by Lauren Wood
“Well everything looks to be in order Claire and I think you would be a great fit here. We focus on efficiency and I can see that you will be perfect. I have talked to a couple of your professors and bosses and everyone raves about you. We need the passion they describe here. I need people that are passionate about numbers.”
It was a silly thing to say, but I could relate. Numbers were easy because they didn’t change. Everything else changed and I liked the simplicity of numbers. I found it soothing, while most found it mind numbing.
Caroline went over the pay packet and the benefits that they offered. It was higher than I would have thought and there were many perks to working there. While Future Plans was still small in comparison to their rivals, they were making a name for themselves and apparently believed in taking care of the employees. “The employees take care of the customers, so Rick likes to make sure that we are taken care of. You couldn’t ask for a better boss. He is demanding, but I am sure you won’t have any trouble here. I have a good feeling about you Claire.”
I thanked her for her kind words and the opportunity. I almost wanted to get out of there quickly so that she couldn’t change her mind. I don’t know why I was so worried about it, but I was. I needed this job and it had just fallen on my lap a little too easily. I wasn’t used to it and I am sure that is why I felt this way.
“Do you have any questions for me Claire?”
I couldn’t think of a thing. “When do you want me to start?”
Caroline smiled and the woman looked beautiful for a moment. Her smile made the rest of her face more inviting and it was almost like seeing an eclipse with the belief that you wouldn’t see it again for a very long time.
“Start tomorrow at nine sharp. Make sure you are on time. You will have a meeting with the rest of the consultants and with the CEO Rick in the morning.”
“Sounds good, thank you again.”
She told me that it was no problem. “I am just happy you applied. I was starting to think I would never fill those positions and I was going to have to do it all. We are in our busy time with all of the annual reports going out. Businesses are feeling the pinch and many want to know where all of their money is going.”
I left not long after that. Caroline had a lot of work to do and she was happier than when I first came in. She was inviting in her own way and I hoped to see her again. Caroline had changed my life and she didn’t even know it.
Going down to the fifth floor, I picked up a packet from HR and made my way out to the parking garage. I had a handful of paperwork in my hands to do with the insurance and the 401K. I felt like for the first time, I was finally an adult, with a real job and everything.
I had to call Amy with the good news, but first I had to get home. It had been a long day with a late start, but everything was starting to look up if nothing else.
Chapter 3
Rick
“Good morning baby.”
I looked to Bella and smiled. She was lying next to me and I could feel by where our skin touched that she wasn’t wearing any clothes. I don’t remember asking her to stay the night, but I wasn’t going to argue with the results of waking up to her supple body. It did something to me and it wasn’t long before I was pulling her to me. The softness of her skin was intoxicating and before long I had her on top of me. It gave her the power and me the best view in the house.
“Do you have to work today?”
I grabbed her hips to hurry her along. “You know that I do.”
My teeth gritted to the tightness surrounding me and I pulled her down for a kiss. I didn’t want to talk, but Bella had something on her mind. She was pouting, her bright red lips poked out. Did she sleep with makeup on?
Pushing her hands to my chest to brace herself, she slowed down and made me groan. It wasn’t enough to push me over and I think that was her purpose. I was starting to feel need boil up, but the way she was riding me was prolonging it. I was going to be late and didn’t have time for her antics. She knew exactly what it was that she was doing.
Rolling her underneath me, I thrust in a few times hard and fast, sending us both to the edge. I heard my name called out and it was the best start to the day.
I got up and told her that I would call her a cab.
“Why can’t I be here when you get back Rick? Do you have another girl planned for tonight?”
She shouldn’t ask questions that she doesn’t want answers to. “It’s not like that Bella. You know that I like my privacy. I will call you.”
I would too, but it would be a week or two from now. I had to give her time in between or she couldn’t get clingy fast. While Bella knew she wasn’t the only one, she still wanted to be the only woman in my life. I tried to tell her that I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but like many women, she thought falsely that she could change my mind.
“When…? And don’t say soon, I really hate when you say that.”
I was going to say soon. That was my answer to that question. I liked ambiguous answers that I couldn’t be held to. If I told her a day or a week and I didn’t call, she would pop up at my work again. “Very soon.”
Bella pouted, but I ignored the look. She did that a lot when she didn’t get her way. I would have stopped seeing her a long time ago, but Bella was talented in other ways. She was a great girl, but just not for me. I told her that one day she would find who it was she was looking for. I knew when that day came, it wouldn’t be me.
I jumped in the shower and checked the time. I had about twenty minutes to get to work and start a major meeting. The company wasn’t in trouble, but we were going to be soon enough if we didn’t get some more staff in to take care of all of the new clients. My little consulting firm had really taken off, but staffing it had become a big problem. I hoped for all of our sakes that Caroline had found a couple employees for me.
