m sure you will.” I place my thumb on the scanner and a green light runs over my thumb.
“McCoy, Jesse R., Entrance permitted.” The door unlocks, and I go through. I hold it open for Aedan.
“Go on in, I want to make sure it’s working for me as well.” The door closes, and he places his hand on the thumb pad.
“Hughes, Aedan S., Entrance permitted.” The door unlocks, and he walks through.
“I’m surprised these aren’t installed by the elevator.”
“Eventually they will be. I think they will be inside the elevator since employees have different security levels of access. With the directors, accounting, HR, and security being on the forty-fifth to the fiftieth floors, you will need clearance to access those floors. Still trying to figure out how to work it with clients coming in.”
“We should have meeting rooms down on the lower level.”
“That could work. Let me run some plans by the team and see if it’s safe to do.”
“I haven’t even entered my office and we are already making changes.”
“Change is good.”
“Morning, Nadia,” I say before Aedan can.
“Morning, Jesse, Aedan. How are you both this morning?”
“Good, thank you.”
“The same.”
“Great to hear. Jesse, HR called. They set an interview for you this afternoon with a current employee. She’s interested in being your assistant.”
“That was fast. Thank you, Nadia.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Aedan, I did as you asked this morning too. Everything is ready and waiting.”
“Thank you. If you need anything,
I’ll be in Jesse’s office for a bit.”
She nods before Aedan walks me back to my office and instead of taking me where the office was over a week ago, he leads me down to the next room on the right, the old conference room.
“Did you miss the door?”
“No, we switched offices around too.”
“Everyone was way too busy over the weekend. I hope they didn’t mind.”
“I’m sure they didn’t. We pay them too well to worry about it.”
He opens the door and my father and grandparents are sitting on new furniture in an office that blows me away. The view is better than the one in my father’s old office. The room has more windows and twice the space. This can’t be happening. I mean, why did they make all these changes for me?
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask as I walk over to my grandparents and father and kiss my grams on the cheek.
“Well, we wanted to be here for your special day.” My grandma Dyer hugs me as my grandfather beams. “We are so proud of you, Jesse.”
“Go ahead and call Jefferson in here so he can witness and sign off on everything,” my father says to Aedan.
“Will do.” Aedan steps out of my office to make his call.
“Let me put my things down.” I set my purse and briefcase on the oak credenza. On the corner of the desk is a vase with peach colored peonies. Their perfume permeates the room, and the smell accompanies the view of the mountains. My heart swells with joy, and I turn to my family. “Why didn’t you say anything about this, Dad?”
“Aedan put it together yesterday and made the calls. I think he wanted everyone to share your accomplishments with you.”
“That’s sweet of him.” I love him so much.
“Look who I found in the reception area.” Aedan walks in with Reese and Tierney following closely behind.
“Thank you so much for being here.” I run over to them as fast as my heels allow and hug them like I did when we were little kids. A little immature, I know, but after Saturday, I will allow myself to be a little childish.
“We wouldn’t miss this, you should know that,” Reese exclaims, pulling out of the embrace.
“Thank you—” A knock at the door interrupts and the company attorney walks in.
“Congratulations, Jesse. Ready to make this official?”
“As I’ll ever be.” I smile at the older gentleman.
“I’m sure your father is ready to get everything inked. Pearse, I have the papers drawn up. All they need is your signature.”
My dad gets up and takes the legal documents from Mr. Jefferson. He reads over it and places the papers on my desk and signs in several places.
“Your turn, Jesse,” he says with tears in his eyes.
The documents are full of legal jargon, validating that I am the owner of the company, but I must use the proper procedures that are in place for mergers and acquisitions, hiring and firing employees, or any changes to the policies. All of that is fine with me, because I know I can’t do it all on my own and that is why everything has a policy or procedure. I sign my name above my father’s on the three pages that need signatures.
After I finish, Mr. Jefferson takes the documents, looks over the signatures, and signs his name above the witness line. “Looks like everything is in order, and Jesse McCoy, you are now the legal owner of McCoy Investments. Congratulations.”
“Thank you so much. Thank you, Dad.”
“No, thank you, Jesse. You’re the one who worked hard to get here. I’m proud of you.”
“We all are,” my grandfather speaks out.
The room breaks out in applause and I smile with tears running down my face.
“Thank you all so much for your support and being here today. It means so much to me.”
My father hugs me, and my brother and sister join. After their hugs, my grandparents hug me. I come to Aedan and with our agreement of no PDA, I offer him my hand to shake. Hurt flashes in his eyes and he quickly pulls me into him, kissing me hard. My hands thread in his hair. I don’t want the kiss to end. The anticipation of what’s to come fills my body and I want more.
“Well, that’s my kind of congratulations,” my brother whispers loudly to my sister.
I pull away from Aedan and blush, knowing that my grandparents witnessed me making out with my boyfriend.
