by Ashley Blake
“Hello Ms. Sumner, my name is Beverly but everyone calls me Bev and I am your new executive assistant. Anything you need, just come to me and I will take care of it.” She winked at me as she came into my office with an iPad in her hands. “We need to go over your schedule, so if you don’t mind please have a seat and hit the enter key on your computer.”
I was a little bit taken aback with how quickly everything had happened that morning so I had to stop Bev in her tracks and kind of gather my thoughts. “Excuse me, Bev? What is going to happen with the front desk today? Since I am up here now, there is no one in charge down there and I really think I need to tell someone the schedule for the week.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that Ms. Sumner, everything downstairs has already been taken care of.”
What? How was that possible? I had been up there for a little bit over an hour so how could everything already be taken care of? I didn't want to cause any issues so I just let it go. If she said things were taken care of then I would just have to believe her. I sat at my desk and pulled up my schedule to see that my day was filled with meetings. I sat with Bev for about 30 minutes and then I was off to my first meeting. Instead of being nervous I was super excited to start my new job.
I received a warm reception from everyone in all of my meetings that day which kind of just solidified my excitement for the job. I didn’t feel one ounce of resentment from anyone and I have to admit that I was a little bit worried about that because I had been promoted to a senior role so quickly. It was almost 6:00 and I was putting away papers in my file drawer when I heard a light knock at my door. I looked up to see Sebastian standing in the doorway, looking like a Greek god, dressed in a gorgeous dark grey suit with his dark eyes fixated on me. Dammit that man is beautiful. I don’t know that I had seen a more attractive man in my life, ever.
I quickly stood up, not knowing what to say because the last time I saw him, I turned him down. Was he here to tell me this was all a joke and I was really fired? My heart began to bang against my chest as fear enveloped me.
“I see that you are all settled in Elena. How was your first day?” His eyes seemed to be sincere as he asked me the question and the banging in my chest was reduced to a softer thump.
“It went really well, thank you.”
“May I come in?”
“Oh, yes of course, please.”
He closed my door, strode into my office, took a seat in the chair across from my desk and motioned for me to sit at my desk. I sat across from him with nerves that were tied in a knot. Is this where he reprimands me? He was silent as his eyes searched mine and I could see that he was trying to figure me out. I bet I was the only woman who had ever rejected him. Yes, he was gorgeous and rich but I had a plan for myself and I was going to stick to it. It would have been really easy to go back to his place after the gala, but where would that have gotten me? I’m sure that I would be unemployed right about then instead of promoted to a Vice President. My thoughts ran away from me and Sebastian was saying something to me.
“I have never met anyone like you in my life Elena Sumner, I am captivated.” His eyes smoldered as he waited for my reaction.
“Thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say.
“You were promoted to manager in less than one year and nothing but glowing reviews for you from everyone who has worked with you in any capacity. You’re from Pensacola, Florida, your mom is an admin for the local Home Improvement store and your father is a high school math teacher. You had a 4.0 gpa in college and graduated at the top of your class. You have a current driver’s license and passport and you have never received so much as a parking ticket. You did an incredible job at the gala and conducted yourself with the utmost professionalism. I know talent when I see it, that is why I arranged for your promotion.”
“Wait, putting aside for a minute that you know all of this personal information about me, you are behind my promotion?”
As this sank in I started to think that I didn’t actually earn my new position. Of course you didn’t earn it, what were you thinking? That you could be promoted a bazillion levels that quickly? Wake up and smell the lust, Elena! Sebastian Blu had a reputation for getting what he wanted and didn’t take no for an answer. It was obvious to me now that he wanted me and would do anything to have me. Well, I was not for sale and I needed to make that perfectly clear to him before I worked one more day at the hotel.
“Yes, I arranged for you to be promoted, but I want you to know that this is based strictly on the promise you have shown. And yes, a background check was performed when you were hired, it’s standard for all employees.”
“Mr. Blu, while I appreciate the promotion, I hope that we are clear that there will be no extra benefits after hours.”
He looked amused as he watched me squirm a bit in my seat. I tried my best to make sure that what I said came out sounding professional.
He held my gaze and would not let it go. “What do you mean by ‘extra benefits’?”
I could feel my cheeks flush, and I was completely embarrassed that I had to spell it out to him. I didn’t say anything for a solid minute and he crossed his arms as a twinkle danced in his eye and his mouth curled up in a small smile.
“I’m waiting, Elena.” I loved the way he said my name, something about the inflection in his voice was so intimate.
Once again my heart was pounding and I felt completely mortified that I had to say anything. I took a deep breath, decided to get it over with and I spoke very softly as I looked down at my hands which were resting on my desk.
