I take it with one hand and extend the article with the other. “Josh Barker is looking to extend his brand. I want to know everything. Where he has been, where he wants to take it. Do not forget to find out his competition and if there is room for his growth or if it will oversaturate. I need it by eleven. My lunch at noon is a working one with Drake Hawthorne. You will be attending as well, to take notes. Confirm the reservation at Ludlows and a car. Before you do that, I need more coffee. A single shot this time.”
Her eyes grow big then narrow. “Yes, sir.”
She stalks out of the room. Damn, she’s gorgeous when she’s angry.
***
Alexa
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What the hell is going on? Why is Leo being such an asshole? What have I done? I look down at the article, Josh Barker? No way could Leo be serious about investing in Barker, the guy was a clown. This has to be busy work, this will take all day. The report he’d given me earlier had me sweating bullets to finish, and I was barely able to. What the hell?
What I really want to know is, why if I’m so pissed off at Leo and wanting to throw my stapler at his face did I still want to throw myself at him? Why am I still going hot and liquid when his eyes are on me? And why, if he was so mean to me were his eyes still running over me as heavy as a touch? It’s only my second day, and I feel like I’m losing my mind.
Now a working lunch with Drake Hawthorne. I know Drake Hawthorne, not well, I met him a little more than five years ago at a dinner. He’d been nice to me, taking the time to talk to me instead of ignoring me, like most of the men did at the table. I was used to being ignored when I went as Ernest’s secretary. I was there to take notes and remember things he wouldn’t the next day, it still never became easy to have people look through me. Drake wasn’t only polite, he was nice, drawing me into the conversation for most of the night. I liked him, now I’m going to have to lie to him too. I’m so tired of all this lying.
***
Leo
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How is this possible? I’m almost done with the now twenty-four-page report and aside from some dropped commas and run on sentences the damn thing is perfect. My red pen is poised only there is nothing to mark, no questions I have, no point left incomplete. How had she done this? I check her typing speed again. There is nothing, not a single thing in this report where it fails to meet my high standards. I’m fucked.
***
Alexa
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