by K. S. Smith
I couldn’t help but allow a light hearted laugh escape me as I looked on at him. I knew he actually didn’t mean what he was saying. He was an incredible father and he loved his children almost as much as he loved his wife. This was my third year as his secretary and I had grown to know and love his family. His wife, Victoria, would stop by often and bring the kids in for lunch with their dad or just to visit.
They were a rowdy bunch. The other ladies who I worked with loved having them visit the office, they were all mothers of adult children and I suppose it brought back memories for them. But I always felt like Victoria would wait until we were under a critical deadline to stop in for a quick visit that always ended up taking longer than expected; usually ending with a full-fledged temper tantrum by the kids when it was time to leave. It wasn’t their fault, I suppose. Their father was extremely busy and always at work. They probably missed him and that was something I could relate to. My father was the same way, still is. Probably the reason I excelled so well in school.
If you would have ever told me four years ago when I completed graduate school that I’d be a secretary, I’d have laughed in your face. That was not my life’s ambition, but when the opportunity to work for Graham Kingston presented itself, I couldn’t pass it up. He was one of the most talked about up and coming hedge fund managers on the east coast and I was at the top of his interview list.
I’d worked for a very prominent bank all through college and Graham was a client. We grew to know each other at our downtown Atlanta branch and when he asked me for an interview, I’d accepted on the spot. Before interviewing with him I’d interviewed at several accounting firms, but nothing felt like home. I was lucky enough to have a family who could afford to support me financially while I shopped around after getting my master’s in business finance.
“So what do we have on the calendar today?” Graham asked, pulling me out of my thoughts as he leaned further back in his chair, clasping his fingers behind his head and exposing his taut arm muscles.
Scrolling my finger over the screen of my iPad I briefly reviewed his schedule with him before making my way back to my desk to begin playing catch up. My parents and I had been in Italy for two weeks visiting my little sister while she studied abroad. She didn’t have the time to make it home for Thanksgiving break, so we took Thanksgiving to her. It had been an incredible trip, but I was glad to be back and ready to bust through the piles of documents on my desk.
Twelve hours later and I’d finally started to see some progress. The majority of my emails had been reviewed and disbursed to the proper parties to be taken care of and the stack of files to my right had decreased by at least twenty five percent. Not too bad for my first day back.
I leaned back in my chair and stretched, extending my arms over my head as I yawned. Just then Graham stepped out of his office and caught a glimpse of me, “Long day catching up?” He asked, lifting an eyebrow.
I nodded as I stood, “Yes. I’m exhausted. I managed to get through the priority pile, the rest have issues that can be dealt with this week, not as urgent.”
“Great. It’s good to have you back. I’m always out of whack when you are away.”
I rolled my head to the side, stretching my neck as I laughed, “I’m not that invaluable. Besides, you’ve got the girls here to help.” Grabbing my purse and coat I glanced back up at him just as he extended his arm in the direction of the main lobby and I noticed that he also had his thing to leave. “After you,” He said, allowing me to lead the way.
The elevator ride from the twenty-third floor to the parking garage was quick. As soon as we stepped off Graham’s phone chimed and I knew he’d just received a text message. I couldn't help but wonder who it was. I watched on, trying not to be obvious as he read it.
“Looks like its dinner out tonight. Victoria has a mess with the kids at home and needs some time to get things squared away before I get there.” He leaned his head back and sighed.
As if my body was sending out a mating call to him my stomach rumbled with hunger and his eyes darted to me, a grin on his face. “Want to grab something? I didn’t see you leave your office all day, you’ve got to be starved.”
My hands rested on my stomach and I groaned in anticipation of eating, “Yes. That would be wonderful. I can feel myself withering away.” Dinner with Graham -though a perk of the job- wasn’t uncommon. In our line of work we were always out to dinner meetings, but this was different. This was the first time he and I would be going out, after hours, alone.
About the Author
K.S. Smith is a twenty-eight-year-old contemporary and erotic romance author. When she is not writing, you will most likely find her nose in a book, spending time with her family and friends, or dedicating her time to the military through her favorite non-profit organization.
K.S. was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and continues to build her life there in her historic 1928 bungalow with the love of her life, Jo.
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More Books By K.S. Smith
One Night With Him - http://tinyurl.com/onenightwithhim
Fighting For Her - http://tinyurl.com/fightingforher
Books Co-Authored with Megan C. Smith
Hourglass - http://tinyurl.com/Hourglass23
Hourglass Squared – http://tinyurl.com/HourglassSquared23
Hourglass Cubed – http://tinyurl.com/HourglassCubed23
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
EPILOGUE
UPCOMING RELEASE
About the Author
More Books By K.S. Smith
