I smiled.
“Where’s your chef hat, Uncle Luke?” The little girl asked, playing with my hair. Somehow, she had already managed to braid a few flowers into my thick locks.
“I left it in my office.”
She pouted.
“I’m sorry pumpkin, I didn’t know you were coming over. Why don’t we go grab it and then we can check if the pastry chef has anything he can spare you?”
She eagerly nodded and grabbed my hand as I put her down. I smiled brightly. I had always loved children.
In my office, I sat her down in my chair, spinning her around until she laughed with joy. “Again! Again!” She shouted with glee when I stopped.
Amanda was standing in the doorway, watching me with a sparkle in her eyes. “It always amazes me how good you are with her.”
I plopped my chef’s hat on her head. It was far too big, drooping down over her eyes. I laughed, pulling it back up so she could see. “What can I say? I have a soft spot for kids.”
“Speaking of which…” Amanda whispered before she looked at Kristy. “Maybe you should get her that treat you promised her and then we can talk.”
I raised an eyebrow in question, a prickle of anxiety washing over me, wondering what she needed to tell me that she couldn’t say in front of Kristy. “C’mon.” I held out my hand and she jumped down, grabbing it. Together we walked to the pastry station where Henry, our oldest staff member was busy piping flowers onto some freshly-baked cupcakes. “Do you think you have an extra one for my very special little guest over here?”
Henry looked up with his white, bushy eyebrows like two caterpillars on his face. They furrowed together when he looked at us before he put on his glasses and a smile painted his face. “And who’s this youngling?”
“Go on, pumpkin, tell him your name.”
“I’m Kristy! What’s yours?” She asked politely, but I could tell she was just playing the old man so he could give her a cupcake. I had taught her well.
“Aww, aren’t you sweet. Name’s Henry.” He said. “Say, what’s your favorite color?”
“Blue!”
“Blue, you say?” With that, he grabbed a bag of blue frosting and started the beautiful process of creating a rose. Kristy watched with awed fascination.
“Wow… how’d you do that, mister?”
He leaned in close. “It’s a secret, but maybe one day, you can be a master baker just like me!”
Her eyes widened at the idea. “Does that mean I get to eat all the cupcakes I want?”
“Just as long as your boss doesn’t find out.” He winked at the little girl before finally handing her the sweet.
She grabbed it quickly and ran off, sitting on a little step stool, carefully peeling away the paper.
Just then, Amanda grabbed me by the elbow, pulling me aside. I knew she was keeping an eye on Kristy even now, making sure she wouldn’t get into trouble. I had no doubt that one day, Amanda would make an amazing mother. She was so nurturing and kind.
“So, what did you want to tell me?”
“Well… you know how we’ve been trying to start a family…?” She trailed off, her eyes locking with mine.
It took me a minute for her words to sink in. My eyes widened and before I could stop myself, I picked her up and spun her around. “Are you being serious? I’m going to be a father?” I asked, my excitement already getting the best of me. “How did you find out?”
“This afternoon… I just came back from the doctor.” Amanda said. “We’re going to be parents, Luke.”
As our foreheads touched, I felt myself tear up with joy.
Finally, I was about to start a family with the love of my life. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She giggled, our lips colliding together.
And, in that moment, everything was perfect.
Billionaire Action Romance Series
Chapter 1
“So Ms. Hayes,” Adam begins, eyes landing on the woman’s hazel brown eyes. “Shall I call you Alexis?”
“Lexi will do,” she says, her tight-lipped smile loosening up a bit. “Thank you for taking the time to interview me.”
Alexis squirms in her seat. Sitting across her is Adam Sinclair, thirty-two year old CEO and Founder of The Sinclair Group of Companies or SGC as it trades on the index. SGC manages a select group of luxury fashion brands found and sold in all fashion capitals of the world. He’s also one of the youngest billionaires, so to be interviewed by him is an honor and privilege for Alexis.
“You are interviewing to be my personal assistant,” is his reply, as he looks at her with a devious smirk. “So…Lexi…” he tests her name on her lips. He likes it. “Tell me about yourself.”
It’s one of the basic questions in the interview process, a seemingly mundane and dull question even, but it’s one of Adam’s favorites. It reveals a lot about a person.
“Well…” Lexi starts, taking a minute to construct her answer. The way she bites her bottom lip and stares up at the ceiling has Adam magnetized. The girl’s adorable, he thinks. “I’m Alexis Hayes, but everyone calls me Lexi. I just graduated from university a couple of weeks ago with a Marketing degree. I applied for the personal assistantship person because I want to work directly under you. You’re one of the movers and shapers of the fashion industry, and what better way to learn than from the best?”
“Shouldn’t you be applying for a marketing position then, or even sales?” he tests her, trying to tease and rile her a little bit. When Lexi takes a second too long to answer, Adam tries her further, “I know I’m one of the best in this sector, but there has to be more. There are many others you can learn from, and I assure you you’ll have an easier time working under them.”
