“I didn’t know then. I know now because I saw her.”
“And?”
The powerful engine purred to life at the touch of a button and he shook his head.
“I did something stupid like you did in regard to Melinda.”
Toby cleared his throat. “I’m coming up there. This I have to see for myself.”
“What are you talking about?”
His best friend tsked. “Don’t play dumb now. You know damn well I’m talking about a woman who’s made you lose all sense of control and when you look at her, you think to hell with any and all ramifications.”
“Fuck,” he uttered.
Toby’s chuckle turned into a full belly laugh.
“I’ll see you soon.” His friend hung up.
Jacques rubbed the back of his neck and left the parking garage. This wouldn’t do. He couldn’t be so focused on her he was unable to do his job.
And you think it will be better if she is right beside you day in and day out? Smelling sweet and tempting while wearing dresses that make you want to shove your hand beneath it and shove your cock deep inside her as you take her against a wall. Or a bed. Or hell, anywhere?
While he didn’t require his mind’s commentary, he could at least appreciate it for there were some valid points. He was this much of a mess now, how would it be if she were within touching distance?
Merging with the rest of the city traffic, he wove around the cars, trucks, and motorcycles like they were standing still. Right now, he had one destination in mind.
Twenty minutes later, he slowed and rolled before an apartment complex, easily picking out the large black truck that she’d climbed into this afternoon. Pressing on the accelerator, he continued on his way. Maybe they just shared a ride into work.
Right and the fact they have the same address on their application has nothing to do with anything.
Another fact that was neither here nor there. Mr. Torres didn’t work tomorrow and Jacques was confident he would be the one bringing her home. When he finally made it back to his place, he was greeted by his automated system.
Good evening, Jacques. I’ve begun your evening cup of coffee and the television is showing the news.
“I don’t suppose you’d be okay with me calling you by a different name, would you?”
You can call me whatever you like, Jacques. I have no feelings about it one way or the other.
He smiled. Of course she didn’t. “Right. I’m going to shower first.”
The water will be to your optimal temperature in three minutes.
“Thank you.” He stripped as he headed for the bathroom, eager to step beneath the multi-headed shower sprays, and relax.
True to her word, his shower was at the hot temperature he enjoyed. For a short time, he just stood there and let it wash away the tenseness in his body as the numerous streams of water thrummed into his muscles.
He tried to work it out in his head. He was an extremely wealthy man. Had damn near any woman he wanted, all he had to do was pick up the phone and call.
“None of which explains why I’m after a woman who has turned me down.”
As he shampooed his hair, he came to realize she’d not turned him down but the position he wanted her to have. Time to create a game plan.
He had a quiet meal alone and thought about all the times Toby told him about the fun dinners he shared with Melinda.
“I must be getting old, because that’s what I want. Someone to talk to at the end of the day. Someone to share my life with.”
But none of this had happened until Neela came back into his life.
* * *
No matter how he had planned for it to go the next three days were extremely busy for him and kept him out of the office. It pissed him off but on one hand he was pleased as it gave him a moment to clear his head from the intoxication of the woman who had taken up residence in his mind. It was late evening on day three and he rose the elevator up to his office, brushing a piece of imaginary lint off his coat as he did so. The door slid open in silence and he stepped out, noting that Donna wasn’t there. He didn’t mind, he hadn’t wanted a secretary, anyway.
Donna wasn’t bad, she didn’t interfere in his life, just did her job and made his a bit easier in the process. Swinging open the door to his office, he pulled up short. Toby sat in his chair, a plate on the desk and fork in hand as he ate.
“What are you doing here?” He shrugged out of his wet coat and hung it on the rack. “And what are you eating?”
“I told you I was coming. Since you were gone, I filled in and I’m eating pie.” He waved his fork around.
Jack’s stomach rumbled reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since seven this morning. “Where did you get pie and how’s Melinda?”
Toby rocked back in the chair, sucking on the fork. “Melly is just fine, resting. I will head back tomorrow. And I got the pie from Neela.”
He snapped his gaze to his friend. “Neela gave you pie?”
“Listen to you being all suspicious. Not just me, she brought the leftovers into work and I happened to be down in the mail room while they were eating and she offered me a piece.”
“Just happened to be down there, did you?”
Toby’s smile didn’t set him at ease. “I did. And this pie is fucking awesome. I actually had her make me one. Chocolate pecan with bourbon cream.”
Emotions he didn’t like skipped through him and from the knowing gleam in his friend’s eyes, he understood exactly what he was experiencing.
“Welcome to the world of jealousy.”
“I’m not jealous.”
Toby took another bite of his pie and moaned in pleasure. “Of course not. And Melly’s not pregnant.”
“Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Latner.” He strode to the desk. “Give me some of that.”
Toby jabbed at him with his fork. “There is more on the table over there, get your own.”
Jack did and barely found a way to contain his moan of appreciation for the pie. Not something he typically ate but damn, this was amazing. Toby just nodded with a smile on his face but didn’t say anything else allowing him to finish his own piece in relative silence.
