Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
None of the other assistants had suited him, but he was starting to think he should have kept one of them around.
Then he wouldn’t be left with Ms. Blossom. Tempting, sweet, Ms. Blossom. Someone had it out for him.
“Oh, right. Well. I guess more for me.” She attempted to smile at him.
“I meant I don’t want any right now,” he said gruffly.
What the hell?
Why did he go and say that?
“Oh good! Where shall I put it?” She swung the container around, and he grabbed hold of her wrist to still her.
As soon as he touched her, he let go. Fuck, he’d only touched her wrist and he was getting hard.
What was wrong with him?
She stared up at him in shock.
“Careful with that thing. I don’t need a broken nose.”
“Right. Of course. Again, I’m so sorry. But really, it was your fault.”
“And how do you figure that?” He crossed his arms over his chest. Mostly because he found himself tempted to touch her again.
And that couldn’t happen.
Not with the way she affected him.
This girl is not for you. She is far too innocent and sweet.
“Because you gave me a fright. If you hadn’t done that, then I wouldn’t have let the container go; and it wouldn’t have flown through the air and smacked you in the nose.”
“You were asleep. I was trying to wake you up.”
“Oh.” She blushed. “Sorry, I didn’t sleep very well last night. I was worried about coming here this morning. I heard that you’re . . . ”
“You heard that I’m what?” he asked as she trailed off.
“Um, well, you know what? It doesn’t matter. Is there somewhere I can put this?”
“I ought to fire you for sleeping on the job.”
“Oh no, you can’t!” She stared up at him in dismay.
“Really? Why not?”
“Well, because you just left me here to sit and worry. So, I just nodded off.” She bit her lip. “You don’t have to pay me for today.”
Had she just negotiated herself out of a day’s pay? One that she obviously couldn’t afford to lose.
This woman was a walking disaster. Controlling her would be a nightmare.
So, tell her to leave.
Fuck. He just couldn’t. Not yet.
“Mess up again, and you’re fired,” he warned.
“Yes, sir.”
Damn it. He did not need her calling him sir.
And yet, you’re not telling her not to.
He was messed up. “Follow me. I don’t have time to coddle you. I have work to do.”
“Yes, sir.” She ran alongside him as he walked toward the elevator, then turned right down the passage. He walked through an open door. “This is the kitchen area. The coffee machine.” He waved at it. “I like my latte with two sugars. You’ll also need to make coffee for any clients.”
“Of course.”
“You can put that there.” He pointed at the container, then the counter. “The bathroom is down the other corridor. Any other rooms on the floor are empty or used for storage. You don’t need to go into them. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He strode out and back into the waiting area. “This is your desk. I’ll get you the password for the computer. You’ll answer the phone, fetch me food, and greet any clients. Anything else?”
“Is that everything you want me to do?” she asked.
“For the moment, let’s start you on that. Do you think you can handle it?”
“S-sure.”
“Good. You can start by getting me lunch. Cheese and pastrami sandwich from the sandwich shop down the next block and a latte from downstairs. I’ll get you some cash.”
There was no way she could do this job.
No. Way.
Faith didn’t know why she’d thought she could. Not only did she have no idea what she was doing.
But her boss was a tyrant.
And he hadn’t even tried her banana bread yet. Actually, perhaps she’d go cut him a slice. He wouldn’t mind if she had a slice as well, right? She hadn’t eaten breakfast this morning and had forgotten to bring any lunch.
The lunch she’d picked up for him had looked delicious.
Maybe after she had her first paycheck she’d buy herself one.
Getting up, the room spun slightly. Shoot. She needed to eat something. Faith couldn’t go for long periods without eating, but sometimes, it was hard to remember to stop for a snack. She breathed through the spinning and nausea and made her way into the kitchen area.
He’d probably want a coffee with his slice of banana bread. She stared at the coffee machine like it was an alien.
This thing had spouts and a temperature gauge and it was a shiny chrome that kind of mocked her.
Look at me, all expensive and shiny. Bet you’re too dumb to use me.
She’d show it.
Ten minutes later, she was sweaty and tired, but she had made him something that resembled a latte. She sliced two pieces of banana bread. Faith carefully carried his coffee and the plate with his piece of banana bread back to her office.