A Perfect Business Arrangement

by Gemma Arlington

  A couple of taxis pulled up and we all crowded into them, heading for Club 59’s grand opening. I could guarantee it was going to be a popular hangout for tonight. Pulling up outside the club, it appeared that half the city had decided this would be the place to visit, just like I predicted.

  Rubin paid the driver as a man came to open the door for us to exit. Stepping out onto the sidewalk, I almost lost my balance. The flash of photographers starting to snap away was not helping me or my mood.

  I gripped the gentleman who had just opened the taxi door for me and tried my best to regain my composure.

  “I think they think you’re a celebrity,” the man remarked. I took a deep breath and smiled at him. I guess he knew very little about who I was, which was refreshing. My mother, however, was going to kill me when she saw these pictures.

  I straightened up and thanked the guy before he escorted me toward the security detail stationed at the entrance. They didn’t seem fazed by the excitement outside and ushered our group in through the double doors without checking our IDs.

  “Man, that was crazy. Are they always like that with you, Blake?” I heard someone ask. I smiled and thought of the last time they had caught me out on the town clubbing. The paps seemed to find me everywhere, everywhere but Australia, which is why I enjoyed being anonymous over there.

  The only reason I knew they were following me again was due to the nature of my homecoming to the States. It was no secret why I returned; I was one of the most sought after people in my field. I could make or break a company as easy as writing my name on a piece of paper.

  Crawford Enterprises was one of the

  biggest and most well-known companies in the country. It also meant I was now going to be hot news, which inevitably meant I would be followed around like a hawk by the evil photographers.

  “It gets much worse,” I groaned as we descended the stairs into the basement of the building. The music pumping through the sound system, the crowd inside already enjoying the night, it made me realize that I was starting to get too old for this. It was just going on eleven but if I was correct, Lils would be partying until the wee hours of the morning.

  As we finally made it down the stairs, we were stopped in our tracks by some burly-looking guy in black. He was cute, but the look on his face told me more than I needed to know. He was a security officer here at the club, according to his badge. His name was Barkley.

  “Miss, I have been informed that your party has a booth reserved. If you will follow me, please?” Barkley smiled as he began to usher us on.

  I turned around and shrugged my shoulders at Lils and Mira, who just smiled and pushed me on. We followed the security officer up a flight of stairs onto a balcony which housed several booths for VIP guests.

  The majority of them were all taken up by couples and groups. I could see a few celebrities

  who looked like they wanted to remain anonymous. I was no celebrity but sometimes I wished the paparazzi would stop with their harassment and just allow me to live a normal life.

  My cell started to vibrate in my clutch. I stopped in the middle of walking to the booth and forgot the group was behind me, which meant Mari bumped into me. It didn’t affect her as she just smiled and continued to follow the group.

  I swiped my finger across the touch pad, bringing the screen to life. A picture and small article loaded. It was an article about me and how I was attending a club opening tonight. The picture was one taken only minutes ago outside. The caption read, Blake Grabs Attention at a Club Opening in Chicago.

  I laughed. They must be kidding themselves if they thought I was here for the attention. In all honesty, I could have easily stayed in and ordered a pizza while watching bad movies.

  “Are you alright?” Lily asked, making me jump.

  “Look at this shit,” I said, handing her my phone. I wasn’t sure she could even read at this stage but she squinted at the cell and seemed to grasp what I was showing her.

  “They think you’re out on the town to

  grab attention. What for?” she yelled.

  “To promote Crawford Enterprises, which you haven’t even started working for yet?” She continued to bellow over the loud music, handing me back my cell, “Don’t let it worry you. How about I order a round of shots and we have a little bit of fun…? There are plenty of cute guys here, and maybe even a football player or two, to enjoy the night with.” She winked, referring to one of the VIP guests who was clearly enjoying the female attention.

  I laughed and threw my phone back into my clutch, deciding to forget about the shit that I knew was going to hit the fan, and a lot sooner than I could have anticipated at that moment.

  Chapter Four

  Blake

  “You remind me of someone,” the hottie leaning on the bar said with a smile. Those pretty pearly whites should be illegal, as should his accent.

  “Let me guess, I remind you of your ex-girlfriend, or maybe your mother, in which case you will be going home alone tonight,” I rudely replied, almost bitting the guy’s head off.

  I bit on my bottom lip to stop myself from spitting anymore comebacks. I hadn’t realized the many shots of tequila and vodka had made me one evil bitch. It didn’t help that I was still reeling from that article sent to me. Over the course of my night I had also been sent a few more pictures with captions that the gossip columns were running with.

  “Oh come on baby, you’re nothing like my ex, or my mother, for that matter,” he laughed, downing the rest of his drink and cozying up beside me.

  He was cute, I had to admit, with his charcoal turtleneck and tight-fitting jeans. The messy-hair look was such a popular thing and I had to agree it had a certain appeal which attracted the ladies. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the mood and I seriously didn’t need another one-night-stand under my belt.

  I laughed at his carefree way of speaking to me. That was something I could admire, but I wasn’t nearly as drunk as I would like to be. Which in turn meant the guy would be getting nothing out of me tonight… or any night, for that matter.

