Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe: The Billionaire Stands Alone (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Mackay Destiny Book 6)

by Kate Richards

  And nothing could be further from the truth. Being so much younger than everyone in college and grad school, she’d rarely dated, never even tried heavy petting. She’d been jail bait when she got her master’s degree for heaven’s sake.

  And here she was, clothing askew, hair no doubt a mess, and lips swollen from the kisses of her new employer. Maybe she was a tramp. She’d just been too busy with school and work to notice. If it had been a possibility, she’d have quit the job and headed back to New York at that moment.

  What was wrong with her?

  “I just bumped the button, Eric. Thanks for checking.”

  “No problem, Mr. Felix. I’ll turn off the alarm.”

  Juliana straightened her jacket and tried to calm her erratic breathing. With little effect. She trembled. John hit the button to start the elevator again and turned to face her. She cringed at his expression. His mouth a straight line, his eyes hard and cold. Not a trace of the heat she’d seen there before he kissed her. Oh God.

  “This never happened,” he bit out. “Got that?”

  Her vision blurred with tears but she nodded. How bad had she been that he wanted to forget it? But she swallowed and drew herself up straight and tall—well as tall as she was, which wasn’t tall at all. “Of course, sir. I remember who the boss is.” And hell will freeze over before I drop my guard again for you, you colossal jerk. I didn’t start this. But it’s finished.

  He winced, but the steely glare remained. “It would help if there weren’t a camera running in here.” Leaning toward the speaker the voice had come from, he pushed something and spoke softly. “I’ll need the footage of the last few minutes destroyed, Eric.”

  “Understood, sir.”

  “Will…will he do it?” Or would he show everyone in the building the little floozy working for the big guy?

  “It’s not worth his job to keep a few minutes of innocent kissing. It’s not like we were naked. That he could sell to someone. Like my brother.”

  Innocent kissing. She’d thought it was the hottest thing ever. In her life, it was.

  “Your brother wants pictures of you naked?”

  “He could hold them over my head for years.”

  “Oh,” she murmured. “How fun.”

  John Felix wanted to pound his head into the shiny steel elevator wall. What in the name of all that was good or right had he been thinking? Juliana was meant to replace Sarabeth in his office, not his bed. She was twenty years old and a brand new employee. He should at least let her finish her first day before ripping her clothes off and mauling her standing up.

  He needed therapy.

  Lots of therapy.

  The elevator doors slid open, and he waved her out. He couldn’t even look at her without wanting to kiss her again, to get his hands on her curves. All they’d done was kiss, but he was as aroused as if he’d had his mouth on the ample breasts she’d pressed against his chest. He wanted to cup them, to feel their weight in his palms before lifting them to his lips. She’d be responsive, he knew it.

  She’d be amazing in bed.

  Not that he’d ever know that because he didn’t date employees anymore.

  Plus, if her ramrod-straight back and stiff-legged walk were any indication, he’d managed to offend her badly enough she would probably never speak to him again outside of business topics. And the boss remark. Ouch. Not that he could blame her. Following her into the reception area outside his office, he watched her hips sway and tightened his hands into fists. He’d never realized he had a thing for backsides before. Of course, he’d never had his hands on one like Juliana’s.

  Okay, just kissing and bottom grabbing.

  Totally innocent.

  “Juliana!” Sarabeth hopped up from her desk, beaming, and embraced her replacement. “I didn’t know you’d be here today.”

  “I thought you had to leave, some emergency?”

  “Emergency?” She blushed. “Oh, that. It wasn’t any big deal. All taken care of. But this is good. I can show you a few things. Did you just get in, though? You must be exhausted!”

  “I’m fine.” Juliana set her purse down and uncoiled her hair then retwisted it. “It’s good to get started. You know I’m all about business.”

  “Right. Just pull up a chair, and I’ll show you how I keep track of John’s activities.” She glanced at him, still standing in the doorway like an unwelcome guest. “Anything else, John?”