“Now that you’ve eaten, I have some things to go over.”
They worked long into the night and he opted to just sleep in his office, not the first time it had happened. When he woke and went into his bathroom to clean up. Tie loose around his neck, he returned to the main part of his office and froze.
Neela stood there in a pants suit. Lust slammed into him and he gulped, fingers tightening on the towel he held.
“I don’t have to wear skirts, pants suits are fine. You do not get to call me at all hours of the day or night. There will be boundaries. I expect to be treated with respect and not as your current fuck. My off time, is that. Mine. If all of that is fine, then I will be your assistant. So long as Ms. Donna still keeps her job.”
He blinked as a small smile turned up his lips at the corners. “Come in and close the door behind you.”
Her expression said it all. At that moment she believed herself to be prey.
And you are, my sexy woman. Come in.
Seconds later the tables had turned on him for he had a flash of the two of them, a big ass rock on her hand which held the smallish one of a little boy. It hit him so hard he had to lock his knees.
“You okay?”
He blinked and took another breath. Important yet again, potentially a mistake for her intoxicating scent rushed through him, giving him another reason to be weak-kneed.
* * *
Neela watched him cautiously. For a moment there, she thought he would pass out then that moment of weakness blew by, and she was again faced with the cold CEO that people talked about. Yet behind that mask, burning, always burning her was the heated passion of his stare.
“I’m fine. We need to discuss what will be expected of your job.”
“I’m a personal assistant. I think I can figure it
out. I don’t work in the mailroom because I’m stupid and can’t be anywhere else. I’m there because I enjoy the people I work with and the job.”
He held up a hand as he tossed the towel over his shoulder and walked to his desk. “Sit down.”
“I’m also not staying the night here, it may be your fun times to crash on a couch but I’m going home every night to my bed.”
“To a bed,” he muttered.
She paused before she took a chair. “What was that?”
“Nothing.” He glanced pointedly to the chair behind her.
With a sigh, she took it, hooking her ankles and leaning back.
“I can’t have you mouthing off to people.”
She bristled but held her tongue. He paused a moment before continuing.
“I will take you shopping for your wardrobe today. I’m fine with you wearing pantsuits if you don’t want to wear a skirt but you need to have the correct look. There will be nights that you are required to be away from home, it’s part of the job. Is your boyfriend going to be okay with that?”
She curved her fingers into the wooden arm of the chair, determined to wait until he was finished before she lambasted him for such asinine thinking.
He didn’t carry on. He stared at her.
“I asked you a question.”
“I heard you. But you also told me I can’t be mouthing off to people, so I figured you would be blathering something else to piss me off and I should wait until you were finished before I had my say.”
He leaned forward, pinning her with that intense gaze. “You do know most people are scared of me, right?”
“Why? Sure, you can be a bit intimidating but let’s face it, I saw you naked before I knew who you truly were. And what’s the worst you can do to me? Fire me. I can get another job.” She shrugged. “I have one.”
His gaze narrowed a fraction. “Answer my question.”
“I just did.”
“Not that one.”
“Oh, about my boyfriend. Why do you think I have a boyfriend if I was up here fucking you earlier?”
“You drove off with another man after work.”
“Oh, so because I climb into a vehicle with a man that makes him my boyfriend.” She leaned closer. “What does that make us when I go somewhere with you?”
He rose up and positioned his face directly close to hers. “It makes you mine.”
She didn’t back down despite the roller coaster ride her stomach was doing at his announcement. In fact, she put her lips against his and murmured, “What does it make you?”
“Mr. Perrot, there is a Mr. Hastings on line two for you.”
Donna’s voice had her snapping from this bubble of focus she had when it came to him. He dropped his gaze to her mouth and back before he sat in his chair and reached for the phone. “Good morning, Mr. Hastings. What can I do for you?”
This wasn’t anything she needed to be in the room for. Although, if she was going to be his personal assistant, maybe she should take a look around to see where things were. Behind her, his low, deep voice thrummed along her skin as she walked around his office.
Can’t argue about how beautiful this view is. He had a panoramic view of the city. While she may not have been a fan of large cities when on the street. She found them dirty and quite honestly depressing. But from up here. Wow. It took her breath away.
What am I doing up here? Why did I think this would be a good idea?
So lost in her thoughts, she jumped when he appeared behind her.
“Quite the view, isn’t it?”
“It is, I don’t know if I’d be getting any work done if I had this view. I was just thinking how it makes the city, beautiful.”
“You should see it over Christmas, at night. The city lights are amazing.” He touched her shoulder ever so briefly. “Let’s go.”
“Right, the clothing.”
She turned and walked beside him to the door. He opened it and gestured for her to go ahead. Neela made her way to the elevator without looking over to where Ms. Donna sat, not sure she was ready for the condemnation in the woman’s expression.
