“I should be asking you the same thing, Sis?” A grin touched the corner of his lips as he pried his eyes open and raised an eyebrow.
She recoiled and narrowed her eyes further. They never really grew up together. His father left Lee’s mother and married a younger woman, Jess’s mother. Somehow Jess got the feeling Lee wasn’t too keen on him from the beginning. Still, he managed to warm up to her and she did defend his honor in that awful scandal.
Lee’s home was damaged in a storm and was going under major renovation. Sometimes, Jess thought that Lee could use a little personality renovation, too! But he didn’t dare say it.
“You’re not still thinking about going down to Tandor Island for that photo shoot, are you? Waste of time.” She pinched her lips, walked over to the kettle, switched it on and turned around to face Jess, chin up, arms folded across her chest leaning against the kitchen counter. Waiting for an answer.
Oh, great. She wants to talk business at this hour.
“Already told you, Sis. That’s not subject to negotiation.” He took a sip of his drink which suddenly tasted bitter rather than refreshing.
“Everything’s subject to negotiation, darling baby brother.”
“Not a baby, Lee,” he forced back, annoyance swept across his face.
“Fine. Fine. But you have to realize Hot Spot and that woman who owns it, is causing us more trouble than she’s worth. Who are you going to have head that new project of hers? That extravagant launch.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head, arms still folded tightly across her chest, waiting for the kettle to boil.
“Alexa.”
“What?”
“You mean…who?”
“I know what or whom you are talking about,” she fumed, dismissively. “But why? Why her? She’s only a coordinator.”
“Until tomorrow.” Jess swigged down the rest of his drink then placed the cup in the sink. “She’ll be account manager.”
“You’re not going to wash that out? You know how I hate to see dishes in the sink.”
Jess paused. He could not believe his sister. “Need I remind you Lee, this is my house, and my kitchen sink.”
“Whatever,” she dismissed. Once the water in the kettle bubbled up and whistled, she poured herself a cup of tea. “I still think you’re making a big mistake. I don’t think she’s ready. Besides I thought we agreed that she’ll work up to account executive and stay in that role for at least two years.”
“I disagree. Why have her waste her talent and time. Alexa’s very ready. She’s worked damn hard on all those other accounts and she’ll be completing her masters soon. She’s got what it takes. She’s an asset to the company.”
“I don’t think so. She takes way too long on client projects.”
Jess wrinkled his eye brows. “So she’s a bit of a perfectionist. Just where are you going with this, Lee?”
“Never mind. I just want you to be focused on your duties. Not—side tracked by a pretty young face.”
Jess’s lips tightened into a hard line. Shaking his head and narrowing his eyes, he walked over to his sister. “Let it go, Lee. Not every young woman in the firm is out to seduce me. Besides, she’s the last thing on my mind where that’s concerned. Okay?” He lied as he lovingly held her shoulders and gave her a hug.
With a peck on the cheek, he said, “Good night, Sis.”
He really didn’t want to go through this all night. But truth be told, he thought about Alexa a lot. He kept that information to himself. She was totally, completely, irrevocably—off limits! Period.
Though she seemed different from the rest, no way in hell was he going to date, or see an employee and risk having his heart slit again and his reputation damaged. His career and reputation were all he had now.
Alexa was hot, but he would have to learn to cool his thoughts of her.
He would go in tomorrow and not focus too much on her legs. Or her smile, or her gorgeous figure.
Or her charm and the sweet scent of her perfume. God, she really knew how to arouse him.
But the meeting tomorrow would be all about business. What would be good for the business—not his libido!
Just her work.
Nothing else.
He went back into the bed and glanced at his BlackBerry. He knew he had dozens of new e-mail messages that linked to his cell phone. But what the heck, the new and improved Jess was not a workaholic and was not going to switch back on his cell phone until tomorrow.
Whatever messages were sent, he’d read up on his e-mails tomorrow. Before going into Alexa’s employee evaluation.
He just prayed his sister wouldn’t screw it up at that evaluation since all senior members of the firm would be evaluating her.
