He regarded me with a sly look, “Me too” he said.
Then it dawned on me. “Oh My God. You work here?” I asked him, shocked.
“Well… Yes” he laughed. “Tell me Liv. What do you think NSC stands for?” He asked as he pulled me into the lift with him.
“Uhh, I don’t know Nate. I never got chance to research the company before I took the job” I told him, puzzled.
My eyes widened as I worked it out. Looking at him in awe, I breathed “Nathan Sam Carter.”
He nodded his head as he grew serious and took my hand. “I built the company, Liv. I’m your ‘rude, arrogant and full of himself’ boss’s, boss’s, boss!” he finished with a smirk.
CHAPTER 5
Nate escorted me to my floor and then continued up to the 50th floor where his office was situated.
I dropped into the chair behind my desk and tried to get to grips with what Nate had just revealed to me.
I couldn’t believe after all these years Nate was now my boss. I had just slagged my boss to my ‘big boss’. How unprofessional.
Taking a deep breath, I immersed myself into my work and about an hour later Paterson called me into his office.
As I was shutting the door behind me, he began to rant at me. “Miss Adams!” he snarled with a furious look on his face.
Cringing, I attempted to smile at him as I sensed his fury. “What the fuck has happened to you this week, mmm?” he bellowed, “you’ve been late twice and your mind has been far from your work today!” he continued, livid.
Rubbing my hands together, I attempted to defend myself “Mr Peterson, I’m so sorry if you feel I’ve been incompetent but…”
“INCOMPETENT?” he cut me off, enraged “I’d say you’ve been downright UNPROFESSIONAL, wouldn’t you Miss Adams? Hmm?”
Worrying where this was going, I started to get flustered. Chewing on my lip, I tried to apologize again but he butted in once more.
“I’d say having lunch with your boss is very unprofessional, Miss Adams. In fact if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were a little brown nose Liv!!!” he sneered, articulating ‘Liv’ in the same tone Nate had used in the foyer.
“Well… Mr Carter and I are old friends, Mr Peterson. I can assure you that I am not ‘brown nosing’ as you put it.” This arrogant man was now starting to piss me off.
“BOLLOCKS! Are you fucking him, Miss Adams?” he thundered.
“How dare you!!!” I fumed.
Peterson’s office door flew open and Nate stalked in. He looked calm but I could see the fire in his eyes, the wrath on his face and his clenched fists.
He turned to me “Could you leave us a moment please, Miss Thomas?”
I opened my mouth to inform him I was now Miss Adams, but quickly shut it when he gave me a slight shake of his head, his eyes blazing wildly.
Swallowing and nodding, I escaped the room hastily, the tension thick and menacing.
Closing the door behind me, I took a huge, calming breath and walked back over to my chair on shaky legs.
“What the Hell, Olivia?” Grace gushed, eyes wide “What was all that about?”
I sat in my chair, shaking. “Peterson was laying into me, saying that it was inappropriate to have lunch with my boss, and the twat even asked if I was screwing Nate! And he has the cheek to call me unprofessional” I claimed, disregarding Grace’s even wider eyes.
There was now shouting coming from Peterson’s office and I shuddered, knowing that Peterson was going to make my life hell for this. “You know Mr Carter?” Grace asked, astounded. “Yeah, we were friends at uni” I told her, only giving her the half-truth.
“He was stood outside Peterson office for ages, listening to him rant at you. I thought at one point he was gonna explode” Grace said with a slight giggle.
“Oh Shit” I sighed “that means Nate heard every bit of Peterson’s outburst.”
Rolling my head round my shoulders, I closed my eyes as Grace laughed. “Even the part when Peterson shouted ‘BOLLOCKS are you fucking him, Miss Adams?’” she echoed in her best Peterson impersonation, letting on that she had been listening.
“Wonderful!” I exclaimed, “Nate’s gonna kill him” I added with a groan.
Peterson’s office door opened and Nate stomped out, slamming the door behind him. He looked over at me, shook his head, his anger still evident, and walked away.
