by Leah Holt
Holding up my hand, I stopped her from saying anymore. “I don't,” I said, slipping my hand around the back of her neck and pulling her in for a kiss.
It was just a kiss, a simple kiss that to most would mean nothing at all. But I felt something, I felt my heart as it beat and the air as it seeped into my lungs. I felt my body as her lips curved over mine and our tongues danced.
Pulling away, Nola adjusted her dress and ran her fingers through her hair to fix it. “How do I look? Can you tell I just got laid?”
“You look gorgeous, and yes, you're fucking glowing.” My grin lifted to my ear as I wriggled my brows to tease her.
Slapping my chest, she gripped the handle in her hand. “It's been fun, Ash, but it ends here. You know that right?”
Nodding my head, a twinge of pain jolted through my chest. “I get it, no worries.” She started to step inside, but I yanked her back, kissing her one last time.
I held on for as long as I could, sealing her mouth with mine. I knew it ended there. I knew that I would never see this woman again after this night.
So I kissed her, I embedded the feel of her lips against mine in my brain, of the scent of her skin in my nose, of the taste of her tongue in my mouth, and the feel of her body in my hands.
Not one piece of this moment would get lost. I wanted to make sure I took note of everything, because I never wanted to forget this woman.
She was special. I didn't know a fucking thing about her, but I could feel just how amazing she truly was. Nola wasn't like any other women I had met, and a part of me was going to miss having the chance to learn more about her.
And as I watched her walk off and disappear into the crowd, I blew her an invisible kiss.
She wouldn't see it, she wouldn't know it came, but I would.
My lips were a hidden marker on her skin, and if I was lucky, maybe one day I'd find her again.
Chapter Two
Nola
“Good morning, Ms. York,” Beth passed me a few folders, all stacked in the order I would need. “You have your nine o'clock meeting in the large conference room, that's the green folder. At ten Mr. Jacobs will be calling to get your final go ahead on next months cover, blue folder.” She walked briskly at my side, scanning her small electronic planner as I sipped my coffee and held the folders against my ribs. “Blaire needs to know your top five picks for November's fall festive feature, she said no later than this afternoon, and—”
“Beth,” I said, cutting her off and stopping short in the thin hall that led us directly to the conference room. “Is all of this in the e-mail you sent me yesterday?”
“Of course, it's all there.”
Forcing a smile, I tilted my head, doing my best to not sound too short or annoyed. “Thank you then, I've got this.” Holding out my mug, I glanced back over her shoulder. “You can go back to your desk now.”
It wasn't that I didn't like having an assistant to make sure I was on top of things, but in all honesty, I had been doing this job for as long as I could remember. I took my first steps in this very hall, I picked cover images and helped my father with fresh new ideas and creative articles that would grab people's attention.
When my father created this magazine thirty-three years ago, he dreamed about it growing into what it was today. We had become nationally recognized, showcasing anything and everything you could think of.
High end models and celebrities didn't think twice about being on the cover, up and coming products wanted to be featured in the pages. . . His dream had come true.
And now it was my baby to care for, my legacy to carry on in his name.
Beth had worked for my father for years, and when he passed the keys to me six months ago, I debated reassigning her to someone else. I just hadn't found the right person for her.
She was too sweet for some of our cut throat photographers or writers on staff, they would eat her alive. HR already had three secretaries of their own and our new product department was still in its early stages. For the time being, Beth was stuck with me and I was stuck with her.
“Yes, Ms. York, I'll be at my desk if you need me.”
“Beth, please, just call me Nola.” Smiling, my eyes softened. “You've known me since I was five years old, you don't need to be so formal, even if I am your boss.” Winking, I let my smile widen. “I think we're past formalities at this point.”
Laughing, Beth's lids lowered with her smile. Her age was written all over her face in strong lines and well chartered creases. “I know, I know, it just doesn't feel right. I'd hate for people to think I have special treatment.”