“I-I…” she begins, scrambling her brain for the right answer to say.
“I don’t take bullshit lightly,” Adam then says. He looks at her pointedly one more time. “So, why are you applying for this position instead of a marketing or sales one?”
“Because…” Lexi starts, and then, the figurative dam breaks and Lexi opens up. “Because it’s the first call I received to interview. I want to start working right away, so I can pay my student loans and credit card debt. I received a number of scholarships and worked two jobs during undergrad, but those weren’t enough to cover my student loans. I want to start paying them back before the interest rates eat me up. That’s why I’m sitting here in front of you.”
When she finishes, Adam’s smirk turns into a friendlier, more welcoming grin. He pulls his elbows back from the table and leans further into his seat. He lets out a deep sigh and relaxes a bit.
“Now, that’s what I want to hear,” he begins. “Tell me about your previous work experience and relate it to the position you’re applying for.”
“Well, I’ve always wanted to work in the fashion industry, and so my work experience has always been in the sector. I used to work as a virtual assistant for an online fashion shop. I helped with the design of the clothes and the management of all the company’s social media accounts and growing the community and customer base. Relating it to this job, managing multiple online accounts will be similar to managing your schedule and calls for you. I’m a process-oriented person. I love to-do lists, and those are essential if I’m given the opportunity to work as your personal assistant.”
By the end of her answer, Adam can’t help but smile. The edge of his lips almost reaches the tips of his ears. He’s impressed with her answer and knows she’s a good fit for the position.
“My schedule can be very demanding, and I like to work overtime and so will you,” he then says. “You’ll also be fielding calls from left and right and will accompany me in business meetings and large-scale corporate events such as conferences. Will you be able to handle all of that?”
When Lexi nods her head, Adam sends a smile her way, stands up from his seat, reaches his arm out, and then says, “Well, congratulations. You’re hired.”
Unable to control her
happiness, Lexi almost flies out of her seat and shakes Adam’s hand a little bit too enthusiastically.
“Thank you so much, sir,” she says, her hands still in his. Her fingers are soft and tender against his stronger hand. “I won’t disappoint you.”
“You’re welcome,” he says in response. “So I’ll see you at eight in the morning come Monday?”
“Yes, sir.”
Shaking his head, he corrects her, “Just call me Adam. I’ll see you next week.”
When Lexi walks out of his office, Adam’s eyes lazily trail her figure from behind. Her hips are sashaying from side to side, giving her ass a little bounce with every step forward she takes. When her fingers close around the doorknob, Lexi turned her head back to face him and gives Adam a small smile. For some reason, Lexi has Adam’s interest piqued. How can such an adorable face have a rocking body underneath the button-up and black skirt? He thinks. When Lexi closes the door behind her, Adam sits back down on his chair. It takes him at least half an hour before he resumes working since thoughts of Lexi preoccupy him.
Chapter 2
“I hope this will do for now,” Adam says, stretching his arm out over to the MacBook propped on the rectangular glass table. “HR told me your desk and other furniture will be delivered in a couple of days.”
“Sounds good,” responds Lexi, taking a seat on the plush, velvet couch.
Adam’s private office is humongous. To one side sits his desk with a floor to ceiling window. It boasts a great view of the city, and to the other side is the receiving area where the couch and the coffee table are. The couch and table are quite low, and Lexi feels a bit awkward. She props one knee beneath the other in the hopes of hiding her underwear. She has no plans of giving Adam a peek.
“Since it’s your first day, how about you start with going through my calendar for the week,” Adam begins, and Lexi nods her head in reply. “Also, start taking all my calls today. Get a hang of it. I’ll print out a template you can use as a guide for answering.”
“That’s great. Thanks, Adam,” she then says, still unused to calling her boss by his first name. “Can I get you anything downstairs? Breakfast or coffee?”
At that, Adam can’t help but shake his head. He takes the seat beside her on the couch before he looks at her with an amused glint in his eyes.
“I plan to give you real work, Lexi,” he says, placing a hand on her shoulder. She’s taken aback by the gesture and freezes in place for a moment. Soon enough, she relaxes and breathes out a sigh. “I’m planning a fundraiser event to raise awareness on the state of education in some parts of the country. I have a list of people for you to contact. Inform them of the event and send each a personalized invitation via email. How does that sound?”
“I’ll get to work on that,” she says, opening her MacBook. “I’ll just be here if you need anything.”
Adam gives Lexi a quick nod before he stands up and stalks over to his desk. He sits down on his chair, leans back into it, and gives Lexi a onceover.
She has a geometric printed sheath dress on today. The sides of the dress are in black while the center is in a navy blue color. To add, the caps of the sleeves are in black as well, and she has pointed toe heels encasing her feet. The dress as a whole accentuates her body in all the right places; however, the hem lands a few inches above her knees, so Lexi has a hard time trying to cross her legs and avoid giving Adam a peek of her lace underwear.
