Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I don’t know what to say to this, so I take a sip of my champagne and search through the crowd for either Dane or Andrew. Last night when we’d arrived, we all crashed in our respective beds in our suite, trying to sleep through the jet lag. But tonight, we’re all going to be together, and I know this because Dane told us as we left the hotel for Fabron’s party, “I’ve got something special in mind for tonight. Are you both up for an adventure?”
I immediately assured him I was, and he laughed before he kissed me. Andrew grinned with good nature and jokingly grabbed his crotch. “I’m always up.”
It’s been hard to concentrate on anything else but whatever it is that Dane has planned for when we get back to the hotel, I know it’s going to be really good.
“You know my job offer to you is a very serious offer, Avril,” Fabron says quietly, but it causes my attention to snap back to him with unfiltered focus.
“You have a very competent COO,” I say dismissively.
“Not as competent as you,” he returns. By the look on his face, I know he’s dead serious. “Dane is obviously the driving force behind Caterva and Andrew is a brilliant scientist, but that company is held together by you. Those men have no clue the amount of balls you have to juggle every day just to keep things running.”
“They know quite well,” I say in their defense, but it does make me wonder. Andrew with his petulant demands and Dane dismissing my concerns over Andrew’s demands.
“Maybe, maybe not,” he says neutrally. “But I would double your salary, give you hefty stock options, and make you co-chair of our board of directors with me.”
I blink at him in surprise. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”
“Indeed, I am,” he replies bluntly.
“But I just thought you were flirting with me,” I say with a nervous laugh.
“My dear Avril,” Fabron says as he steps in a little closer to me. “My offer to you, first and foremost, is for a job with my company, but you aren’t wrong in recognizing my flirtations. I’m very attracted to you, and I would certainly welcome pursuing a relationship with you. We’d be a power couple that would shock and awe the entire city of Paris.”
Another nervous laugh pops out, because he’s throwing me for a loop. A sincere job offer that would include a higher position within a biotech company with an insane pay increase, as well as telling me he’s attracted to me.
“Just think about it,” he says as he takes a step back, and that little move has me looking at him in a different way. Fabron is confident, intelligent, charming, and extremely handsome. Any girl would be crazy not to consider his offer, yet I see nothing of value in it for me.
Giving him my most gracious smile, I place my hand on his forearm. “Fabron… your offer is incredible, both on a personal and a professional level. The professional I would be crazy not to consider because I’m a businesswoman and I have as much ambition as my partners. But the personal… I’m actually involved with someone and—”
“Ah,” he says with a knowing look and a tone that matches. “Dane is a lucky man.”
“What?” I practically screech and then lower my voice as I lean in toward him. “What would make you say that?”
Fabron chuckles and places his hand on top of mine, which is still resting on his forearm. He gives me an affectionate squeeze, and then a pat. “Because I can see it when he looks at you, and Avril… you look right back at him the same way.”
“But we don’t do that,” I sputter.
“You do,” he says firmly. “You’re not hiding it from anyone. Your partner Andrew sees it as well. I just wasn’t sure how serious it was, but now I have my answer.”
My head spins at the implications, and I don’t dare tell him that Andrew not only knows, but he’s fucking me as well. What’s throwing me is the fact that we’re obviously, well… obvious about it.
Shit.
I look blindly around for Dane so I can pull him aside and tell him we’re being obvious.
“Avril,” Fabron says to get my attention. “There’s nothing wrong with being lovers with Dane. It happens all the time in companies, especially when you’re working in such extreme circumstances together.”
“I know,” I say, but my voice is quavering with absolutely no confidence. I’m not sure why this is bugging me so much, but I think it goes deeply to some insecurities I must have as a woman in a man’s world. Will people think I have my position because I’m fucking the boss?
I shake my head because that’s ridiculous. Fabron is just making a lucky guess.