The drive to work was relaxing. After the orgasm with Bella and the jazz on the stereo, I was ready for another day. I parked in the same spot I had for several years and made my way to the elevator. All the way up to the top, I got out and stopped by the conference room. Everyone was already in there because they know how I hated tardiness. Waving at a few, I told them I would be back in a minute. I needed a cup of coffee in my hand, one that my assistant already had ready for me. It was times like this that she was a real lifesaver.
“Busy day Karen?”
“Not too bad. You have the meeting in a few minutes and then a couple of consults with Jerry Adkins. I don’t know how long that will run. You know how long-winded he is, so I left the afternoon open. If you get back from lunch before three, I have something else lined up for you. We will just see how everything is going.”
I thanked her and looked back towards the conference room. “Any new faces?”
“Caroline hired a girl yesterday. She has a great education, but no experience.”
I was not sure how that would go. It would either go really good, or it would be a disaster. I never knew which way it was going to go. “I didn’t see her in there. When does she start?”
“Today I think. Not really sure. I can find out if you want me to boss.”
I declined the offer and made my way to the conference room at the end of the hall. I was there with a handful of my best consultants, as well as the hiring manager. I looked around the room. I didn’t see anyone knew and I thought that maybe Karen had been mistaken.
“Good morning everyone. How was your evening?”
Everyone gave a nod or a short answer. I wasn’t the only one that looked like they needed coffee, so I sent Karen to get a cup for everyone. We had a lot to cover and a lot of new clients that had to be given a consultant. It was going to be a long meeting and the last thing I needed was people unable to pay attention.
When Karen came back, she was the savior to most and I pulled Caroline to the side.
“I heard you hired someone yesterday?”
She nodded and I could tell that the question made her uncomfor
table.
“Did she not show up?”
“Not yet, Sir. I told her nine. I didn’t think that she would be late. You should see her resume and she was actually almost a half an hour early for the interview.”
“Give her a few more minutes and if she doesn’t show up, keep looking.”
“Of course, Sir.”
I went to the front of the long table and sat down. I was clearing my thoughts, trying to figure out what I was going to say first, when the side door opened and a young blonde walked in. She was tall and petite, nothing special in my world. Her eyes were a blazing blue that really stuck out to me and it was hard to look away when I met her gaze. That was a little different and made her unique.
Caroline introduced her to the group and while I thought she was pretty, she was also almost fifteen minutes late. She tried to give an excuse but I stopped her. I just didn’t want to hear why. I wanted to hear that it would never happen again.
“Just sit down Miss…”
“Claire Adams.”
“Well Miss Adams, find a seat and try to keep up.”
I was slightly irritated by the new employee being late on her first day. I was sure it was to make sure that her shoes and her black bag matched, or that her makeup was perfect. I didn’t think she was going to last long.
The meeting went as expected. There was a lot to cover, namely several new clients that had set up consultations. It was more than I could take on and that is why I was building the consulting team. I eyed the young blonde that was staring wistfully out the window.
“Am I boring you Miss. Adams?”
Her name jolted her up from her seat and she shook her head that I wasn’t.
“This is where I give out assignments. Do you think you are ready for one?”
I expected her to get a nervous look on her face, wide eyes, but she just nodded her head that she was ready. I was surprised, shocked even, but I had to begrudgingly admit to myself that I liked her spunk. She looked me right in the eyes, accepting the challenge. I had thrown down the gauntlet and that didn’t seem to bother her one bit.
Caroline interjected that it was literally her first day and I remembered her saying she was fresh out of college with no experience, but I couldn’t back down from a challenge any more than she could apparently.
“I think that if Miss Adams wants to give it a shot, we should let her. Our reputation is not so fragile.”
I wasn’t even going to pretend that I had faith in her. I didn’t have much, but I wanted to see how it would all turn out. My aggravation had turned to intrigue. I usually knew what was going to happen next, but this time I was left in the dark. It was a nice change of pace from everything that was so predictable.
“You can have Baker’s Food. I will need a report on my desk by the end of the week. Since it is only three days away, I suggest you get started.”
She thanked me, but didn’t budge. “Now Miss Adams, you need to get started now.”
“You want me to leave the meeting?”
The exasperated feelings were coming back and I shook my head up and down slowly like she was an idiot. I don’t know what possessed me to, but there was something about that woman that put me on edge. I didn’t like inconsistency and surprises and she was both.
***
“You were kind of harsh on her, don’t you think?”
I shook my head that I didn’t know what she was talking about, but we both know that I did. She was talking about Miss Adams. Caroline didn’t usually say anything to me in this way, but she seemed to have a protective feel for her.
“She was late. You know I don’t tolerate tardiness.”
“Her only cat died this morning. She had to dispose of the body before she came in.”
