by Rye Hart
Jessica was a beautiful woman, there was no doubt about that. Long, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a killer body – the stereotypical Southern California beauty. It's why I initially fell for her, of course. But her personality made her less and less attractive over time. The more we got to know one another, the less I cared for her. I was starting to think I might end up alone, a bachelor for life, at the rate I was going. A bit fatalistic, perhaps, but it seemed like all I had was just one failed relationship after another, and it was growing old.
Jessica stopped digging through a desk drawer for her non-existent iPod, closed it and turned toward me with a mischievous look in her eye. Licking her lips suggestively, she sidled up to me, draping her arms around my shoulders and stared straight into my eyes. The old me would have been hard in an instant, ready to take her to bed. But now? I didn't even want to be this close to her.
“So then,” she purred, “if you're not seeing anyone – ”
“No,” I said, removing her arms from around my neck. “We're not playing these games, Jessica.”
With a huff and a well-practiced pout, she turned and walked away, which I hoped meant she was leaving. I listened for the front door, hoping she'd slam it as she left, but instead, I heard her footsteps as she walked upstairs.
“Jess!” I called out to her, hurrying after her as she ascended the stairs.
She stopped and smiled at me, crooking her finger and motioning for me to follow her.
“What in the hell are you doing?” I roared.
“Figured I'd slip into something more comfortable, Sebastian. Maybe take a dip in the pool, like old times? Come on, Sebastian. One more time just for old time's sake. What can it hurt?”
Without waiting for me to answer, she walked down the hallway toward my bedroom.
“No, Jessica. We're not doing this,” I said, following her up the stairs and down the hallway. “You need to leave. You have everything you left, it's time to go. I want you out of my house. Now.”
She peered out from my bedroom with a devious look on her face. “Come on, Sebastian. Don't you want one last roll in the hay before we say goodbye? No strings attached. Scout's honor.”
Honestly? I really didn't. I really, really didn't simply because of the drama and baggage it would entail. The fact that I didn't want to sleep with her one last time said a lot about my feelings for her – and I think she realized it. As I stared at her, not taking another step closer to her, her face fell and I saw tears welling in her eyes. She could see how much I didn't want her in my face, apparently. And it crushed her. I honestly believe she thought she could lure me back with the promise of sex.
But I was done, and she knew it.
There was no turning back now.
CHAPTER THREE - VIOLET
I rifled through my closet, not satisfied with anything I was seeing. It was the first day of work and I needed to look professional. Of course, I also wanted to look pretty because hello, it was Sebastian! Not that I was trying to come on to him or anything. I wanted to be professional and do my job well. I never wanted him to regret hiring me.
But well, if I caught him checking me out or if he maybe complimented me, it might give me a self-esteem boost since he was one of the sexiest men I'd ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Considering the fact that he was constantly surrounded by beautiful women – models who threw themselves at him, ex-girlfriends who'd give anything to have him back – I didn't really expect him to notice me too much. I was, after all, Chuck Maddox's daughter. And to him, I'd probably always be that same little girl who'd crushed on him long before I even hit puberty.
Still, it couldn't hurt to put a little more effort into my appearance. Besides, if I was going to be at his side as often as it sounded like I would be, I needed to look my best. He always looked impeccable, no matter what he wore. I needed to match that.
For my first day, I tried to keep the skirt reasonable and tasteful – no more embarrassing moments with a skirt that rode up – but definitely not matronly either. I chose a dark grey pencil skirt that fell just above my knees, and a soft pink blouse. With some heels and my hair pulled back in a chignon, I looked very much the part of the business professional. Feminine, classy, and with just the right amount of sex appeal that made me think maybe, just maybe, Sebastian would notice that I was a grown woman now.
I showed up at his office ten minutes early, coffee in hand, ready to start the day. I carried a cup for me and one for him. I knew what he how he took it from sitting in on coffee dates with my dad. I was always listening, always paying attention. That was me, alright. I waltzed into the building and down to his office, feeling like I was on cloud nine.
As I strolled down the hallway, I could barely contain my excitement. I had my first job, working for a great boss, and in just a few weeks, I'd be heading to Bali for the trip of a lifetime. All for work, of course.
But as I rounded the corner into Sebastian's office, I saw that the door was shut. Waving at him through the window, I could see he was on the phone and he didn't look all that happy. He motioned for me to come inside, and I walked in, smiling from ear-to-ear as I sat his coffee down on his desk quietly.
“Listen, Jess, I'm at work,” he said.
I knew Jessica. It was his ex-girlfriend. She'd come over to our house with him once or twice. She was a typical Orange County type, only after him for his money. With her Botox and boob job, she was about as fake as they came. I honestly never knew what he saw in her – well, except maybe for the perfectly crafted tits. Best money could buy. Likely his money, too.
I mouthed, “Should I come back?”
Sebastian shook his head, motioning for me to sit down across from him so I did.
“I'm hanging up now, Jess,” he said, irritation in his voice. “Goodbye.”
And just like that, he put his phone down and looked up at me, his eyes tired. I'd never seen him so exhausted before. Sebastian had always been a morning person, up before the dawn and usually always in the office before everyone else. He and my father had been much the same in that regard. But today, even at eight in the morning, he looked ready to pass out.