When the elevator hit the first floor, she stepped out then waited, unsure as to where they were going. She knew he had parking to the left but to access the front lobby they would need to go to the right.
“Front door,” he muttered, striding away.
She hurried to keep up with him, cursing her shorter strides but grateful she had on sensible flats. As she watched him, he spoke with security and shared a smile with them. And the doorman as well as the driver who smiled at her when she moved by the door he held for her.
Neela was busy ogling the interior of the town car, running her hand over the butter soft cream leather. She looked up when the car pulled away from the curb and realized that Jack was talking to her.
“I’m sorry, what?”
His sigh was insufferable. “Were you listening to me?”
“What makes you think I was listening. The part where I said what?”
“As my personal assistant you need to anticipate my needs. Expect the unexpected and keep me on task.”
“First, don’t try to reprimand me. I told you I’ve not done this before. You were the one insisting I do this so I’m close enough for you to fuck when you want to.” She cut her gaze to him.
He cocked a brow at her. “Is this truly a conversation you want to have here?”
In her periphery, she noticed the driver doing his best to not be there.
“No. It’s not. My point is, allow me a chance to at least get some clothing you deem acceptable before you start jumping down my throat. I’ll also need—”
He handed her a tablet. One way more expensive than she would ever purchase. “Ms. Donna will make sure my calendar that she has will be uploaded on there. She’ll add some things and you will. This way as they’re sync’d together, you won’t overbook me. Right here, Davidson.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Perrot.”
The driver pulled them up to a clothing store, she wouldn’t even go in to use the restroom it was so out of her league. The moment they entered, and she laid eyes on the women who were supposed to dress her in appropriate attire, her stomach dropped beyond her toes. This wasn’t going to be fun.
4
Jack stared out the window and took in the night skyline. He stared down over his city and sighed. At two-thirty in the morning he should be sleeping but he couldn’t. All his thoughts were on Neela and what she was doing tonight. Had she gotten back home yet?
She’d been his personal assistant for eighteen months now and had settled in better than he’d hoped she would. Hell, she’d even taken some of the load off Ms. Donna. Neela had a sharp mind and didn’t have any issue in giving him a piece of it when she felt he was deserving.
Which, according to her was quite often. She kept business, business but when work was over, she rocked his world. Never asking for more than right then.
Problem was, he wanted more. Other problem? She seemed content with how things were between them.
He wanted it all. He’d already tried to figure a way to have her for himself during the holidays but couldn’t find a viable excuse. Last year he’d been on his own but this time he wanted her around.
He and Toby took care of their employees and gave them the holidays off. It didn’t make sense for him to now demand she spends the time with him, just because he wanted to be with her.
Palm against the cool glass, he closed his eyes and tried his best not to think of Paulson having waited up for her. She told him there wasn’t anything between them but he wasn’t a fool, he had seen the way the man looked at her.
His phone was in his hand before he knew it and had dialed her.
“Someone better be dead or dying if you’re calling me right now,” she mumbled into the phone.
Fuck, even just hearing her voice was a balm to his wounded ego and temperament.
“Making sure you made it home okay.”
&
nbsp; “I made it home fine, and two hours ago which is why I was sleeping. Why aren’t you? And if this is for me to play your girlfriend to get some woman out of your place, ain’t happening, you bring them home, you are the one to get rid of the fleas.”
His smile grew bigger. He loved how her southern accent peeked through when she was tired or pissed off.
“I don’t have a woman here. I just got home like you did.”
“No, I didn’t just get home. I’ve been home. Sleeping. Big difference.”
“And now you’re awake.”
“Going back to sleep.”
“Wait.” He winced at the desperation he heard in his own tone.
“Mmm?”
“Get a bite with me.”
“You want to get some food? At this hour? Can’t your automated housekeeper fix you something?”
“I’ll be by in twenty minutes.” Jack hung up before she could argue with him on this.
On the dot, twenty minutes later, she walked out of the front door to the apartment complex she lived in and headed toward him. He held his tongue until she slid in the passenger seat of his Bugatti.
She yawned and rubbed her eyes as the belt moved into place around her body. “So tell me, where are we going at this ungodly hour?”
He pulled away from her place and cut his gaze to her. Her oversized Calvin & Hobbes sweatshirt and smiled over the quote of “It’s not denial. I’m just very selective about the reality I accept.”
“My place.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Jack. Why couldn’t you just eat there then? I was fine sleeping in my nice warm bed.”
“Stop complaining, you don’t eat enough so I know you’re hungry as well.”
As if on cue, her stomach rumbled, and he didn’t even bother hiding his smirk.
She crossed her arms, huffed, and he knew she waited for them to get to his place, with only a little remaining patience. Over their time together, he’d learned a great deal about her. She wasn’t long on patience unless it was with her godchildren.
She’d been to his place more than a few times before, late nights and even later night sex. He wanted her there on a more permanent basis.
Seduction in a Suit: An Office Romance Collection Page 124