Still I didn’t see what had caused her to be so late. “As cold as it is outside, you would think she would have just chucked it in the bin.”
“That was even worse.”
I tried to look innocent. “What? I don’t like cats.”
Caroline just shook her head at me like there was no hope for me and I had to admit that she could have been onto something. Was I that rough on her?
“Well, be a little nicer. It took me weeks to find her. You keep scheduling all these consults and it is going to be me and you doing them all.”
“You aren’t going to leave me because I am too mean?”
She nodded that she wouldn’t. “You are like a little puppy. Your bark is worse than your bite. They just don’t know it yet.”
I watched the young woman leave and I had to admit that she made me pause. I didn’t look at what I was doing all that much, not really. There wasn’t a lot of time for self-reflection and I can’t say that I really liked it all that much. I didn’t want to think about how I was perceived by the rest of the world.
“Well you will just have to wait and see.”
I had a feeling that I was going to be proven right. I don’t think the young girl was going to be up to snuff. Caroline had faith in her, but I didn’t. I think for all of her bravado, I would have to go back over the numbers and find out where Baker’s Food was bleeding money. It is what I did after all.
The idea that I would be wrong, never actually crossed my mind.
**END OF PREVIEW**
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BE MY BRIDE
Chapter 1
Keenan
“Sir, can we please have a picture?”
I tried not to look annoyed as I got out of the vehicle. I was here for a charity event, but there was never a situation in this world that didn’t involve the press. I smiled for the cameras and then put my hand out to get Ashlyn out of the limo. She was my date for the night and I might as well get the picture part over with.
We stood together for a few moments while the flashes blinded my eyes before I told them that it was enough. I was there to give away a large amount of money, the last thing I needed was to be blind for the rest of the night. As I walked into the banquet hall, there were still bright colored blotches in my eyes that I was trying to blink away.
“It is so beautiful Keenan, don’t you think?”
I looked around and agreed. It was a nice place, decorated to the hilt and I had to wonder how much of the donations tonight were going to pay for that. It would have been more fiscally responsible to just send the money in, but this was how the charity world worked. Half of the money raised was spent to congratulate the ones that donated. It was a vicious cycle and I was only here because my father insisted. He didn’t insist much, but tonight was for him. He had even remarked that I should bring a lady of class with me as well. When I found out about those on the guest’s lists, I heeded his warning.
Ashlyn was as close as I could get on such short notice. Most of the women that I saw were models and debutants, but that didn’t make them any kind of classy when a few drinks were in them. My father had asked that I didn’t bring one of my whores with me. Ashlyn was a woman I had met through the family years ago. We had a few dalliances until we realized that we were better as friends. She was the only one that I knew I wanted around that long and I loved the look on her face.
“You act like you haven’t seen a place like this before.”
She gave me a look that reminded me what else I knew about her. She hadn’t come from the same world as me and I was sure that was part of why I got along with her so well. She had none of the airs that the usual women I dated did. She didn’t care what designer she had on or what kind of drink was in the glass. I didn’t have to spend all of my time trying to impress her and she could just enjoy herself. I was almost envious at the way that she could see everything in a positive way.
“Sorry, I didn’t think about it.”
Ashlyn waved me off and was going for a tray of dri
nks. She looked back at me and asked if I wanted one. It was rather ridiculous for her to ask, but that was just how she was. Ashlyn didn’t have time for how things were supposed to be.
“Here. At least they have good food and drinks. I don’t know why you were so hesitant to come. It looks like it is going to be a good time.”
“Only you would think so.”
“Only you could be a sour puss in the middle of all of this. Come on, let’s get something to eat. Is there going to be any bands playing or anything like that? I really want to dance.”
Her brown eyes were alight and I wished for a moment that there was something more than a friendship between us. For all intent and purpose, we should have been more. My father would have hated me not marrying a rich woman, but that would almost be a bonus. There just wasn’t that chemistry between us that a woman and man needed to be more. It really was a shame. She was perfect, just not for me. I almost felt more like her brother, protective of her in that way.
I told her that we would dance in a little while after we ordered our plates. I was just tired of the same people around me all of the time and it was shocking how many of the same people I had seen at the last charity drive. That one was for children’s relief fund. I really couldn’t be sure because all of these things seemed to run together.
When we found our names for the seating, I saw that I was going to be next to Ronald Gray. He was a business man that was old to the investing game. He was a man that I had tried to get ahold of several times, but I was never able to secure an appointment. It didn’t matter that I was worth a few billion. He had more money than God from what I heard and I wanted a piece of it.
It was one of the main reasons that my father had told me to make an appearance and Ronald was literally the only reason that I had. To my chagrin though, the man wasn’t there yet. I had to hope that he hadn’t sent someone else in his stead. It would be my luck.