“Thanks for the coffee, Violet,” he said. “You're a lifesaver.”
“Looks like you need it,” I said. As soon as I said it, I cursed myself. “I mean, because you don't have one already, of course.”
Sebastian laughed, sipping his drink and looked surprised. “How did you – ”
“I pay attention,” I said with a wink, hoping it didn't come across as too flirtatious or inappropriate. “And sometimes dad would ask me to pick up coffee for the two of you while I was out.”
“Seriously impressive.”
I beamed at him, proud of myself for being praised this early into my new job, even if it was for something as simple as coffee.
“I aim to please, Sebastian – err, I mean, Mr. Townsend.”
Suddenly, I felt like an idiot all over again. Half the time, I said the right thing. And the other half, I managed to put my foot right into my mouth.
“I mean, I should probably call you Mr. Townsend at work and all,” I stammered. “It's just a hard habit to break.”
“No, call me Sebastian,” he said, smiling back at me. “It sounds weird otherwise.”
It felt weird to call him anything else. He was, after all, Sebastian to me. We'd been on a first name basis for years. Honestly, he was more like family than anything, and he wasn't a big fan of the respecting your elders. He said it made him feel old and that he wasn't really my elder. Even though he was, sometimes it didn't feel like it.
Or maybe that was my crush coming out to play again, forgetting the huge age difference so I could pretend that maybe there could be something between us after all. A girl could dream, right?
“Alright Sebastian,” I said, crossing my legs and sitting up straight. “So, what's the first order of business today? Where do I start?”
“Someone's eager to learn,” he said.
Though I had to admit, it was incredibly hard not to think dirty thoughts – like how amazing it would be to have him bend me over his desk and take me from behind right then and there. But as soon as the thought flashed through my mind, my cheeks burned bright red and I looked away.
“Great,” Sebastian said, not seeming to notice my sudden shyness, “Let's get started.”
CHAPTER FOUR - SEBASTIAN
Why did she have to look so unbelievably gorgeous? Yes, I thought my best friend's daughter was hot, sue me – my deceased best friend's daughter, at that. I scolded myself mentally, while also apologizing to Chuck, for thinking such things about Violet. It was wrong and inappropriate.
But damn, when had she gotten so attractive?
As she leaned forward, I couldn't help but glance at her very ample cleavage. But I kicked myself and quickly returned my gaze to her eyes, where I told myself they should stay. Then I realized how beautiful her eyes were; a deep shade of emerald green, just like her mother's. And her mother had always been a beautiful woman as well. I'd even mentioned that to Chuck a time or two. Told him how lucky he was to have found her. And when Violet spoke, it was hard to not notice her soft, voluptuous lips with the perfect cupid's bow...
Stop it, Sebastian. Just stop it, I chided myself. I knew I was going to get myself into some serious trouble if I didn't stop admiring her. You have to work together now, so keep your mind out of the gutter. This is Chuck's daughter and your employee. You're old enough to remember when she wore bows in her hair and played on the playground while you and her father discussed business at the park.
The early days of my business, of course.
“Sebastian?” she asked, tilting her head to the side like an adorable little puppy.
She smiled at me, showcasing her dimples and causing me to remember how sweet and innocent she'd always looked as a little girl. That managed to shush the thoughts in my brain right away.
“Yes?” I asked and cleared my throat.
“Is everything okay? You're awfully quiet?”
“Yes, sorry, I didn't sleep too well last night.”
“I can see that,” she said. “Everything okay with you and Jessica?”
She sat back in the chair, as if taking her place as an armchair psychologist, and closed her notebook, looking at me with genuine concern in her eyes.
“We broke up awhile back,” I said. “So, there is no ‘me and Jessica’. Not anymore. I'm just trying to sweep out the last remnants now.”
I swore she knew that already but then again, there had been so much going on in her life, how could I expect her to remember my relationship status? It's not like it was the most important thing on her plate – not with her dad's long, terrible battle with cancer before dying and all.
“Oh, I'm sorry to hear that,” she said.
Though she didn't really look all that sorry. Not that I was surprised. Very few people liked Jessica, and that had included Chuck and Angela, Violet's parents. They'd all thought she was wrong for me and would be nothing but trouble. Boy, had they been right on the money about that one.
“No, it's for the best,” I said. “She wasn't a good fit for me.”
Violet bit her lip, as if she was holding herself back from speaking her mind.
“Go on, spill it,” I said. “I can tell you're dying to say something. We have no secrets in this office, okay?”
Well, aside from my secret thoughts about your amazing ass, but that's beside the point, I thought to myself.
Violet looked down at her hands, then back up at me. “I really don't think it's my place to say anything.”
“Speak your mind, Violet,” I said with a laugh. “You didn't like Jessica, I get that. Not many people did.”
Violet laughed along with me, but she was obviously uncomfortable and was trying to find something nice and positive to say. That was the thing with Violet, she always had something nice to say about anyone. She probably could have found something nice to say about Hitler if you gave her enough time.
