“Hardly,” Sascha replied. “All I had to do was talk about how awesome this company is, and that’s not hard for me to do. I’ve been following you guys since before I started school.”
We all shared a communal drink, with each of us offering Sascha a warm smile in the wake of her compliment. I was setting up to continue the praise when I noticed Sascha’s phone light up and Noah’s name flash across it. She picked it up, stopped the ring, but quickly went into a text. She smiled widely as she typed her message before setting the phone back down.
“Sorry,” she said. “That was Noah, just wondering if I’d be in tomorrow.”
My skin sizzled. I didn’t want to hear her talk about him. “You two seem close,” I hissed before I could stop myself.
She looked at me with a perk to her brow. “Yeah, we have a lot in common. He’s so down to earth, you know?”
“So, you’re getting to know him pretty well then?” I asked.
“I know his preferred coffee order, if that’s what you mean,” she returned. She wasn’t dumb, I had to give her that.
“You know damn well that’s not what I mean,” I replied.
“Carson,” Ian warned.
Sascha’s eyes narrowed. “If there’s something you want to say, just say it.”
I guzzled down the last of my drink. “Very well. My assumption is that you’re getting to know him biblically.”
Sascha’s jaw flexed; she was disgusted. “Even if he wasn’t 100% engaged to his live-in boyfriend, I would never approach a co-worker like that. It’s totally unprofessional.” My heart stopped for a moment. I didn’t even know that Noah was gay. Sascha scoffed. “Maybe if you spent more time in the office with your employees, you’d know even the most basic information about them.”
My heart began to pound as my eyes widened in Sascha’s direction. Who the hell did she think she was talking to? She was just an assistant. I didn’t need that sort of attitude from her. “Hush now,” I told her. “I’m sick of all these snarky comments you keep making.”
I reached for another one of the drinks on the table, but Sascha snatched up the one I was reaching for. I looked up at her and she was staring right back at me, unphased. “Why don’t you make me?”
“Allow me.” Sascha and I looked over at Ian in equal states of annoyance, but he got the jump on us both.
He reached out, grabbed the strap of her dress and pulled her to him. She opened her mouth to retort, but she got no words out before Ian planted his lips firmly on hers.
Sascha
Completely outside of my wishes for my own body, my fingers threaded into Ian’s hair and I pulled him towards me. The sweet taste of the white wine we were all enjoying lingered on his lips and I started to feel myself float outside my body. I knew that Carson and Ryland’s eyes were on me, and I was afraid to admit that it turned me on. Ian’s tongue pushed its way between my lips and I began to suck, dragging it even further into my mouth. The world faded away around us and I sensed myself started to get lost in my kiss with this breathtaking man. It wasn’t until I felt one of Ian’s chilled hands start to slide up my thigh that I was snapped back to reality. What the hell was I doing? I tore away from Ian, grabbed my purse from the table and ran from the restaurant as fast as I could.
Since there was no one around to judge me as I rode in the taxi home, I sat swearing at myself for being such an idiot. Why would I allow myself to kiss the head of human resources at my brand new job? Maybe I should go dangle raw salmon in front of a bear next. The only thing worse than the fact that I actually kissed him back was the fact that I couldn’t get it out of my mind. That was an amazing kiss, and even knowing how wrong it was, I yearned for another.
I entered my apartment with dread clinging to my body like leeches. I know full well that this kind of thing cannot happen. I’d ruin everything I worked for. Sure, Ian was unreasonably pretty with his blond hair and blue eyes, looking like some sort of Norse god. And yeah, Carson had the body of a superhero and a stare that felt like it could take my clothes off on its own. And yes, Ryland was like a sexy, British super spy, but that was no excuse to just go kissing them. I wasn’t even sure I could go to work the next day. Ian had done it, but what would Carson and Ryland think? They were sure to fire me. No doubt I was the first woman they’d ever seen whose HR violation is a violation by HR. That didn’t quite read on a resume the same way ‘Employee of the Month’ would, then again, if I wasn’t an employee of the month after that, I didn’t know what would do it.
My hope was that a cool shower would help calm me down, but the second the water hit my skin, my mind betrayed me and started to wander. The feeling of Ian’s soft, yet forceful kiss made me tingle with excitement. A man who could kiss like that had to be skilled at other things and as I slid my hands over my body, I started to imagine they were his hands instead. Caressing the skin of my midriff, dancing teasingly over my breasts, stopping only for a quick squeeze before moving down again towards my anxiously awaiting pussy. He’d part me just slightly and flick a finger over my clit, sending jolts of electricity in shockwaves through me.
Teasing myself below, I imagined Ian’s lips elsewhere; sucking on my nipples while pushing a finger inside me, driving me crazy as pleasure blanketed my body. He was so kind and thoughtful, that he probably made sure all of his lovers came a time or two on his path to the goal. I rubbed my clit with more vigor as images of Carson and Ryland popped into my mind. I’d never been with three men at once before, but I wouldn’t mind starting with them.
“Ah!” I yelped as I came. It was the first of a few times I would have to satiate myself that night, as all three men visited me in my dreams.