He needed Alexa for the account. She was the only person who he could trust to head it up and do a wicked job. Her track record at TLC was unimpeachable.
What could possibly go wrong at her evaluation meeting tomorrow?
3
The next morning, Alexa dashed through the parking lot of Hope’s Plaza toward the glass building that housed TLC Advertising.
The early morning sun peaked through the clouds and the humidity moistened her skin. She breathed in the air as her nostrils took a cool whiff of fragrance from the fresh flowers blooming in the flowerbed near the entrance to the building.
Oh, she wished life were a bed of roses right now, but it was far from it. She could feel her heart pound hard and fast in her throat.
That damned e-mail!
She swallowed hard.
A sense of urgency raced through her as she quickened her steps toward the building. Her shoes made a tapping noise on the pavement. She wore her pink-colored knee-length summer dress and a professional looking cream-colored blazer. A fashionable scarf tied around her neck to polish her look.
Neat.
Sophisticated.
Business-like. Yet relaxed for the artistic company she worked for.
She really didn’t want to risk perspiration before her big evaluation this morning. But she just had to beat Jess into the office to somehow delete the X-rated e-mail she accidently sent to him, with the help of the I.T. department, of course. She had to do all this before he arrived into the office. She couldn’t risk him getting the e-mail she sent to him in error.
Alexa stopped just a few steps shy of the entrance. There, over by the reserved parking section her eyes caught Jess’s silver Ford SUV.
Shit.
He was in the office already. She peered down at her watch. It read 7:33 a.m.
“What the hell is he doing here so early?” she frowned, panic scrawled on her face.
God, he’s a workaholic!
Please tell me he did not read that e-mail.
The sound of a car door slamming caused Alexa to jolt. She whipped her head to the direction of the noise. An executive from one of the other offices in the building had slammed his car door shut incredibly hard. He appeared with gym pants and t-shirt as he scuttled into the building, briefcase in hand, garment bag swung over his shoulder—probably his suit in the bag.
Alexa slapped her forehead and laughed. “Of course! Jess always works out first thing in the morning at the gym in the basement. Silly me.”
That meant she didn’t have much time. But there was still some hope.
Luckily, Brett, the cute, young geeky I.T. guy who she later found out had a crush on her when she first worked for the company, was usually in the office first thing. Surely, he’d do her the favor and somehow find a way to delete one of Jess’s incoming e-mails. If there was some way. If it were ever possible. Brett would know how to do it, for sure.
Alexa counted on it. Depended on it. Needed it badly.
She hit the elevator button going to the top floor of the building and rushed right in and pressed the ‘close door’ button repeatedly as if the door would close faster. She then pressed hard on the floor number as if that would send her quicker to her destination.
She tapped on her h
andbag as her heart still raced, pacing in the elevator. God, if the security could see me now on the hidden camera in the elevator, they’d think I’m nuts. Or about to go crazy.
Alexa thought she might just go crazy if Jess ever got hold of that e-mail.
She froze.
Another thought just struck her. Lee had access to his e-mails.
Oh, crap. This is just getting worse.
Apparently, Lee, who used to be Jess’s executive assistant often received some of his e-mails forwarded to him so that she could handle most business matters. Lee did not exactly take a liking to Alexa, for a reason Alexa knew absolutely nothing about. She tried so hard to be nice to Lee—to smile, crack a joke, do errands for her. But all yielding little or no results.
Lee’s icy vibes toward Alexa froze her out every time. Lee had been known to let go a lot of employees, mostly young women, for some odd reason. Probably had something to do with that lawsuit.
Oh, great!
When she got off the elevator she ran towards the double glass doors. TLC Advertising.
There, Pamsey, the receptionist, happened to be sitting at her desk tapping away on her computer keyboard. She often came in early to clear vendors’ e-mails and get an early start to the day. It took a while for Pamsey to warm up to her. Or anyone for that matter. Pamsey was damn good at her work, but different. Gothic in appearance with her jet black hair, blue streaks of hair, black nail polish on her fingers and toes, black lipstick, thick black eye-liner, pierced nose and yep, you guessed it. Black attire. Always.