“Well, I just never understood what you saw in her, that's all,” she said. “I mean, you're rich, successful and attractive, you could be with anyone. And yet, you chose a clingy, blonde gold digger.”
“Wow.” Okay, so maybe she didn't have a nice word to say about everyone. “That was blunt.”
“Oh, I'm sorry, Sebastian,” she said, covering her mouth. Her eyes were wide as she stared back at me. “I should have kept my mouth shut. That was really out of bounds.”
“No, not at all,” I said and gave her a rueful grin. “Everything you said is true, Violet. I mean, except for the attractive part. I'm not that vain.”
“Oh come on, Sebastian,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You know you're hot.”
Now it was my turn to look surprised. I stared back at her, mouth agape, as I tried to find the right words to thank her for the compliment without sounding like a creepy old man who took it as something more.
“Thank you? I guess,” I said, a nervous chuckle escaping my mouth before I could stop it.
There was an awkward silence that seemed to linger forever, as Violet stared down at her hands, wringing them in her lap and I stared at her, trying to think of something to say to break that silence and put us back on more comfortable footing. Trying, but failing.
“I just keep putting my foot in my mouth every time I open it, don't I?” she asked with a sheepish smile.
“No, not at all Violet,” I said. “It's okay. We're close enough that we can joke around like that and know it means nothing.”
Means nothing. Yeah, right. I couldn't stop my ego from growing larger, knowing that Violet Maddox thought I was hot. Me. A man old enough to be her father. Sure, Jessica was younger than me by a few years and that boosted the old self esteem a bit. But Violet was a fresh out of college young woman with the world wide open to her – and boys her own age undoubtedly beating down her door, begging for a date. And she thought I was hot.
So yeah, it meant something to me. Even if it was just a passing comment that didn't mean a lot to her.
Violet was making copies when I walked by her desk. She was facing away from me and probably didn't even see or hear me come over to her cubicle. She was distracted, bent over and fighting with the machine in front of her. I chuckled as I listened to her cursing under her breath as she tried to get the machine to cooperate with her. I stood there for a moment without saying anything. All I could focus on was the nice curve of her ass in that tight, pencil skirt. I caught myself staring a little bit too long, and when she turned around, the color rose in both of our cheeks.
“Oh God,” she said, putting a hand over her heart, “I didn't hear you behind me or I wouldn't have said those kinds of things.”
“It's okay, the copy machine can be a pain in the ass sometimes,” I said with a laugh.
“Still, I need to be more careful.”
“The hell you do, Violet,” I said, “It's me. You know that shit doesn't bother me. So relax. It's okay.”
I was purposefully throwing around swear words to lighten the mood for her, and to make her laugh. Because when she laughed, she laughed all the way to her eyes and it was a beautiful sight.
“Well if you say it's okay,” she said, biting her lip and looking up at me through her thick, black lashes, “You're the boss after all.”
“And don't you forget it,” I said with a wink.
As I said it, I couldn't help but hear the flirtatious undertones, but that's not what I meant. Not at all.
Or was it?
Because the fact of the matter was, if this hadn't been Violet Maddox, the daughter of my best friend, I'd have been all over her in a heartbeat already. Her age didn't bother me, not for a fling or just some fun. Hell, I might even consider dating someone her age if she was the right girl for me. No, the only reason this one
was off-limits was because my loyalty to her family meant more to me than nailing a fine piece of ass.
And because Violet was more than just a fine piece of ass. So much more. She was also smart, caring, sweet, innocent – she was the whole package. Some guy needed to treat her right, treat her like a queen, and I knew that guy wasn't me.
“Let's go to lunch,” I said. “What are you in the mood for?”
“Anything,” she said. “I'm not picky.”
I predicted that she was going to say that. Being her first day and all, she wasn't going to impose her own tastes on me. Plus, she was a typical, indecisive female, which was why I had a few places in mind already.
“How about sushi? Think it's too early for a little sake?”
“It's never too early when you're the boss.”
“Or, when you're the boss's assistant,” I added. “Come on, I think we could use a break. We're working too hard.”
“We've hardly done anything today,” she said with a laugh.
I shrugged. “One of the benefits of being the boss, I guess.”
CHAPTER FIVE - VIOLET
Here I was having lunch with Sebastian at a fancy sushi restaurant in Beverly Hills. Who'd have thought this was going to be my life? Sure, it was a working lunch and not exactly a romantic lunch date I'd fantasized about for so many years, but it was nice and it would do.
Besides, he looked stunning, as always, sitting across from me. So much so, I caught myself staring far too long into his dreamy eyes at times, and had to remind myself to look away. I also caught myself looking around and noticing the glares of envy on the faces of some of the other women in the restaurant. I had to restrain myself from smirking and taunting them.
“So, about Bali,” I said, bringing up the trip we'd barely discussed since my interview, “How long do you think we'll be gone?”
“Five days, I expect,” he said, taking a long sip of his sake.
He'd ordered some for both of us, but mine sat untouched and I sipped from my glass of water. I still wasn't sure I should be drinking on a work lunch, especially when it was with Sebastian. My mouth could get me in trouble even when I was sober. I couldn't imagine the things I'd say with alcohol in my system.