The next day, I couldn’t control the racing of my heart as I walked into work. Did I let Ian think that what he did was okay? Did Carson and Ryland think less of me now? Had word spread throughout the office of what had happened? I didn’t know what to expect. What I did know was that I was probably going to have to resign my position. It had been forever sullied, and I couldn’t honestly continue to work there, with that hovering around us.
“Good morning.” My heart skidded to a halt as I boarded the elevator bound for my floor of destination, and found Ryland was already on.
“Good morning,” I replied.
I stayed silent as we rode, but oddly enough, so did he. He studied a newspaper he was holding, not paying me much mind at all. When it was time to climb off the elevator, he held out his arm motioning me forward, and we walked off. He turned to head towards his office, but then stopped and turned back towards me.
“Oh, Sascha,” he began. I should have known I couldn’t have skated by scott free.
I took a deep breath. “Yes, sir?”
“I sent you an email this morning. Those investors we met with last night want a copy of our quarter four growth reports. Do you think you can send them over?” he asked. I stared at him blankly. Growth reports? That was it. “Sascha?” he repeated.
“Oh, uh, yes! I can do that,” I responded. “I’ll do that right now.”
“Wonderful.” He smiled. “Thank you.” He turned again and walked away without another word.
I released all the tension in my body and it felt like I was going to melt into the floor. Had he really forgotten? Maybe he was drunker than I realized. I made my way to my desk and immediately got to the task he’d given me. It wasn’t as though I ever slacked off, but while I was trying to recover from this, I was going to need to stay right on top of things. Things, Sascha, not men, things.
“Hello, Sascha.” I looked over my shoulder, and Carson was walking up. I swore internally. He was wearing a well-cut suit, had his hair slicked back, and his blue eyes were bright and inviting. He looked good. “How are you this morning?”
I was confused. Here Carson was too, pretending as if the night before never happened. “Hello,” I greeted. “I’m great. How are you?”
Carson sighed. “I hate public transportation. My sister is always harping
on about how much cheaper it is, and I don’t have to deal with traffic, but I don’t know that I like people enough for subways.”
I chuckled. “Ask me why I prefer to walk the whole way.”
Carson nodded. “I’m with you.”
“People also don’t like you enough.” Ian joined the conversation, his blond hair pulled back. “You should do us all a favor and only keep to yourself.” He looked at me and my heart stopped. A gentle smile curled across his face. It was entirely innocent. “Good morning, Sascha.”
“Good morning,” I mumbled back.
“Well, we’ve both got plenty of work to do,” Ian tapped Carson on the shoulder. “Let’s leave Sascha to her business.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Carson replied. He locked eyes with me. “Has Ryland spoken with you this morning?”
“Yes,” I responded. “I’m going to send the reports to the investors right now.”
“Great. Please attach our contact information as well,” Carson said.
“Of course,” I replied. Ian and Carson each gave me a final grin and then walked off. Had I really gotten that lucky? They forgot? I turned my attention back towards my computer. “Really can’t hold their liquor,” I whispered to myself.
* * *
The day passed by uneventfully. Each of Ryland, Carson and Ian made a trip or two to my desk, but only to make professional requests and ask me to complete certain tasks, and otherwise left me alone. I kept my eyes and ears peeled for any signs that rumors had begun, but everyone was business as usual. I was beginning to think I’d imagined the entire thing. I triple checked each of their calendars for reminders that the meeting had, in fact, happened, and even took a peek at my bank account to verify that the charges from the bar and taxi afterwards were there. It had happened. How could something so huge happen and they did not even remember?
I almost felt insulted, but was more relieved. This was my dream employer, and though I was going to have to wait a little for the editor role that I wanted, I even enjoyed the assistant’s position. I was glad I didn’t have to quit.
The end of the day was marked by Noah’s quick scratch of my head as he walked past on his way out and I started to gather my things. I had my purse and jacket on and was making my way for the elevators when I heard my name called from behind me.
“Sascha.” I turned and Carson was leaning against the doorframe to his office. “Can you come here a moment please?”
Just like that, my hopes were shattered. It all made sense. Of course they didn’t want to bring it up throughout the day. They wanted to make sure everyone was gone to cover their own asses and then deal with me when the day was over. Everyone would come in tomorrow to a vacant executive assistant position, I was going to be unemployed, and that would be it. My glorious, three-week run at my ideal company; ended with a literal bang.
“Of course.” I started to make my way back towards the office, suddenly feeling very thirsty.
I turned the corner and saw that both Ryland and Ian were in the office as well. The door closed behind me as Carson motioned for me to sit in one of the high-end leather chairs facing his desk. “Please, sit.”
My heart was Dale Earnheart Jr. I was certain that, any moment, it was going to come flying out of my chest. I sunk down into the chair, trying my best to keep myself composed. “What’s this about?” I asked.
Ian took a step forward. “I owe you an apology.”
“O-oh?” I said. “For?”
Ian smirked. “For kissing you without your permission last night. That was totally inappropriate.”
I just wanted to go home. “That’s okay.”
“It’s not,” Ian said. “You deserved more respect than that, although it is worth mentioning that, while I regret not approaching you in a way that honored your wishes, I do not regret kissing you.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. I didn’t regret kissing him either, but that didn’t make much difference. He was still my superior. It was still wrong. “Okay,” was all I could muster.