  I was grateful when after ten minutes of his flirting tactics he got the hint and moved his focus to Mari. She seemed pleased with his one-liners and small talk. I looked around for Lily, who was off on the crowded dance floor with Rubin. I plucked out my cell from my clutch and texted her. I was tired, needed sleep, so I was heading home. I wanted a decent night’s rest. I placed my phone back in my bag and started to walk toward the exit. Soon I was stepping out into the cool morning air of the windy city.

  Australia was so warm even at three a.m., but here it was starting to cool down, which meant that winter was not far off. I wrapped my arms around my body and smiled at the young guy who’d helped me out of the cab when I first arrived. He returned my grin before helping me into a waiting taxi and waving me off.

  ***

  “Shit,” I heard Lily cry from down the hall.

  At some ridiculous time this morning she came banging on my door, apparently ending her night on a high note. She and Rubin slept with, or in her words “fucked each other senseless,” in the bathroom of Club 59. How she managed to get away with something like that I will never know. What Lily did in the public bathrooms of clubs was her business. I turned my omelet in the pan and braced myself for the impact of the night before.

  “Fuck me… please tell me you have Advil?” she moaned, plonking herself at the breakfast bar. I smiled and walked into the lounge to retrieve my handbag.

  “So, leaving aside the extremely detailed description of your sex-a-thon with Rubin last night, what else did you do?” I enquired, curious as to how much she had to drink. Her make-up was smeared, lipstick half up her cheek and by the lack of clothing, I would say little Miss Lily did more than Rubin last night. Well I suspect she did, due to her lack of clothing.

  She groaned again as I handed her the Advil and a glass of water. “I don’t remember much, but I’m sore today,” she giggled.

  I turned my gaze to look
at her, the grin informing me of all the information I didn’t need

  to know. Shaking my head I returned to my task of making breakfast.

  “Would you like something to eat?” I asked, knowing she should put something in her stomach. I understood though when you’re suffering from a hangover sometimes food can be the last thing you want. She nodded her reply as she placed her head in her folded arms on the benchtop.

  We ate the egg white omelet I had prepared and then I went to fix her a bath. While she was soaking, I decided to investigate the apartment, keen to see what things I could buy to liven up the place. The three-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment was way too big for just me, but then again, I enjoyed having my own space. I also enjoyed the fact that this particular apartment had stunning views of downtown and the surrounding areas. It also had personal security, which to me was a total bonus considering the photographers vying to snap my picture last night.

  The Eluvium Apartments were recently built and it seemed they were built to house some of the city’s richest residents. It cost me a small fortune to buy this place but I couldn’t complain, I could have easily spent it on things I didn’t need, but I preferred to invest. Real-estate was something I had always wanted to capitalize on, however what with my job and traveling the globe, I never found the time.

  Lily decided on a nap after her soak in the tub, she was exhausted and I knew she could get grumpy without decent rest. Besides, it gave me plenty of time to browse through the Crawford website. I wanted to gain a little insight into what or who I was dealing with.

  Crawford Enterprises was enormous. It employed a large amount of people yearly and it charity work was extremely important to the company. It was a fast-growing enterprise that others needed to watch out for. Dealing with social media, security systems, surveillance, and a wide array of other technology, the business was booming.

  The website was extremely detailed and it told me what I needed to know in regards to the CEO and all other managers from the different branches of the company. I double-clicked on the head of the Social Media department, interested to see his credentials. In fact, I was more intrigued to see the man I was set to work for.

  His picture popped up, freezing me in my tracks. “Oh shit,” I whispered. I was glued to the screen, unable to move, completely in awe of the sexy specimen in front of me with the most intense green eyes I had ever seen.

  “Who is that?” Lils called from behind me as she leaned over the back of the couch. She had got up to get a glass of water. “He is damn fine,” she added.

  “My new boss,” I said, unable to tear my eyes from the photo on the screen. I bet he looked amazing in the flesh. I felt a sudden shiver of excitement at the thought of being in the same room as the man. I needed to get a grip; this guy was my boss, not someone I could think of as a man I wanted to sleep with. Though I’ll admit just his picture alone had me fantasizing: me lying by the pool, sun beaming down, wearing those cute shorts I wore a lot when I lived in Australia, him rubbing lotion on my naked back.

  “If that’s your boss, you’re fucked,” Lils remarked as she took a seat on the couch next to me. I finally tore my eyes away from the screen to look at her. She was just as much in awe as I was. It seemed the guy was a magnet to women. You didn’t even have to be near him to feel the sudden pull. I took a deep breath and tried to focus.

  “Shopping?” I enquired, needing the distraction. Lily grinned and clapped her hands together, jumping from the couch like she was some schoolgirl about to be released for recess. I reluctantly shut down my laptop, trying not to think too much about the gorgeous boss. I knew I was going to find it difficult to not think about him at the best of times while working. I placed my laptop on the couch and went in search of my handbag. A little retail therapy was certainly in order.