“Screw them if they do, I'll just fire them all.” Giggling, I waved my cup in the air.
“God, you sound just like your father.” Crossing her arms over her chest, Beth grinned as she turned and started for her desk. Glancing back at me over her shoulder, she said, “Alright, just don't tell them till Friday, I heard that's the best day to let people go.” Her brows jumped up and down on her forehead as she gave me one last smile.
Maybe I will just leave her where she is.
Beth was like a second mother to me, so I knew it must have been weird for her to have me as her boss. I went from that annoying little kid in the halls to the woman in charge. And when my mother passed away last year, she stepped in and gave me a shoulder to cry on. She was more than an employee, she was family.
Walking into the conference room, I looked around the long table at all the new faces. I wasn't in charge of training any of the new employees, but I always made it a point to be there for their first day orientation.
It was important for them to see me, to know who I was and who held the power in this place. Yes, there was a team of people that worked beneath me, but when it came down to it, this entire enterprise fell on my shoulders.
Sterning my face, I erased the playful smile I had with Beth and kept my expression stoic and unreadable. First impressions were everything in this business, and mine had to be hard as hell.
My father's name was still the face of this company, and I was going to keep up the persona he created. The York's were a no bullshit family. I did my best to give what I could to local charities, I had plenty to share. But in house, in this world, I was a pit-bull.
And no one messed with my shit.
“Ah, and here she is, the woman of the hour, your new boss, Ms. Nola York.” Clint raised his hand high, fanning it out in my direction.
Rolling my eyes, I gave a half-hearted smile to Clint and shut the door. “Thank you, and good morning everyone.” Stepping to the chair at the head of the table, I placed the folders and my cup down, but didn't sit. Gripping the back of the seat, I looked out at the small group of people. “Welcome, the fact that you're here tells me something about who you are.”
Everyone sitting gave me a big, eager smile, all of them blatantly trying to kiss my ass. The man closest to me shifted in his seat and held out his hand. “Dylan Ryhart, it's a pleasu—”
Clint stepped in between us, placing his hands at his waist and puffing up his chest. “There will be plenty of time for formalities, but right now,” he snapped, pointing a firm finger in his face. “You get to just sit and listen.”
Ugh. . . This fucking guy.
Grabbing Clint's shoulders, I moved him out of the way. Holding out my hand to Dylan, I gave Clint a side-eyed glare. “It's great to have you on our team.” Shaking Dylan's hand, Clint's face hardened.
You need to stop, I don't need you to protect me. Holding his gaze for a moment, I was hoping he could read my mind.
Clint was second in charge, he had almost as much power as I did; almost. But it drove me crazy that he felt the need to be my protector, to showcase his authority and act like I needed him to stand up for me.
I didn't need shit from that man.
Releasing my grip, I took a step back and kept speaking. “I won't take up too much of your time, my colleague Clint can do this with his eyes closed.” Glancing over at him, I saw his ches
t thicken with the gesture of faith, as if it was some hidden compliment to his manliness.
It wasn't.
I just wanted him to recognize his place, maybe have it register in that single framed mind of his that that's where the line was drawn. We were colleagues, nothing more.
He was a thorn in my ass that just wouldn't go away. No matter what I said, no matter how much I tried to avoid him, I couldn't get rid of him. He was a persistent douche, who as of recently, was more enemy than friend.
Taking a few steps towards the window, I cupped my hands behind my back. “Some of you might know, but for those that don't, my father—”
The conference door swung open hard and fast. A frazzled man's voice burst through the air like explosive sound waves. “Sorry, traffic was horrible this morning.”
I kept my eyes out the window, watching the man's shadow as it slinked into the closest open seat he could find. “I don't know what time zone you live in, but we start our morning at nine sharp. I should send you on your way just for being late. The traffic isn't an excuse, you should apologize for being less than ready for your first day. I'm not paying you to waste my time.”
