For some strange reason I just needed a coffee from the lobby this morning. But now it sits here next to me…not a single drop missing. Thanks to her my motor’s fully running right now, caffeine right now would probably kill me.
But as much as I’ve stuck to my no fraternizing rule all these years I know now it’s time to break it. Because of her.
There’s no doubt she would excel in that position she’s in right now. She’d be a fucking star down there. But she’s going to be my star, and that’s all there is to it.
There is no doubt I’m going to make that girl mine.
You have to be tough as steel with a heart of stone to get to where I’ve got in life. You have to know what you want and to go for it with everything. Once you get it it only gets tougher. Everyone will use any and all means possible to try and take what’s yours.
But no one’s going to take her from me. She wants to work at my company? She’s going to work directly for me.
CHAPTER 3
Olivia
I play the voicemail over again for what must be the fiftieth time. His voice is so darn sexy.
But his words? He wants me to work for him, personally.
I’m beyond nervous. I just took this job to pay off the debts my dad racked up before he passed away, and passed those debts onto me. Sure, I wanted to learn the ins-and-outs of how one of the most successful businesses in the world operated, but I certainly wasn’t expecting to meet Mr. Stone, especially so soon.
Why would he want me to be his personal assistant? If I’m overqualified for the paralegal position that wouldn’t mean I’m somehow qualified at all to be his PA. Maybe that’s not what he has in mind? The girl who showed me to his office seemed like more of a receptionist than a PA. I doubt he’s looking to replace her. She’s stunning and very professional, at least from my quick impression.
Whatever he wants me to do I’m up for the task. I want to show him I’m good enough to work for any part of his company. And the quicker I advance, hopefully the more money I can make.
I grab my workbag and head for the door. I turn the front handle reminded that it needs to be replaced soon. The thing is so wobbly it feels like it’s about to fall off. It’s barely providing any level of security as it is so how’s it going to feel when it finally does fall off and I spend the night in my apartment without a door handle?
I step outside and turn to shut the door, getting another reminder of just how dire my situation is. The couch looks like a dusty hand-me-down from the 70’s. The entire place smells musty. The white paint is peeling from the walls, and it’s not even white anymore. It’s more of a cream color from the prior tenant who apparently had a liking for cheap cigars. I really need to pick up some of those hospital masks just to avoid getting sick. Better yet I need to get out of this place. I swear the guy on the corner sells crack and those fireworks I heard on New Year’s Eve weren’t fireworks. They had to be gunshots.
But it was all I could find on short notice. The dorms don’t exactly let you stay after you graduate, and I packed my last semester so I could graduate early. I wasn’t sure I could make it, but I did at the last second. And that last second victory turned into a last second Hail Mary when I went looking for a place with nowhere to sleep that night.
I ease into my late model Ford Fiesta and laugh at the name. Life is anything but a party right now. I check myself in the mirror and realize I look like hell. I barely slept last night, instead thinking about how this meeting was going to go today. Okay, more like worrying.
I took off down the street with a mixture of worry, but also a little excitement. I had no idea how today was going to go, but it was time to find out.
My heart was pumping as fast as my engine. There’s just something about Ethan Stone that gets my blood rushing, especially now that I’ve met him face to face. I was only in his office for a few minutes and I still don’t know anything about him other than what the papers say. Still, there’s just something about him. He has some magnetic pull that just makes you want to go to him. By his demeanor I wouldn’t classify it as anything like charisma, yet somehow inexplicably it had the same pull.
And ever since I’d walked out of his office I’d felt that same magnetic pull, calling me back. I wanted to be in there again…to feel that power of his office and more importantly his own personal power. I’d thought about him the rest of the day at my desk, and the thoughts were anything but wholesome. I imaged things happening between us in that office that would make a professional madame of the night blush.
I must be crazy, but regardless I can’t deny how he made me feel.
I’d felt so powerless growing up. My dad with his gambling problem yet I didn’t know. I just always wondered why I had to get a paper route, or some kind of after school job and “chip in to the family”. After dad passed now I know what family I was actually chipping into…la famiglia.
But powerless wasn’t a word in Ethan Stone’s vocabulary. He reeked of power. He exuded confidence. And he oozed sex appeal.
And even though I’d been powerless up until this point in my life I’d worked hard and did well in school and college.
And today was my opportunity to change my position in life. I was going to show Ethan Stone just what I had to offer.
CHAPTER 4
Ethan
I’d scheduled a last minute training session for all my PA’s and assistants during the time Olivia was to come in. I wanted her all to myself, without any interruptions or anyone else on the top floor.