“I wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of him” Grace wheezed. “Although, I wouldn’t mind being under him” she concluded, laughing as my jaw hit the floor.
The afternoon passed by and I didn’t see Peterson again, until he left his office just as I was shutting down my monitor and preparing to go home. “Thank you for staying late Miss Adams” he said to me politely. “Have a good weekend and I’ll see you Monday morning” he finished with a sickly smile.
“Oh… Yes. You too Mr Peterson” I flustered, baffled by the change in his attitude. He smiled again and left the office, leaving me completely bewildered. “Thank fuck its Friday” I smiled to myself as I rode the elevator down.
Juggling a large box of files, my laptop and bag, I scuttled hastily to my car before I dropped them all on the car park tarmac.
Putting them in my car boot, I climbed behind the wheel. “Take me home Betty” I smiled, tapping her dashboard.
Turning the key, she gave a grunt and chug but didn’t start. Trying again, she made an even worse racket and then just clicked.
She had never made a noise like that before and I had an awful feeling she’d finally died.
“Oh come on Betty, not now” I pleaded. “After the day I’ve had, I need wine girl!” I begged some more.
I was already running late and wanted to get home. Matt was still ill and I needed to get home to him. My mother had her yoga class tonight and she’d hated to leave him until I got back, but she’d texted me about 20 minutes ago to say she was sorry but she couldn’t wait any longer.
After trying and failing a third time, I punched the dashboard and dropped my head onto the steering wheel. “Arghhhh” I screamed into nothing, “Please, please, please give me a break” I cried.
I closed my eyes and took some deep, calming breaths. My door flew open and Nate peered in at me. “Having car trouble, Liv?” he asked, frowning at my defeated expression.
I rolled my eyes at his stupid question. “No Nate, I’m just having a snog with the steering wheel!” I bit back sarcastically.
He chuckled and took my hand. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift home” he said, pulling me from the car.
“I need some things from my boot” I told him as I opened the boot and loaded his arms with stuff.
Carrying some things of my own, we loaded them in his boot and his driver opened the car door “Miss Thomas” he smiled at me. “Miss Adams” I corrected him with a shy smile.
Nate turned to me. “Oh God, I’m sorry Liv. My mistake. I keep forgetting you’re married” he apologised.
“WAS married, Nate” I rectified.
Smiling, he slid in the seat beside me. “Where to Miss?” the driver asked, peering over his seat to look at me.
As I told him my address Nate slid his hand in mine. “Good day, baby?” he mocked. Laughing with him, “The best” I replied with a sarcastic nod of my head.
His thumb stroked across my knuckles in a soothing gesture and I felt my heart skip, remembering how it always used to relax me.
“Liv, why did you let Simon yell at you like that?” Nate asked with a frown.
“Because he’s my boss, Nate. He’d sack me if I told him to fuck off.”
“You’ve told me to fuck off before and I’m your boss” he grinned. “You weren’t my boss at the time though” I scoffed.
“Seriously though, the Liv I used to know wouldn’t have stood there and took that. She’d have laid into him and tossed his arse all over the office” he said, giving me a confused look.
“Well, that was the Liv you used to know Nate, I’m not that g
irl anymore” I told him, looking away from his analysing gaze.
Nate nodded, more to himself than me “I nearly pummelled him when I heard him shouting at you. Smug Bastard!” he hissed.
“He’s not so bloody smug now” I smirked “he was all smiles and politeness when he left. He hasn’t been polite to me in nearly three months.”
“Jesus! What is that man’s problem with you?” Nate grumbled. “I’ve told you. He wanted to get friendly and I didn’t… simple” I shrugged. “Especially now he thinks I’m screwing you. I don’t think he can comprehend how I could turn him down in preference to you” I sniggered.
“What’s to understand? I’m gorgeous, hot and fuckin’ hard” he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at me as my gaze lowered to his lap.
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist, Liv. Every time I used to say ‘hard’ you’d always look at my lap” he laughed, squeezing my hand.