  “Not right now. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”

  Sarabeth turned back to Juliana, dismissing him from her attention. “Okay, here is the calendar. We have to make note of everything. John is very particular about...”

  Their voices faded as he shut himself in his office, the door closed but the blinds half open so he could see them. The woman he’d loved who was marrying another and the woman who tempted him with her beauty without even trying.

  Could a man get a break? He’d decided not to get involved for a while, to return his attention to work until he had his head on straight. He didn’t love Sarabeth anymore, not like he had thought he did. She was still beautiful and smart and everything a man could desire, but she was marrying James, and he was okay with that.

  Seeing James and Sarabeth together showed him the electricity and passion and love he’d wanted to have with her but they had never really achieved. He had no idea why, but there it was. They would have been happily married, grown old together, but they’d never had the charge. Everything couldn’t be about passion, though. Most of that would fade in time and companionship, in a good relationship, would remain.

  Not that his parents were an example of that. They’d been the talk of the country club for years, always kissing on the greens or slow dancing too close together to be quite respectable. His mother said those who gossiped were a bunch of jealous shrews who didn’t know how to keep their husbands happy.

  Electricity could get a man in trouble more often than not, though.

  And it was an accurate explanation for his behavior a few moments ago. For his locking lips with his young assistant as if he had the right to put his hands on her. He didn’t have that right, and it wasn’t fair to act as if he did. He’d send her back to New York and ask Madden to take her back if possible.

  But he’d been such a high-handed ass, he’d completely lose face with his business associates, be the laughingstock of every cocktail party and steam room. Yeah, nobody knows what happened, but old Felix demanded we send her out then threw her back. We can speculate. Wouldn’t they love that? Crud.

  Dropping into his chair, he stared through the half-open blinds at Sarabeth’s head bent over a sheaf of papers in front of her. Where was Juliana? Flicking the intercom, he said, “Sarabeth, would you please send Juliana in? I need to speak with her.”

  “She’s gone down the hall for a minute, John. Can I help you?” Was that laughter in her voice?

  “No, thanks.”

  “Okay, then.”

  He lapsed back into his seat and spun to stare out the window at the Golden Gate Bridge. But even that comfort was denied him by the billows of fog swirling around, shrouding its arches and finally obscuring it completely. Like life, nothing could be counted on.

  Sarabeth would be gone soon, but he’d now made things awkward with Juliana. At what point had he developed this self-destructive streak?

  “Mr. Felix”—Sarabeth always called him that when outsiders were in the office, even when they’d been engaged—“your four o’clock is here.”

  Finally. Something to occupy his mind. He just had no idea who he’d been expecting. But it didn’t matter. Business would cure his insanity.

  The door opened and his heart sank.

  “Mother, how nice to see you.” The woman would see right through him, she always did. He rose and went to kiss her cheek.

  “I just met your new assistant, John. Sarabeth tells me she’s quite the wunderkind. How kind of you to hire someone so young.” She set her purse and gloves on his desk and s
at down. “I was talking to Kathryn Anderson the other day, and she suggested a dating service. Maybe it’s time you got back on the horse.”

  Way to grind it in, Mom.

  “I believe you were here to have me look over some papers?”

  As soon as he finished his business with his mother, he was going home to get very drunk. It didn’t help when Mom paused outside his door and put her head together with Sarabeth, their giggling entirely inappropriate for the workplace. Were they talking about him?

  Of course they were.

  Chapter Four

  Two weeks zoomed along so quickly, Juliana could not credit their passing. Sarabeth was gone, off to new adventures with her James. What would John say if he knew his old assistant’s “family emergency” the day she’d arrived from New York had been a booty call in the building across the way with her fiancé? What passion they had. It was hard not to be envious, but they were too nice not to love.