I want us to be alone. Just the two of us.
When she arrived at the top floor and those elevator doors opened I was immediately taken back to yesterday morning, when those elevator doors closed and I knew I had to find her. But this morning the doors are opening, not closing. And I’m about to open Pandora’s Box with her.
I escort her back into my office where she’ll be all mine. My schedule is cleared and last night before close of business I made sure to have one of my assistants notify her boss that she’d be unavailable, possibly the entire day.
She will be mine.
She fiddles with her bag which she’s placed across her lap. I can see her heel is rising in her shoe although she’s not tapping the actual shoe to the marble floors. I wonder if her teeth are chattering.
She’s surely wondering why I greeted her at the elevators personally, and why no one else is in sight. She looks confused, nervous, and excited all in one.
Even from my desk I can smell her scent. It’s a mixture of perfume and pheromones. Perfume I’ve smelled millions of times. I swear a third of the women in our office bathe in it. Her scent is light though, much more feminine. But it’s not a fragrance you can buy on a shelf. The perfume is, sure, but mixed with her it creates an incredibly intoxicating mix.
I’m hard immediately.
I’ve never not been able to control myself like today. No woman has ever had this effect on me. Normally, whether they come onto me or not, I’m just not interested.
The papers make it sound like I’ve had more success with women than even DiCaprio. If only they knew the truth. I’ve been celibate for years. I work with the best in the world because I am the best. If a celebrity actress comes by my office of course I allow her a private backdoor access, especially considering the topic of their accusations these days. The men, if you can actually call them that, in power these days have been taking of their position for years. Starting last year we started to bring them down. Show them for the true tyrants they are.
Having power is one thing. Abusing it is entirely another.
I have power, but I use that power to empower those without it. When a big shot director receives a call from me they already know it’s over. What the public doesn’t know is most of the time I donate a huge percentage of my fees to charity. Once you’re rich enough what’s the point of more? It’s better to give others a chance and try to balance out this crazy world we live in.
And what’s crazy now
is that although I’m the one giving her a chance, I feel like it’s the other way around. I’m not needy at all, but I feel like it’s her that has all the power. She has me in the palm of her hand whether she knows it or not.
I’ve spent years alone focusing all my energy on my business. Sexual pursuits were nonexistent. But now it’s time. I want her unequivocally. And I will have her.
Maybe I’m just experiencing a case of lust, but I know it’s much more than that.
The room is completely silent as I stare at her. Suddenly I can hear her breathing. Her heart rate is elevated. Even though I’ve had tremendous experience in high stakes negotiations mine is too.
Here we are a day later, and since then she’s all I’ve thought about. She’s consumed me. And oh how much I want to consume her. And I knew she would taste oh so sweet, because she was absolutely perfect. A sweet and simple girl from a small town. And now she would be my sweet and simple girl.
CHAPTER 5
Olivia
I stare at him. I feel scared and aroused at the same time. Normally fear would have my eyes darting all over the place, and certainly not holding eye contact, but for some reason not with him. Once you lock on to those blue eyes of his there’s no letting go. I grip my bag tighter, but I can still feel my hands shaking.
He just stares at me. His look penetrating me. It’s almost as if he’s looking through me, and not at me.
“There’s an aptitude test loaded onto my computer.” It wasn’t a statement, but a command.
He stands and steps to the side of his chair, placing a hand on the top as if he’s waiting on me.
I stand. My heart is beating even faster now and my legs feel weak. My balance is a bit off. I’m wobbly. I try and straighten my back and display good posture, even though I’ve fully lost the illusion of having the composure I was trying so hard to convey.
I walk up to his desk and make my way around to the back. It’s huge. I glance down quickly and catch a glimpse of his groin. Apparently the desk isn’t the only thing that’s huge. I sit down in the chair in a ladylike fashion. Just as I go to ease myself into position I hear him inhale, taking in my scent.
It’s impossible not to notice his. He smells like cut timber, a huge contrast to the perfect angles and lines of his building which is a feat of geometry and man’s ability to build things in perfect form.
I can feel his body behind me, ready to impose his will at any time if he so chooses. Not that he’s not in a position enough already.
I raise my hands to the keyboard and tap on the button that says begin.
Suddenly a barrage of questions appear. The first one looks like a warm-up question. I move my finger across the track pad to select the right answer but before I can it’s gone. The second question moves up into the first spot, as all the other questions also move up one spot.
I see what’s happening here. This is meant to throw me off balance, and it’s working. But I didn’t get all this way to lose my opportunity now.