“I mean just because I have been promoted does not mean that anything will happen between us. Nothing will happen between us that is not work related.”
He was silent for a few seconds and I was too nervous to avert my eyes away from my hands.
“Elena, look at me please.” His voice was gentle.
I raised my eyes to his and I could see the lust in his eyes.
“You were promoted based on the great results and feedback you have received since you started with the hotel, not based on anything else. Nothing will happen between us that you do not want to happen. But something is going to happen between us Elena, it’s just a matter of time. I like what I see when I look at you and I know that you like what you see. There is something here and eventually we’ll both give in. We will keep our personal life and work life separate because that will be best for all involved, but I always get what I want.” His eyes held mine without hesitation. “And I want you. Have I made myself clear?”
I had no idea how to respond to him as my eyes searched his, his words totally catching me off guard. He was right, I had to be honest with myself. I had never reacted to a man the way I had reacted to him in my life. He was sexy, gorgeous, rich and powerful. What woman would turn that down? A woman who didn’t think it was right to sleep with her boss. I dug deep for courage and decided I would have to turn him down again. My eyes were steady as I answered him.
“Mr. Blu, I take my job very seriously and I can assure you that nothing will happen between us. Besides, I’m sure that your wife or girlfriend would not appreciate your advances toward me.”
Amusement danced in his eyes for a couple of minutes and it looked like he was trying to hold back a smile. Then the look in his eyes completely changed and he was totally serious.
“We are going to São Paulo, Brazil next month to launch a new marketing campaign, so I want you to put together a presentation for a meeting on Monday with the head of the marketing department. Work the weekend if you have to, the presentation has to be flawless. Blu Sierra São Paulo opened a few months ago and we need more visibility. The hotel should be sold out every night and we’re not there yet. Reach out to the others in the marketing department if you need help.” He stood to leave and straightened his jacket and ran his hands through his hair. “Have a good evening, Elena.”
He was so gorgeous that I was temporarily distracted by him and forgot to instantly panic abou
t creating a marketing campaign in a week. But not to worry, the panic set in the second he left my office. When the door closed behind him, I sat at my desk in a complete daze. What should I focus on first, that he told me he wants me and he always gets what he wants, or that I’m going to Brazil next month and have to create a marketing campaign in a week? My head was spinning with what had just happened in the last thirty minutes. That Monday would go down in history as one of the most incredible days in my life.
I couldn’t wait to tell Chloe what had happened to me that day. I didn’t leave the office until around 7:30 so she had already left for the day. I called her the second I got home.
“Chloe? Guess what happened to me today?”
“I was waiting for you to call me! You were all anyone talked about today! Is it true that Mr. Blu hand-picked you to be VP of marketing?”
“Wait, how did that leak out?”
“There are gossips all over the hotel Laney. So, is it true?”
“Okay listen, you can’t confirm this with anyone, but yes, it’s true!”
“Oh my gosh!” Her squealing voice nearly broke my eardrum. “Laney, that is so amazing! I am so happy for you and of course I won’t say anything! You really deserve this and I know that you are going to do an awesome job. But I have to say I will miss seeing you at work every day so we’ll have to do more dinners.”
“Thanks Chloe, and yes, definitely more dinners. We’ll have to plan dinner soon because I am going to Brazil next month.”
“What?! Oh my gosh!” The squeal again was breaking my eardrum.
“Yep, Mr. Blu told me today that I have to prepare a new marketing campaign for the trip next month. I have to present it on Monday so I have less than a week to get it done. I’m probably going to get like 4 hours of sleep a night this week.”
“Yeah, but you can do it Laney, you’re going to really shine in this position. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.”
“Thanks, Chloe.”
We talked for a few more minutes and then I made a quick dinner and hopped on my computer to work on my presentation. I called my parents to tell them my good news and that I was going to Brazil the following month. When I climbed into bed a few hours later my mind wandered to what Sebastian said to me earlier, “something is going to happen between us Elena”. As much as I didn’t want to believe him, my body was telling me he was right.
Chapter Five – New Beginnings
I worked on my presentation all week and that weekend, and by the time Monday rolled around I felt more than ready. When I walked into the meeting Sebastian was sitting at the head of the table and every member of the marketing department was present. I wasn’t the type to get nervous in situations like this, I thrived on being able to showcase my skills. When the meeting started the head of the department spoke for a while about his ideas and then it was my turn. I gave every person a copy of the presentation and I went through each item in detail. I glanced at Sebastian every now and then to see his reaction and he had a look of pleasant surprise on his face and that really encouraged me. By the time I was done everyone seemed impressed with me.