Spinning on my heels, my eyes connected with his, and a sharp pain stabbed me in the chest. A tender smirk teased the very edges of his lips as his eyes lit like liquid fire.
“My sincerest apologies, it won't happen again.” His voice was low and husky, filled with the same thickness I remembered.
Ash, the Greek god who seduced me, the wall of muscle that stole my rational thoughts, replacing them with dirty memories. My one night stand from the banquet, my one weak moment where I lost all inhibition and let myself go.
Holy shit. . .
My heart skipped as I stood silent, allowing the awkward quiet to spill through the room like ocean waves. I was speechless, suddenly unaware of everyone else in the room staring at us, and I couldn't find anything to say.
Biting his bottom lip, Ash dipped his head into chest, his eyes licking my body the same way they had that night. I felt the heat in my core as it made my thighs tremble with memories of what he had done to me on that balcony.
“I. . . It. . . I sure hope it doesn't.” The words stumbled out uncontrolled and lacking finesse as the rest of the room stared up at me with a look of uncertainty.
Damn, this guy is throwing me off.
My reputation was well known throughout the city. I was supposed to be a cold-hearted bitch who didn't play nice if you stepped on my toes. I was the daughter of Rolland York, a splinter cut off the same bark.
If you fucked up, you got fired. If you gave me shit, you got fired. There was only one person who had been able to get away with that stuff and it wasn't because I enjoyed having him around.
Clint arched a brow, his eyes flicking between the stranger and myself. Taking it upon himself to adjust the lingering awkwardness in the room, he said, “Normally, you don't get a warning, you just get booted. Ms. York doesn't tolerate people coming and going as they please.” Shooting me a quick glance, he went on. “You must have caught her in a good mood.”
Stepping to my side, Clint attempted to wrap his arm around my waist. Taking a long stride away, I curled my arms around my ribs, unable to take my eyes off of Ash.
The same feelings I felt that night swirled in my belly, making my knees weak and my heart quicken.
Not here, not in my world.
Pulling myself together, my back stiffened and I took a deep breath. “He's right, normally I would just tell you to collect your stuff and leave. I don't ever give second chances, so don't make this a habit, understood?”
“I'm very sorry, I'll try from now on to give you better things to hold against me.” Ash's smile grew wide and erotic as his teeth gleamed bright behind his lips. “It won't happen again.”
I wasn't sure if everyone else caught his sly little remark, but I sure as hell did. My body went up in flames, my sex became warm and wet with arousal. I felt crazy and embarrassed that my panties were soaked at the most inappropriate time.
Get it together! You're in charge around here, so be in charge!
Stepping to the end of the table, I dug the tips of my nails into the dark walnut top. “I won't tolerate anything less. Don't screw up something that you haven't even started.” I did my best to regain control of my body, to keep my voice steady and not let the damn butterflies take over.
But fuck me if that man hadn't burrowed into my chest and brain. I could feel his eyes as they pierced my skull, riding down over the surface, making my skin prickle. The heat off his body was hitting me from across the table as flashes of our balcony encounter played in my head.
The feel of his bulge against my ass, the way his lips tickled my skin, how deep his cock went and how it felt when I came all over him; it was the most erotic experience I ever had, and I thought he would be cemented to just a memory.
Yet, here he was, sitting at the end of the table, taking my clothes off with his eyes and making me want him again.
Snapping my shoulders square, I stalked to my chair and pulled it out. Taking my seat, I opened up the top folder and started going through the new employee files.
Stay focused, just read the files.
Forcing my eyes to stay down, I attempted to read the information that Beth had provided for me. The words became a giant blurred mess of ink and lines. I couldn't pinpoint one single detail, not even the name on the top.
Just knowing that Ash was ten feet away with his gaze anchored on me, I couldn't focus on shit. Clint's voice was humming in the background, his words lost to the buzzing in my head. The room seemed to shrink around me, the air grew hot and dense as my body reacted to the wall of muscle stalking me in my seat.