“Um. I guess we should have had breakfast brought in or something,” I say, trying to divert the attention from Aedan and me.
“Coffee, tea, and pastries are in the conference room.” Aedan extends his arm, ushering us from the office. “Don’t be shy. I know you didn’t eat this morning.” He winks at me.
“True. I’ll lead the way.” I walk out the door and stop. “Which way?”
“To your right and then your left.”
“Thank you!”
My stomach growls as I open the door, and as soon as I see the variety of pastries, bagels, and donuts, I know that Mrs. Hughes is the chef behind these creations.
“Eat up everything. Reese and Tierney, take some home with you too.”
Even though Saturday was scary, and we don’t know where Wade is, I feel protected and comfortable in this new position. It’s time to stop living in the past and make things happen for the future.
***
Aedan
“It’s official, Hughes. Jesse is now in charge of McCoy. You’ll have to answer to her now.” The older man chuckles as he takes a cigar case out of his inner pocket and offers me one. It would be rude to decline, so I pick one out of his case and place it on my desk for later.
“Thanks, and I’ll take what she has to say into consideration, sir. You know that.”
“I do. That’s one of the many reasons I’m not afraid to hand over my company to her. She has a lot of people here to watch her and the company’s back.”
“I agree.” I sit back in my chair and relax. It’s nice to be able to just talk to McCoy instead of having to answer to him…well, I know I’ll still have to answer to him, but not like I have the past eight years.
“Any updates on the search for Wade?” He taps his cigar on the case.
“None. Nothing about this sits right with me. There’s something big we are missing.”
“I’ve read the reports. Everything is too clean. Even the best criminals make mistakes,” he says as he puts his cigar back in the case and places the case in his inner pocket.
“I can’t find it yet.” I sit straight in my chair, itching to work on the search for Wade. “I do have a question for you, though. We were going through Wade’s financials and noticed monthly deposits from you. Were you paying him on the side for anything?”
“I don’t handle anything with payroll or deposits. I let accounting handle that.”
“Then who would be making deposits in your name to his account?”
“No one that I’m aware of. Can we trace the deposits to see where they originated?”
“Yes, I’ll get Craig on it. It will take a few days.”
“Let me know what you find out.”
“Will do. Looking at the schedule for the next few months, you’re attending the business meetings Jesse has scheduled?”
“Yes, I told her I would stay on as an advisor as long as she wanted me to.”
“Good. I’ll make sure you have a car and driver that day. What do you want me to do about your full-time bodyguard?”
“No changes. Keep me in the rotation until I decide if I’m going to stay in Denver or move to the ranch full-time. Since we have ranch hands and guards there, no need to hire someone if I decide that route.”
“I can’t see Chantelle liking that move.”
“She is the reason I’m waiting, because she’s been extra grouchy since Kevin and Lyndsay have been our security. She doesn’t put up with Chantelle’s shit like Wade did.”
I chuckle. “I don’t think Lyndsay puts up with anyone’s shit. Although she’s good with Jesse.”
“Yes, I’m glad you found her.”
“Me too. She’s a huge asset to the team.”
“I’m out of here for the day. If it’s okay with you, I’ll take Kevin and head to the golf course since Tilly’s having a spa day.”
“Yes, since only I know about it. Enjoy being ‘retired.’”
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Enjoy, Pearse.”
The man who has been my boss for the past eight years leaves my office to start a new chapter in his life. A chapter that he can’t enjoy until we put an end to this bullshit. I pull out the files for Wade and Chet and place them on the desk, then I put on my reading glasses to get to work.
Over an hour later, I still haven’t found anything new. I sit back in my chair as I take my glasses off, throwing them on the desk, and rub my face in frustration, because I know we are so close to figuring everything out.
A knock at the door stops my racing thoughts. “Come in.” I sit up and straighten as Sam walks in the door with a handful of files and a cup of coffee. He places both on the desk before he sits down.
“Good morning, H.” He smirks like he knows something I don’t.
“Morning. Get the information we needed?”
“Yes, and some extra. While in HR, I pulled all the applications from the past ten years. A Ronald Wade applied once, around the time we were hired, but he wasn’t interviewed because his GPA didn’t meet the requirements. I was able to confirm that Ronald Wade and Paul Wade are the same person. After receiving the transcripts from Indiana University and Ivy Tech, I looked Wade up by that address in the Indiana court system and found a case file for him. He had his name legally changed to Paul Wade after he found out that his biological father was a man he thought was his uncle.”
“That sounds like a mess.”
He takes a drink of his coffee. “Two years later, Paul Wade applied, and you hired him. He came to Denver two weeks later, and he started working for the company a week after that. I was able to get Chet’s course schedule when I got Wade’s, and we do have confirmation that they had a few classes together. So, yes, Wade and Chet know each other.”