“We found ourselves with a bit of a problem,” Carson began, having made his way over to his desk chair and sat down, peering at me from the other side, his blue eyes filled with conflict. “We’ve known each other for a long time, us three, and we’re all so different that often our tastes are different as well. That’s somehow not the case with you. We had a conversation after you left the bar last night and discovered that we’re all very attracted to you.”
“Um.” My trains of thought were all colliding, creating a firey ball of what-the-fuck? “Okay.”
“We’re not passive men, as I’m sure you’ve noticed,” Ryland picked up. “It was a touch of a conundrum we’d found ourselves in, and conundrums require solutions, and we’ve identified one.”
I watched Ryland carefully. He was sitting on the couch in Carson’s office with one leg crossed over the other. He had the sexy-sophisticated thing down pat. “What’s that?”
“We’d each like to take you out on a date,” Ian said. “Three dates, one with each of us, and after they’re over, you can pick who you’d like to continue with, or you can choose none of us, and we’ll respect your decision.”
“This won’t affect your job,” Carson said. “Frankly, we’d be moronic to get rid of an assistant as good as you. This will simply require the utmost privacy.” His blue eyes bore into me. “Do you agree?”
It was a shockingly efficient solution. They were all gorgeous, intelligent, mature men, and I was sure I would enjoy a relationship with any one of them. If my job was truly safe and I was going to get a great guy out of the deal, what did I have to lose?
I sat in silence for a while. They watched me, hanging on to even the smallest breaths I took. They were all attracted to me. That was a bit of a confidence boost. “Okay,” I said finally. “I’m in, but on one condition.” They each sat forward a bit, waiting. “I reserve the right to call this courtship off at anytime, for any reason.”
The men exchanged looks and then looked back at me. Ian smiled. “We agree. So, who will you date first?”
I put on a sly smile of my own. “Well, it only seems fair to honor the one who made the first move.” I stared into Ian’s crystal blue eyes. “So, what time are you picking me up?”
Ian
I’d been thinking of my first date with Sascha for a long time, so when I learned I’d be the first to get to take her out, there was no guessing as to what I’d do. I wanted her to get to know me, as more than just the HR manager at her job and the guy who surprise kissed her in a restaurant. There was a beautiful, authentic Russian restaurant up in the mountains that would be perfect for intimacy and telling her a little bit about myself.
She was a glorious crystal among dull desert rocks. She was wearing a strapless, black dress that hugged her shapely form. If she was stunning when she was in her professional garb around the office, her evening appearance was criminal. I kept a safe distance as we walked into the restaurant, not just because I had jumped her already once before, but because if I got too close to her the risk that I would do it again, was high.
The restaurant, called питание, was decorated in lights hanging from trees and raining down over tables arranged in a way that looked like they were outside despite being inside. A fountain with a hammer and sickle statue at the middle sent gentle streams of water into a basin below. Sascha’s eyes lit up as we entered; I could see my brownie points climbing.
She looked up at the sign with the name on it. “Do you read Russian?” she asked.
“I do,” I responded. “That says ‘pitaniye.’ It literally means ‘food.’”
Her eyes flared with excitement at the sound of my accented voice speaking in its native tongue. “Pitaniye,” she repeated and a smile grew on my face. She nailed the pronunciation and sounded sexy doing it.
“Ah, Mr. Holder, welcome back,” the maitre’d greeted. I’d seen him many times before on my trips to the restaurant. He offered a shallow bow of his
head to Sascha. “I see your guest is different this evening.”
Sascha immediately scowled, but I grabbed her hand gently and lifted it to my lips, pecking it to pull her attention to me. “I normally bring my mother. It reminds her of my father.”
Sascha relaxed, a warm smile returning to her face. “Oh. Sorry to jump to conclusions.”
“I believe that misunderstanding was my fault,” the maitre’d cut in. “It is normally Mrs. Holder at his side, I can attest.” He pointed in towards the restaurant. “Your regular table, sir?”
“Please,” I replied.
We followed him to a table in the back corner of the restaurant, with windows that overlooked Las Vegas in the valley below, but also had a perfect view of the fountain. We slid into the corner booth; Sascha slid particularly close, for which I was delighted, and the maitre’d left us a couple of menus and left.
“This place is beautiful,” Sascha commented.
“I think so,” I replied. “My father would bring my mother and I here all the time, up until he passed a few years ago. I promised her that I would always bring her so that his memory could live on.”
“I’m so sorry about your dad,” Sascha said. “Was he Russian?”
I nodded. “Yep. He was Russian and my mom was American. They actually met in Russia while my mom was studying abroad there, and when her time was up, she said goodbye to my father, and he was so heartbroken he emptied his bank account following her back here.”
Sascha smiled. “How romantic. My dad followed a woman too, granted it was not my mother and given that it was smack dab in the middle of their marriage while she was pregnant with my younger sister, it didn’t go over as well.” My jaw dropped and Sascha clapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I tend to overshare.”
Three Bosses’ Assistant: Love by Numbers Book 2 Page 4