  They were such a loving couple, always holding hands and standing close together. They’d had her over to dinner once, and she and Sarabeth had met James for a late lunch another day. Even though they clearly adored one another, they somehow didn’t make her feel like a third wheel. And living in a hotel—having worked such long hours she hadn’t had a chance to find an apartment yet—she felt so isolated, their friendship was a bright spot in her life.

  Another new, and surprising, friend was John’s mother. Sarabeth had towed Juliana along to coffee with them one day, and Mrs. Felix had spent the whole hour asking her questions about herself, really taking an interest. A little overwhelmed, Sarabeth assured her it was just her way. She’d done the same with her the first time they met.

  John, the man who’d practically ravished her in the elevator her first day, who’d taken her shopping and bought her french fries, was her boss. Nothing more and nothing less. She’d lapsed into calling him Mr. Felix again, and he’d not corrected her, calling her Miss Mackay in return. Sarabeth had looked from one to the other a few times and seemed about to say something then turned away. Smart cookie!

  Formality was all that kept her from throwing herself in his lap. John Felix’s rare smiles brightened any room he was in, and his quiet humor broke the tension in many of the meetings that filled his days. He was everything she’d dreamed of as a mentor. His ability to see all aspects of a deal in an instant gave him the advantage over most who came up against him and helped his business partners to succeed right along with him. He also gave credit where it was due, and if he presented an idea of hers at a meeting, he let everyone present know who came up with it. Everything good she’d heard about him was true.

  And he could kiss. Not that it would ever happen again.

  In a few weeks, they’d be closing the deal for their first operation in a small Middle Eastern country she’d only ever seen on the map, and he’d shown her his process every step of the way. Luckily, Sarabeth had been there, too, providing a buffer between them, but no longer.

  Next late night in the office, it would be the two of them alone. But why should it matter? John Felix had kissed her once then said it never happened. He’d forgotten about it, she was sure. If he wanted someone in his bed, he could just lift a finger or make a call. Handsome, successful, and extremely rich. At business lunches, she’d seen women slip him their cards or small pieces of paper with their phone numbers on them. If his bed was empty on any given night, it was his choice.

  The office felt so empty without Sarabeth’s cheery presence this morning. Juliana set her latte on the corner of her desk, marveling at the fact that Felix Industries maintained a coffee house open to the public where employees paid nothing. Sarabeth had explained that John considered it good for morale. If they could grab something tasty right in the building without having to pay for it, they’d be less likely to run over on coffee breaks. The blueberry muffins with the sugary crumb topping were adding inches to her hips. Hotel living, with room service, also was no friend to her figure. Not that she’d ever cooked much, but the hotel dessert menu was extraordinary, and she’d only managed to refuse once.

  How were so many of the women in the office so thin with so many yummy snacks available every time she turned around? Besides the coffee shop goodies, someone was always bringing something in from the “latest” bakery or dim sum dive. Her stomach growled, and she patted it. “We have yogurt for break. Behave.”

  “Miss MacKay?”

  She spun to find John Felix in his doorway.

  “Were you speaking to someone? Am I interrupting?” Would it matter? He was the boss, after all.

  “No, sir,” she murmured. “Do you need me?”

  “Bring your coffee in and your tablet. I have been here since six working on some final details for the new operation.”

  Was that a cut? It was seven thirty. She wasn’t due in until nine, but she’d arrived early every day. And stayed late. Yet he’d been there when she arrived and left each time. What a hard worker.

  Growing up in Portland, at least until she left for college at fourteen, Juliana had never been bothered by rain, but the fog in San Francisco could be oppressive. And it had been foggy every day since her arrival. Her office had no windows, but through Mr. Felix’s all she’d seen was the white stuff drifting past.

  Clutching her to-go cup in one hand and her tablet in the other, Juliana followed her boss into his office then flew to the window. “The sun! It lives!” Bright beams lit the arches and span of the Golden Gate Bridge, and Juliana pressed her nose to the glass. “How beautiful. I’ve missed sunshine.”