I was very tempted to exchange my gaze with my hand and once again feel that hard muscle enclosed in his trousers. I squirmed in my seat and Nate gave me a knowing grin as the car came to a stop outside my house.
“Wait!” Nate scolded as I reached for the door handle.
The driver came round to open my door. “Thanks…” I started, realising I didn’t know his name. “Blake Hunter, Miss” he informed me.
Nate took my things from the boot as Blake shut my door. “I’ll carry them in for you, Liv” he said walking up my path.
I ran in front of him to open the door and gestured him in before he collapsed under the weight of everything.
He placed them on the kitchen table as he took a look round the room. “This is nice, Liv” he smiled softly, “How long you lived here?” he asked.
“About ten years now” I replied as I flipped the switch on the kettle “coffee?”
He nodded his head as he removed his phone from his pocket and started typing. “Give me your mobile number while I’ve got my phone out and then we can arrange a time for me to pick you up Monday morning” he said without looking up.
“Pick me up?” I asked, puzzled.
“Yeah. Your car’s broke, remember? I’ll get a mechanic over to NSC this weekend and get it fixed for you, then you can pick it up Monday” he said.
“You can’t fix my car for me Nate, I’ll sort it but I would appreciate the ride” I argued.
He gave me his slow, sexy smile “I’d appreciate a ride too baby.” Tutting at him, I handed him his coffee and told him my number.
He rang it so I could store his as Erin walked in the kitchen. “Hi” she greeted Nate, as she gave him an inquisitive look.
“Hello” Nate replied, cocking his head, a wrinkle appearing on his brow “you look very much like your mother did at your age.”
She inhaled sharply “You knew my mum when she was 16?” She gave me a probing look and I knew what she was thinking.
“Well she was 18 when we met” Nate stated, “But yeah, we were…. uhh, friends.”
He smiled slyly, looking at me. “Where’s Matt sweetheart? Is he any better?” I asked Erin, to change the subject. She raised her eyebrows at me, chewing her bottom lip just as Matt walked in.
“Hey Babe” I embraced him with a hug “You feel better?”
“Yeah, I’m good mum” he said as he looked at Nate “You gonna introduce us?”
“Yes of course. Matt this is Nate. Nate this is my son, Matt and daughter Erin” I introduced. Smiling, Nate extended his hand to Matt “Pleasure to meet you, mate.”
Erin was still stood silent in the corner of the room and I could feel her piercing stare on me, I was starting to feel uncomfortable and glared back at her, shaking my head a little in warning.
Nate, noticing the silent altercation between Erin and me, looked at us both with a confused expression on his face. “I’d better let you get on” I directed at Nate, hoping he’d take the hint and leave before Erin said something stupid.
“Oh right” he said, standing up and looking a little stunned.
Placing his still full cup in the sink he reached for my hand “Can you see me to the door, Liv?” Erin’s brows rose even higher and Matt grinned and winked at me.
As we reached the door he pulled me a little closer. “Can I see you tomorrow night, baby?” he asked as he dropped my hand and moved his hand up to my face, cupping my chin and tipping my head back to look in my eyes.
“I can’t tomorrow night, Nate. I’ve already arranged a night out with Beth and Lexi. Sorry” I apologised gently.
“Oh wow, you still see Beth and Lexi?” he asked, surprised and dropping his hand instantly.
“Yeah, we never lost contact” I swallowed when I realised what I’d said and hoped Nate hadn’t picked up on it, but I was disappointed.
“Well at least you kept in touch with someone” he glowered at me, “How about Monday night?” he attempted again.
“Oh God. Monday’s no good either, I have an appointment.”
I was starting to feel bad but he narrowed his eyes. “Who has appointments at night?” he probed, obviously thinking I was putting him off. “I do” I shrugged, looking down at the floor.
“Do you have a cocktail dress?” he suddenly asked. Perplexed, I nodded to him.
“Good. I have a gala dance to attend next Saturday night and I want you to accompany me” he demanded before he leaned into me. “I need you to come, baby” he whispered in my ear as his hand slipped down my back and skimmed over my bottom.