At seeing her struggle with trying to close her legs as she sits on the low couch, Adam can’t help but shake his head. He knows what she’s trying to do. The couch is far too low so Lexi’s knees are higher than her lap, and so he has a good view of her underwear. He finds her struggle adorable and a breath of fresh air. He has always been used to women throwing themselves at him. He’s a billionaire, businessman, and a handsome one after all. Women, from his experience, are more than willing to give him more than a peek of their bodies, so seeing Lexi trying her best not to give him a show was refreshing, but she was failing. He doesn’t want to tell her he spots the black lingerie. He’s not going to admit it out loud, but he’ll admit to admiring a woman and her body when given the chance.
Lexi focuses on typing something out on her new laptop, so Adam takes the opportunity to stare at her and trail his eyes up and down her body. The bust area of the sheath dress presses her breasts up and deepens her cleavage; the tightness of the dress clinches her waist to reveal a tiny waist. Her caramel brown hair, tied up in a high ponytail, gives him a great, clear view of her neck. There’s something about a woman’s neck that always turns Adam on. It’s probably its sensitivity. Women are always moaning in pleasure every time he nips at their necks.
“Damn,” he whispers to himself. He doesn’t want Lexi knowing he’s already having dirty thoughts about her. What will she think of her boss?
When a few minutes pass by, Adam mentally slaps himself awake and forces himself to get back to work. Lexi doesn’t seem to have a problem, and she’s typing away at her laptop in indissoluble focus.
Chapter 3
Lexi Hayes walks up the grand staircase of the luxurious art-deco hotel. At her side stands Adam Sinclair with her arm hooked around his. It’s the night of the Business Excellence Awards, and some of the country’s most prominent business magnates and media personalities are in attendance. Lexi Hayes swears she’s already seen some A-List celebrities and tech billionaires milling about.
When Adam invited her to the event a few days ago, she was quick to decline. The most obvious reason being she didn’t have a gown fit for the occasion and buying one would probably cost more than her monthly salary.
When she looks back to that afternoon in Adam’s office, she remembers him trying not laugh at her.
“If course I’ll pay for it.” She remembers him saying. “You’re going to be my date after all.”
Standing by his side now and walking up the steps of the red carpet, Lexi is in awe at the extravagance of the occasion. Floral arrangements in classic European flower pots line each step of the grand staircase while low hanging drapes in satin add multiple levels to the ceiling. Even the attendees dress to the tee. Diamonds and other gems are in abundance tonight, and designer dresses and haute couture parade around.
“Mr. Johnson, it’s nice to see you again,” Adam greets the man standing before him. “You still owe me a round of golf.”
“I’d rather we not,” teases the man. “I’m happy to stay on top and undefeated.”
Alexis Hayes tries not to gape as she tightens her arm around Adam’s. Mr. Tim Johnson is one of the city’s wealthiest venture capitalists. During his younger years, he had founded a number of businesses. Today, they’re some of the biggest in their respective sectors. Watching Adam talk to the tycoon so casually has Lexi mesmerized. Billionaires, they’re just like us, she finds herself thinking.
Throughout the night, Lexi feels awkward and intimidated. What does she know of the newest developments in Asian or Europe? How can she share her thoughts about the biggest gainers and losers in the stock market when she’s still buried in student loans? As Adam talks effortlessly to the other attendees, Lexi finds herself nodding her head like a broken record. It doesn’t help that she’s fresh out of university. Worse, she can’t stand tall and pretty like the few supermodels and celebrities part of their circle of conversation. She has four-inch ankle-strapped heels on, but they still tower over her. They look straight out of a magazine, as these women flip their voluminous hair behind their backs and laugh and agree absent-mindedly at whatever’s being said, while Lexi stands stupidly, not only feeling oblivious but ugly as well. How can she compare to these 5’9” Barbie’s with 24-34-24 dimensions?
“Are you alright?” Adams asks her, unwinding his arm from hers and placing a hand on the small of her back. “Hungry?”
Lexi shakes her head, mouths out a small ‘no’, and then turns her head forward to pretend to listen to one of the techpreneurs who’s trying to explain to the older
generation how most of his sales are generated by online ads. The conversation is fascinating; she’s all ears.
Online marketing for businesses is something Lexi understands. That’s exactly her course of study during undergrad; however, she feels wary of sharing her thoughts. She’s no businesswoman, and the people in the circle have their own achievements. If she weren’t Adam’s personal assistant, they probably won’t even give her the time of day. And so, she nods and ‘oh’s and ‘ah’s when she finds something interesting and relatable. Beside her, Adam can’t help but look at her. She doesn’t talk, but he can see she’s exerting great effort into listening and understanding the conversation. She’s all-ears and not just absent-mindedly nodding like a bobble head. She looks so genuine.
When the night ends, Adam instructs his chauffeur to drop off Lexi in her apartment building. On the ride home, they engage in effortless conversation. He asks her if she enjoyed the party, and she can’t stop gushing.
Pursuit: A Bad Boy Romance Page 14