  “I hoped you would be happy here in San Francisco.”

  His voice came from right behind her, so close she could feel his body heat through both of their clothes. Or maybe she was hyperaware of him. “I’m not unhappy. Just a little unsettled still.”

  “You got all your things, right? Sarabeth mentioned the airlines found your bags.”

  “They did,” she murmured, caught between the brilliance of the day and the heat of the man behind her. “And she told me you placed a call to a contact there and made it happen. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He wasn’t touching her, but the electricity jumped between them nonetheless. “So what else can I do to help you settle in?”

  You can kiss me again. Or take me against this window. In a glorious rush of heat and light. She shook her head. “I need to have a few hours to find a place to live. I’m still in the hotel, and I’m costing the company a lot of money.”

  He took her shoulder and turned her to face him. “I don’t care about the money.” Why did he have to smell so good? “If you’re comfortable there, just stay.”

  His face was bathed in the sunlight, bringing out gold sparkles in his brown eyes. His olive skin was so smooth, his lips full and— “Thank you, and it’s very comfortable, but I need a home. Somewhere I can putter around and maybe have a cat.”

  If he looked surprised, she felt even more so. “You want a cat?”

  “Not exactly, but you get the idea.”

  He looked thoughtful. “I’ve always wanted a dog myself. A big old furry mutt I can rest my hand on while sitting around watching TV at night.”

  “You sit around watching TV at night?”

  The corners of his lips curved upward. “Not exactly, but you get the idea.”

  She returned his smile. “Mr. Felix, I—”

  “John…please? I never meant to offend you enough to call me by my father’s name.”

  If he didn’t stop being so charming, she couldn’t be responsible for her actions. She cleared her throat. “John, I thank you for all the luxury of the hotel.” He parted his lips, but she placed a finger on them. Then left it there, while she continued. “And the car service. But if I’m going to be your assistant long term, I need my own home and my own transportation. It’s San Francisco. There are more means of public transportation available than almost anywhere on Earth. I don’t even need a car unless I want to leave the city for some rea
son.”

  He closed his hand around hers and moved it from his lips. “May I speak?”

  She flushed but nodded.

  “I want you to be comfortable. I know I ask a lot of you during the business day, but I never intended you not to be able to take care of something as important as finding a home.”

  “Thank you.”

  He still held her hand, and her entire attention was centered in that one spot on her body.

  “If you can do without me sometime this afternoon, maybe Saturday or Sunday afternoon, I’ll make an appointment to see some apartments.”

  Now he flushed, the redness contrasting with the golden glow of sunshine on his cheeks. “I haven’t given you a single day off, have I? In two weeks?”

  “No, but it’s okay.” More than okay. Juliana hated going home at night because she wouldn’t see him until morning. She might be crushing on him, just a little. “Once I’m settled, I won’t need much time off.”

  “I’m a slave driver.”

  She sighed and attempted to move past him. The charge racing up her arm was ending up in places deep inside her she’d rather not consider. Their kiss had led to enough problems. If she jumped him on his desk, or begged him to take her in the sunny window, she could lose her job. There was something wrong with the logic there, but she couldn’t quite pin it down.

  He’d be so beautiful naked there, though, wouldn’t he? Like a pagan god, initiating her into the rites of lovemaking in the view of the entire city, the golden rays lighting their silhouettes. Ohh.

  “Miss MacKay?”

  “Juliana. What?”

  He paged through his phone contacts and pressed one. “Is Andrea there? I know it’s early. This is John Felix and I would like her to show us some properties…what’s that? An hour from now will be fine. Please ask her to call my assistant for the details. Thank you.” Shoving the phone into his pocket, he gave her a huge smile. “Cancel my appointments for the day.”

  “You don’t need to come with me. I—”

  He gave her a little shove toward the door. “Nonsense. It’s my fault you don’t have a place to live yet, and I want to make that right. We’ll have you settled into a house by bedtime.”