Clint kept babbling and rambling, going through the same shit he always did, unaware of the lethal concoction that had been allowed into the room. Ash was a tall glass of alcohol and all I could think about was having another drink.
I felt the weight of Clint bearing down on my back as he stood behind me, placing both his hands on the tops of my shoulders and squeezing. Shrugging him off, I jerked my eyes up to look at Ash. His face had changed, tinting with this hue of jealousy.
What's that look for?
Narrowing his eyes at Clint, his lip curled protectively. He looked like he wanted to launch out of his chair and claw Clint's eyes from his head.
I don't think I'd object if he tried. I'd probably even throw a few strikes myself.
The tension seeped into the air, layering my body like a heavy blanket. But I was the only one who felt it, no one else looked uncomfortable. Taking a moment to glance around the table, everyone was attentively listening to Clint, taking notes and nodding in agreement.
Not Ash though. Ash's gaze had reattached to mine, holding me stagnant in my chair. My breathing picked up as he shifted his stare around my face with a small smile dancing on the corner of his lip. His eyes were unworldly, devouring my body in a room full of people as if we were the only two there.
“And your name is?” Clint asked, pointing down the table.
“Ash, Ash Devoy.”
“Well, Mr. Devoy, most of our new hires don't sit like a puppet with no strings on their first day. Do you see these people? They're taking notes, they're making sure they don't miss a thing.”
“I'm not most hires.” Leaning back in his chair, Ash rested his elbow on the table, softly sliding his index finger around his thumb.
Clint took in a deep breath, taking a few steps closer. “You do realize that this is only day one and you're not making the best impression here. We don't need you, you're here because you need us.”
Ash peered up, letting his eyes settle on Clint's. “Your point?”
Glancing over at me, Clint's mouth dropped open as he shot me a look. He was giving me the stare, the one that says, 'What the fuck, Nola, do something.'
I couldn't lie, I was getting a kick out of it. Clint was a dick, plain and simple. But it wasn't good practice to sit th
ere and take pleasure in the fact that Ash wasn't just bending over for him.
Alright, fine, I'll do something. . .
“Mr. Devoy, let's not forget that the CEO is sitting right here. If you still want a job at the end of the day, I'd suggest you show Mr. Strauss some respect. . .” Pausing, I picked up my pen and started nibbling on the edge as I leaned back in my seat. “Even if he's a hard man to give it to.”
A few snickers could be heard from some of the other people, and I tried my best not to smile. It didn't work.
Clint whipped his body in my direction like I had just chopped his manhood into bits in front of a stadium of onlookers.
“Mr. Strauss, please continue with orientation,” Ash said, holding an open palm to his chest. “I assure you, I'm good at what I do. I know I won't disappoint you.” Pushing his gaze past Clint, his eyes reached mine, causing my heart to skip a beat. “I'm sure there are others who can tell you the same thing.”
We had this moment, a moment that was only between the two of us, unrecognizable to the rest of the world. The green in his eyes flickered with gold highlights and pops of bronze, his tongue tempted the opening of his lips as he gave me a hidden smile.
No one else saw it, no one else knew of the intimate memory that we shared. There were soundless motions and voiceless feelings brewing like a dark cloud above us. I half expected the ceiling to start soaking us in giant raindrops and shooting fierce lightening bolts, striking me down.
You can't do this, not here.
Clint grumbled a few words I didn't catch, carrying on with his training. Ash behaved for the rest of the forty-five minutes, but his eyes never strayed. We were frozen on each other, neither one of us able to break the invisible chain tying us together.
“Alright, if you'll all move out into the hall, I'll be right there to give you a tour and show you where you'll be working.” Clint tapped his papers on the table, his eyes zeroing in on mine, cold and upset.
Looking beyond Clint's face, Ash stood from his seat, walking slowly towards the door. He mouthed a few words, exaggerating his lips to make sure I understood.