“Wonderful job Elena, this is exactly what I was looking for.” Sebastian did not hold back with his compliment in front of the room and I was really proud of myself for what I was able to pull off in a week.
The following Tuesday I was working late, buried in files, and my stomach reminded me that it was time to eat around 7:30. I still had a couple of hours of work to do so I was planning to just grab a sandwich from the cafeteria and bring it back to my office. One of the biggest conveniences about working in the corporate office building was that the cafeteria was open until 10:00 p.m. I bent down to grab my purse from the bottom drawer of my desk and when I sat up I was startled to see Sebastian standing in the doorway. I jumped and quickly recovered but not before he saw the frightened look on my face.
“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you Elena. I saw that your light was on and wanted to check on you.” He looked at the huge pile of papers on my desk and raised his eyebrows. “Are you being given too much work? We do like for our employees to have a life outside of this job.”
“Oh, no the amount of work is fine, I just wanted to get a good feel for the new campaign. This is all so new to me and I don’t want to be the one to drop the ball when we go to São Paulo.”
"I'm sure you'll do fine, from what I can see you are an extremely hard worker and you don't strike me as the type of woman who would ‘drop the ball’, as you say.”
“It’s really important to me that I do well in this position because it is such an incredible opportunity and I am very appreciative.”
He looked surprised by my words and there was something else there in his eyes but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Was he surprised by how grateful I was about being given this incredible opportunity? Maybe that was it, and I guess in his world, people at his level didn't really show their emotions so freely. But I did, that's just who I was, I was grateful and I was going to work really hard to make a name for myself.
"We are very happy to have you aboard." He glanced at his watch and look at me with a slight smile. "It's past 7:30 and I can almost guarantee that you have not eaten dinner yet, am I correct?”
"No, I haven't, but I was just getting ready to go down to the cafeteria to grab a quick sandwich. I still have a couple of hours of work left to do.”
“I think that any work that you have can wait until tomorrow. You won’t be any good to anyone if you don’t eat a proper meal. Would you like to have dinner with me?”
I sat there completely stunned. Did he just ask me to have dinner with him? Of course I wanted to! But, he was my boss, my brand new boss and he had been very clear about his intentions. I didn’t want to send the wrong message, so even though I really wanted to have dinner with him I decided it would be best if I didn’t.
“I appreciate the invitation but I don’t think it would be appropriate.” I looked down at my hands which were fumbling with the corner of one of the folders on my desk, unable to look at him.
He let out a soft chuckle. “Appropriate? Elena, you do eat food don’t you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I am simply asking you to join me for a meal. I know that you have to be hungry and I am starved, so please join me. I’ll expense it and you can fill me in on the new marketing ideas you have been working on.”
Well, as long as he put in terms of work I figured there couldn’t be any harm in eating with him.
“Okay, I’ll grab my notepad.”
A tiny smirk touched the corner of his mouth. “Fine, bring your notepad.”
We went to a small Italian restaurant clear across town which I thought was a little bit strange.
“This is kind of far Sebastian, is this your favorite restaurant or something?”
“It’s one of them, and it’s best if we are discreet since you just started in my office. We don’t want any rumors flying around, do we?”
Oh, we were in the boonies because he couldn’t be seen with me. I didn’t like the way that made me feel but I definitely wasn’t going to raise a big stink about it and get myself fired. I was hungry and the company was paying so I decided to just let that comment go for the time being.
We made small talk for a couple of minutes and then as we waited for our food to arrive Sebastian wanted to know more about me.
“So, let’s get work stuff out of the way. Have you come up with any new ideas for the marketing campaign?”
“Yes, I…” He cut me off as he waved his hand in the air.
“That’s all I wanted to know. Now that we have talked about work I can go ahead and expense this meal. So, on to something much more interesting, I know a few things about you from the background check but I want to know more.”
His eyes held mine, and the way he said that made my belly flip.
“What would you like to know?”
"Everything. What
is your favorite color? What makes you happy? What makes you sad? Where would you like to travel in the world? Where have you traveled in the world? Where do you see yourself in five years? Do you want to get married? Do you want to have a family? Everything, Elena, I want to know everything about you.”
My cheeks were burning so I knew they bright red and I hated that I blushed so easily and everyone could see it. I really wanted to pinch myself because it was so hard for me to believe that all of this was actually happening to me. Sitting in this secluded restaurant, across from this gorgeous billionaire was just something that I never in a million years would have imagined could happen to me. I couldn’t believe that someone like him wanted to know everything about someone like me. I wasn’t putting myself down or anything but I knew that he could have his pick of any woman, and he was choosing to spend time with me and get to know me. It all just seemed too good to be true.