Goosebumps spread over my body and my pussy throbbed. There had only ever been Nate that could turn me on so intensely. I sucked in a breath, nodding frantically as a small groan rumbled in the back of his throat.
His fingers spread on the low of my back as he worked little kisses from my cheek towards my mouth.
Gasping, I pulled back and reached for the door, opening it for him. “I’ll ring you about Monday morning” he said as he left the house and walked down the path back to his car.
Shutting the door, I leaned against it and took a large gulp of air. Erin was stood in the hallway and giving me an insightful look. “Don’t Erin” I warned.
She shook her head, grinned at me and ascended the stairs. Halfway up, she stopped and turned “He has lovely pure... blue... Eyes” she smirked, emphasising each word. “Don’t you think mom?” she added as she carried on up the stairs.
***
Late Saturday night, Beth, Lexi and I were drunk and sitting on stools around a large floor to ceiling column in ‘Pulse’ the local nightclub.
“Give me your shoes, Liv” Beth ordered.
“Ha, not a chance girl.”
I was wearing my favourite red high heels. I had bought them about 6 months ago when I’d had a bad episode and needed retail therapy. Hence, the £840 Christian Louboutin, red leather with black mottled overlay, peep toe, 5” stiletto. They were my ultimate favourites and I would still be paying for them in 5 years.
Tonight I’d been risky and teamed them with my tight, short black leather skirt and my red, ruffle neck top. Ever since yesterday’s intimate moment with Nate, I had been feeling very horny and that reflected in my outfit tonight.
The only problem with this was I was getting a lot of unwanted male attention.
“But you love me” Beth continued. “I’m not even gonna let you borrow them” I proclaimed, sticking my tongue out at her.
“But those shoes are man magnets. You’ve had loads of attention tonight. It must be the shoes” she suspected, looking dreamily back down at my shoes.
“Nah, that’s just Liv’s aura,” Lexi stated “I can almost touch her sex appeal tonight.” She told Beth, and then turning to me she said “Damn Girl. You’re oozing in eroticism.”
Then narrowing her eyes on me, she declared “You got laid!!!”
Beth jumped with excitement, toppling off the high stool and landing with a harsh bump on her arse on the floor. Lexi and I, laughing hysterically, tried to help her up but we were laughing so hard, we couldn’t
lift her.
Eventually we all managed to pull her up and the other revellers cheered as Beth took a bow.
Climbing back onto our stools Beth looked at me, “So come on, Liv. You get nailed?” she quizzed. “No” I stammered.
“Now don’t lie to us” Lexi chastised, waggling her finger at me. “I’m not lying” I denied, feigning a deep interest in my wine glass.
“But something’s up” Beth argued, taking a mouthful of her vodka.
I turned my attention to the dancers and tried to ignore their interrogation. “Liv?” Beth prodded me “Spill.”
I slowly turned back to her. “Nate’s back” I blurted.
The vodka glass slipped from her grasp and smashed on the floor as her jaw dropped with it. She was deadly silent as she scanned my face. “What the fuck” Lexi said as she struggled for breath.
I lowered my eyes and fixed them on my twiddling fingers. “What do you mean ‘Nate’s back’?” Beth finally managed.
“Just what I said; Nate’s back. He owns NSC Industries and has been in America for the last six months, so I didn’t know. I bumped into him yesterday… literally” I giggled.
“Don’t pissing laugh Liv, this is serious” she cautioned with a glare. “Have you told him?” she asked, hesitantly.
“No!!” I cried, my eyes fixing her with a glare of my own. “You gonna tell him?” Now it was Lexi’s turn to scrutinize me.
“I... I don’t know” I stammered, tears forming behind my eyes.
“Oh, Babe” Beth sighed, reaching over to me and squeezing my hand, tears in her own eyes.
“On a lighter note, is he still fucking hot?” Lexi sniggered, as she put her hands over her heart and sighed deeply.
Angel (NSC Industries) Page 6