  Chapter Five

  Blake

  The Sky Deck Chicago. One hundred and three floors above the city. I loved the feeling of being high, so high that the sudden feeling of falling gave me the biggest rush. The Sky Deck was Chicago’s version of New York City’s Empire State building. It overlooked everything Chicago had to offer, from the business district to the Lincoln Park Zoo, Hyde Park, even all the way out to the Alder Planetarium. The Sky deck was 1,353 ft. and I was grateful Lily had persuaded me to come and see it. I thought my apartment had some of the best views, but up here with three hundred and sixty degree views, I felt like I was flying.

  Our shopping trip had been productive, maybe a little too productive. I’d bought a lot of things I probably shouldn’t have, but then again, it felt nice to splurge a little.

  I had another call from my overbearing mother stating she was coming to town next weekend with my father on business.

  She seemed fine and the call didn’t linger on. She was at the gym with her personal trainer and was quick to end the call. I was happier for it.

  Lily on the other hand kept teasing me about my sexy new boss. I tried not to think about it. In all honesty, the guy was gorgeous, but I needed to focus on working with him, not daydreaming about him.

  Percy drove Lily back to her apartment after he dropped me off with all my new purchases. I would have some serious unpacking to do eventually, but I had a million things on my mind and sleep was about to become one of them.

  ***

  I was showered, dressed and ready for Percy to drive me to the Crawford building in the downtown business district. It was just going on eight in the morning, still early, but I wanted to familiarize myself with the office.

  First impressions are everything, and damn this place was stunning. It was encased in glass, which I happened to love since it let in the natural light.

  The ground floor was remarkable with its

  marble floors and an indoor fountain that was surrounded by a rainforest-like garden. Unusual and unique, the effect was striking. I was so absorbed by the whole concept that I didn’t notice that I had an audience.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice called from behind me. I turned around and immediately wished I hadn’t.

  “It is beautiful,” I whispered, trying to tear my eyes away from the attractiveness that was standing so close. I could feel his warmth radiating toward me. I was a deer caught in headlights, unable to move or think about anything rational. I knew now that turning around was a mistake, I was here to work not gaze at pretty things all day.

  I smiled, “I better be going.”

  “You’re new, am I correct?” he enquired with a smile, drawing my attention to those plump perfect lips. This was the last thing I needed, crushing on some office hottie. I mentally shook myself and snapped into work mode.

  I extended my hand, “I’m Blake.”

  “Pleasure to meet you, welcome to the building,” he replied with a grin as he placed his hand in mine to shake it. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until he pulled away.

  My hand was tingling from the sensation of his

  palm in mine. This was bad; I needed to focus on

  my new job. I smiled and started toward the bay of lifts on the north side of the building. I passed though security and into a waiting lift.

  “I hope to see you again,” he called out as the lift doors closed. I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to stifle the smile I knew was on my lips. I didn’t have time to think about the office hottie because it seemed that just as the lift doors closed, they opened again on the fifteenth floor. I walked into yet another beautifully-decorated foyer. A receptionist sat behind a big steel desk, smiling up at me.

  “You must be Miss Wright. Mr. Harris is expecting you. Follow the corridor down to the double doors at the end. I’ll call him and let him know you’re here,” the receptionist stated.

  I followed her instructions to the double door at the end, knocking and waiting for a reply. Within seconds the door opened and a big smile greeted me. Carter Harris was the hot boss I had been drawn to in the picture on the web. That photo however didn’t do him justice. Not at all. He was
tall, much taller than me, and I was wearing some killer heels to boost my height. His hair was in a crew cut, which suited him and brought out his facial features, such as his big intriguing green eyes. The color of his skin was just another feature that made me want to swoon and drool over him.

  I took a deep breath and smiled the best I could as I looked up into those eyes.

  “Good morning,” he said, stepping out of the way and ushering me into his office before closing the door behind us. I took a few unsteady steps and then froze as I stared at the wall of TV screens which were streaming live footage. I knew the company delved into security and surveillance as well as social media, but it was interesting to see how the surveillance worked.

  “Take a seat; make yourself at home,” he commented, pointing to the chair in front of his desk.

  “I suspect these people have no clue you watch them all day?” The words slipped from my mouth.

  “Who says I watch them?” he replied. That smile made my insides warm up. I took a seat opposite his desk and gazed around. His workplace was like most, besides the wall of screens. There was a big mahogany wooden desk, which had mounds of paperwork piled on top of it. A few potted plants, comfy chairs. The office even had a bar which I could guess was stocked with some hard liquor. A little liquid courage would help calm the nerves shooting through me.

  “You must see a lot of things you don’t wish to see?” I asked curiously. I really wanted to know if he ever caught people shop lifting,

  running a red light, fist fights or worse, public

  sex. I looked down at my knotted hands, taking in a deep breath.

  “You’re blushing,” he smirked, “What is so amusing?”

  I shook my head. “Nothing,” I replied.

  He didn’t push the subject, instead changing the topic and putting me slightly at ease. “You’re a hard woman to get a hold of. As one of the best in your field, it means you’re a very sought after lady. It’s why Mr. Crawford paid handsomely for you,” Carter remarked.