I ignore the first two questions and look at the third, answering it right as it falls into the second position. The synapses in my brain fire quickly as I answer questions as quickly as I can. There are no green or red indicators to let me know how I’m doing…only more questions.
The faster I go the faster the test goes. It’s nerve racking.
I feel the back of my chair move back, but try and ignore it, just continuing with the test.
Suddenly there are no more questions.
I realize my heart is beating fast and I look up over my shoulder. He has both hands on the chair and he’s looking down at me with an arrogant look on his face and an air about him that’s smug, assured, and overconfident.
I wanted to know what he thought, but he gives no indication as to my performance.
“Tomorrow morning you’ll report to my office. You work for me now, but there are certain rules that come with the position.”
Rules?
“I’ll expect you tomorrow at 8:00 a.m.”
His tone was so business like, so matter of fact. He made me so emotional. He tried to turn me into a wreck, but he didn’t. I feel like I did okay. But the minute I was through with his test he sucked all the emotion and tension between us out of the room and inserted a different kind in a business sort of way.
Maybe he does this with all his personal hires. Maybe I’m nothing more than just a number to him. Maybe everything I felt was all just in my head. This game he’s come up with is simply to see who can take the pressure and who he can rattle.
If I’m nothing more than just another girl to him then I’m certainly not happy.
CHAPTER 6
Ethan
Tuesday
I wanted to delay the meeting with Miss Nakamoto, but it was too late. She was already in route to meet about our expansion into the Japanese market. Japan is all about relationships and customs whereas the States are all about deals. If Stone Solutions was to expand into the Asian market there was no better person to lead the expansion than Yui Nakamoto.
I tried to focus on her proposals and suggestions from my desk, but I was just too distracted. I knew Olivia would be in at eight at the latest. She struck me as the type to be ten minutes early, and I wasn’t about to keep her waiting.
I couldn’t wait to see her again. And I was ready to get her working in a place where she belonged. Next to me.
The button on my desk flashed indicating someone was using my private elevator. I’d left instructions with the doormen to show her the way. I looked at the clock. Fifteen ‘till eight. She was early just as I expected.
“Distracted, Mr. Stone?”
“I have another appointment who just arrived. Unfortunately we’ll have to be wrapping up. I’ll digest all this information and get back with you.”
“Since we’ll be working together so closely I was hoping you might want to…get to know each other a little better before I fly back to Tokyo.”
Yui leaned forward in her chair allowing her ample breasts to spill out of her top even more. She really could have buttoned up another button, if not two.
“That’s not the way I do business, Yui. You know that.”
She’s been trying to spark something between us for years, but I just have no interest. I don’t sleep with employees and I certainly don’t sleep with would be business partners. Those are the rules, or at least they used to be until Olivia.
“Maybe if you let me show you just how much we can do for each other than you’d reconsider.”
She opens her mouth like a circle and looks down my body to where my groin would be if there weren’t a desk in front of me.
“Miss Nakamoto, if you persist I’ll be forced to call the whole thing off.”
I look down at the CCTV camera knowing Olivia will be exiting at my floor now. I have to be there to meet her.
I stand from my desk and motion towards the door with an outstretched hand.
Fortunately Yui gets the hint. She leans back in her chair, straightening out her clothes and stands as I show her out.
The minute I open the door I see her. Olivia is there and damn she looks incredible.
She looks at me and then looks at Yui. I definitely don’t want her to get the wrong idea.
“Yui, this is Olivia. She’ll be working with me going forward.”
“Olivia this is Yui from Tokyo.”
“Nice to meet you, Yui,” Olivia says. She extends her hand and gives Yui a firm and professional handshake while adding a touch of realness with her genuine smile.
“Nice to meet you, Olivia,” Yui says.
I show Yui out, hoping she finally got the message this time. I’m not fucking around. If she keeps this up the deal’s off and I’ll delete her contact from my phone forever.
And the worst thing would be if Olivia sensed there was something between us. Olivia’s not the kind of girl who will try and steal a guy. I can tell. But there will be no stealing of this Stone. I’m going all in for her.
But with Yui, I’ve told her plenty of times I’m not interested, but I think that just makes her want something to happen between us even more.
It never will. If I needed to get off I’d jerk off. I don’t give myself to anyone unless I’m fully committed for the long term.
Like I am with Olivia. She’s just so entirely different than anyone I’ve ever met. It seems crazy to think so especially considering how many people I’ve met in and out of the office over the course of my life. But when you know, you just know.
Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter Page 2