Still, Alexa admired her spunk. The whole team did. There had been talks of promoting her to account coordinator—after Alexa was promoted—and hiring another reception. Pamsey, may not be the best people-person, smiling only on occasion. But she was professional and damn efficient and had a head full of creative ideas. She got things done.
“You’re early.” Pamsey’s eyes were glued to the computer as she spoke to Alexa.
“Oh, yeah. You know just trying to get a start to the day. Did you have a nice weekend?” Alexa bit down on her lip as she tried to hide the jitter in her cracked voice. Nothing seemed to be working out that morning as planned.
Alexa had a sick feeling no one else was in the office. Most of the lights were turned off in other areas. Including the I.T. area. It was a loft office with high ceilings and an open concept. A large plant adorned the reception area with comfortable couches and artsy coffee table for clients. Ceiling to floor windows that gave a breathtaking view to Mercy Springs, Texas. They weren’t the only advertising agency with that view. Apparently, Jess’s old buddy from high school had an office in the plaza adjacent. Another advertising agency.
“S’okay. How was your weekend?” she said nonchalantly, as if she couldn’t really care less if Alexa answered.
“Good. Thanks. Got lots of rest.” Okay that sounds so lame.
“Anyway, is Brett in? I needed him to look at something on my computer for me.”
“Nope.”
“No?”
Pamsey looked up from her computer. Unimpressed.
Emphatically, she repeated, “No. He’s. Not.” She glanced back to her computer screen then continued, “He’ll be in around noon. Had a doctor’s appointment.”
What?
“Oh. Cool. That’s fine. I’ll wait.” No. That’s not cool. Not at all. I can’t wait! Oh. No. I am so dead.
Pamsey looked back at Alexa with a ‘what-ever’ expression as if she could somehow read her mind and sense her urgency. She then shrugged and settled back to her work on her computer. Alexa got back to finishing her silent panic attack which may very well morph into a full blown nervous breakdown. If she didn’t have a Plan B beforehand, she had seconds to conjure up one now.
Jess was about to receive Alexa’s e-mailed seduction. Part of her—probably a larger part of her—wanted Jess to know exactly what she felt about him in her heart. How much she longed to get close to him in every sense of the word. Another part of her was terrified of what he would really think of her salacious, uncensored thoughts of him. Would she ultimately turn him on, or log him off her for good?
Moments later, Alexa sat in her cubicle and glanced down at her sterling silver Guess watch without the numbers. It was 9:30 in the morning—her Starbucks green tea untouched. As the tea bag seeped in the container, thoughts of Jess Tandon seeped in her mind.
Her life would probably change forever after their meeting. The very man she desired. The most unavailable, out-of-her-grasp object of her desire was about to read her explicit, seductive (and highly embarrassing) e-mail.
She jolted up when her phone rang on her desk. Reluctantly she pressed the speaker option when she saw it was reception calling.
“Hey, Pamsey.” Alexa tried to hide the sound of defeat in her voice.
“They’re waiting for you in the boardroom.” Pamsey’s voice boomed through the speaker phone. Alexa’s heart boomed through her chest.
Her pulse raced hard and fast. Her throat tightened up and her legs felt weak, almost lifeless. Did Jess already view the e-mail?
Jess Tandon grabbed his file and his BlackBerry and headed to the boardroom. He was dressed in his navy blue business suit. Normally, he wasn’t formal, but today he would be meeting with another client from out of town. He’d also just gotten off the phone with Brea, the owner of Hot Spot Resorts. He couldn’t wait to get the appraisal over and done with and have Alexa start working on the account.
