“Don’t worry about it,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
No amount of cajoling would get him to change his mind. Thankfully, he did allow her to dash into a woman’s restroom just off the gleaming gold and white marble lobby to attempt to scrub out some of the potting soil and run a brush through her hair. She glanced in the floor to ceiling mirrors, feeling woefully underdressed in her jeans and sweater amidst all the marble and crystal.
“Aidan, I am not happy about this,” she said, looking more than a little uncomfortable when she emerged and sought out the comfort and shadow provided by a massive potted fern.
“What?”
“I don’t belong here, Aidan, not like this.”
He frowned. “Why not? You’re beautiful.”
“I’m in jeans and you’re in Armani,” she hissed. “Which one of us do you think stands out?”
For the first time, he seemed to realize she was uncomfortable. “Lex wears jeans all the time.”
“Lexi could make a paper bag look attractive. And she’s the reason this place even exists.”
“You’re with me, Mary. No one would dare say anything.”
“That’s kind of the point, Aidan. I am with you. I don’t want to humiliate you.”
Mary never saw a man go so completely, eerily still before. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Aidan stared at her in disbelief. “Do you think I fell in love with you because of what you wear? Or because of your hair or your makeup or any of that other bullshit? I fell in love with you because you are real, Mary. Because you are more beautiful and sexier to me in those jeans than any other woman is in Dior. And the only way you could possibly humiliate me is by leaving me hanging here, Mary. People are starting to get concerned that I’m getting a little too friendly with this fern.”
Mary allowed him to tug her out of the shadows. She noticed one or two curious glances their way, but no one was stupid enough to glare outright.
In the elevator, Aidan caged her body into the corner. “You are mine, Mary, and I want everyone to know it.”
It was hard to breathe with him that close, but she didn’t need air, not when Aidan’s scent was filling her lungs. “Maybe next time you’ll allow me to change out of my dirty work clothes first?”
“I like you dirty,” he growled, pressing his body up against her. “Have you ever had sex in an elevator, Mary?”
“Uh... no.”
He grinned lasciviously as the car stopped moving and a soft chime announced their arrival. “We’ll put it on the to-do list then. Right now, though, there’s something I want to show you.”
Aidan’s office, like his townhouse, oozed good taste and money. He held the corner office on the top floor, with a stunning view of the valley and the ridge of mountains that rimmed it.
“It’s breathtaking,” she murmured, walking over to the windows and looking down.
Knowing who Aidan Harrison was, was one thing, but actually standing here in his office, seeing the fine leather and hand-carved wood, looking out from his office at the pristine scenery all around, slammed the reality home.
“More so with you standing there,” he said.
A small tablet on his desk buzzed. Aidan tapped it, and a disembodied female voice informed him that he was awaited in the boardroom. Aidan thanked her and told her he would be there in a few minutes.
“Thanks for showing me this,” Mary said breathlessly, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. It was hard for her to comprehend what Aidan’s everyday life was like. “I can find my own way out; I don’t want you to be late for your meeting.”
He grinned. “Oh, you’re not leaving, Mary. Your afternoon is booked solid, in fact.”
As if on cue, a very capable (and very attractive) woman entered quietly. She was tall, almost as tall as Aidan, and built like a model, despite the fact that she was at least fifty. Aidan introduced her as Gretchen, and told Mary that she would be in charge of ensuring that Mary made all of her “appointments”.
Mary looked at Aidan questioningly, but he only grinned wider. Not wanting to embarrass him, she pasted what she hoped was a genuine looking smile on her face and thanked him. She could have sworn she heard him whistling as he left for his meeting.
Gretchen escorted Mary down to the spa, where Mary was informed her afternoon had already been planned. She was treated to a facial, a massage, and several other more personal services that she was sure were as much for Aidan’s benefit as hers. She was uncomfortable at first, but the ladies at the spa were very accommodating and persuasive.
Maybe being the boss’s girlfriend did have a few perks, Mary thought dreamily as she soaked in mineral-infused water that felt simply heavenly.
*