He realized he was the last to enter the boardroom. His sister Lee and cousin Chase, the other members of the board were already seated engaging in small chat. His heart stopped when Alexa strolled into the boardroom at the same time. His eyes captured hers at the same moment and he felt some electricity pulse between them. This was not good. It was evaluation day. He was her boss for God’s sake! Still, he couldn’t help his eyes roaming over her body from head to toe. She certainly had pleasing proportions. Full voluptuous breasts. Those hips. Her tiny waist and rounded bottom and the way she wiggled while she walked.
Stop it, Jess! Get a hold of yourself, man!
“Hi, Jess,” her soft voice called out and distracted his thoughts.
“Alexa.” He nodded politely as he tried to hide his emotion by sounding as curt as possible.
God, her long, slender toned legs in that pretty pink dress caused his groin to react. He drew in a deep breath. Normally he wouldn’t lose his cool over a woman—but damn! She looked hot in that pink dress! The word’ beautiful’ didn’t sum her up enough. Those full lips as ripe as strawberries. He wondered what her lips would taste like on his—probably as sweet as red wine.
She didn’t even have to try, he mused. The soft, sweet scent of her perfume caught his nostrils and drove him crazy. Was there anything about her that he was not attracted to? He remembered the shy, young university student when she first came to him looking for work. So willing. So dedicated. So feisty with her work skills. But she never quite got out of her shell.
“All set?” he offered, his voice deep, smooth like silk and penetrating. He tried to divert his eyes away from Alexa’s curvaceous body, her presenting breasts which seemed to form nicely under her dress. And those legs! What would they feel like wrapped around his abs?
Oh, God. Her nipples are showing through her top.
Jess felt a sudden jerking movement below his waist. This is not good. Focus, Jess. Focus. She’s off limits.
The last thing he wanted was any misunderstandings to surface. Why did she have to be his employee? He couldn’t wait to be seated to hide his now growing erection. Why did she have that kind of effect on him? He couldn’t remember when the last time a woman caused his mind to spin into a whirlwind as Alexa did. Good thing she couldn’t read his mind. He lowered his file to his mid-section as he walked into the boardroom after he greeted Lee and Chase and Alexa was seated.
Alexa couldn’t help blushing as she sat down in the boardroom. She was usually so in control. She’d learned to contro
l her emotions around him…but now? She just couldn’t help herself. It appeared that he hadn’t seen her e-mail…yet!
At least she would get through the appraisal. Her confidence suddenly climbed back up a notch. Slightly.
Focus, Alexa. One thought at a time. Let it not be those luscious almost full lips of his.
Yeah, right. That would be easy. Jess looked impeccable this morning. Clean shaven, fresh looking. Her eyes caught the delicious masculinity of his form. Though he wore a gorgeous expensive looking Italian suit, you could see the physique inside of his suit.
Jess was four things. Tall. Dark. Lean. Sexy.
Everything she could physically want in a man. His dark, almond eyes danced. His chiselled cheekbones and dark, wavy, shiny hair framed his deeply handsome face perfectly.
He was hot! No two ways about it.
But did you have to send him that e-mail, Lex?
She had felt conscientious when she walked in ahead of him. She felt his eyes penetrating her from behind. Alexa only thought of Jess. What his strong hands would feel like on her skin.
Stop it, Alexa. Focus.
“Okay, let’s begin…” Lee cleared her throat as she peered over at Alexa over her glasses.
“Relax. You look as if we’re having you for dinner.” Chase chuckled as he sat swinging his chair slightly. “You’re doing fine. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks,” Alexa tried to hide her bungled nerves. They were there to tell her about her performance. How hard would that be? She already knew how well she did and how hard she’d worked. It wasn’t as if she’d screwed up in any way. Except…
“Oh, sorry. I’ve got to take this call. I’ll just be a second,” Jess excused himself briefly from the table.
Tortuous seconds later, he reappeared and apologized explaining he was waiting for an important e-mail for the go-ahead from Hot Spots—it was important because if they could confirm on the dates of the shoot and if TLC would be in charge of their new campaign, that would mean Alexa would be promoted for that account as account manager. He wanted to announce it during the appraisal.
Accidentally Flirting with the CEO Page 2
