“Yes.” He looked so damn calm. In fact, he didn’t even seem surprised by this turn of events.
How could he do that? How could he pretend this wasn’t the weirdest, most off-putting thing that had ever happened in the history of time?
“I’m sorry. Umm, this is super awkward. I’ll just stop by HR and tell them to find someone else. This is clearly a bad idea.” I spun on my heel to head back toward the elevators, my heart still pounding.
Damn it all.
I’d needed this job. My savings were beginning to dwindle, and if I didn’t fix that soon, I was going to have to ask Hailey for money. And that would be a fate worse than death. If she thought she could boss me around now, she’d be insufferable if she also had me under her thumb financially.
Still, how could I work with a guy who looked at me the way Jackson did? Like I was the final course in the world’s most indulgent meal? How could I file and schedule and organize for a man when, every time I bent down, I knew he could imagine every last detail of what was happening beneath my slacks?
I couldn’t. It was wrong. But more than that—it was too tempting.
I took the first step of my walk of shame back to the elevator, when his deep voice rumbled.
“Piper, wait.” A large hand closed around my bicep and spun me around so fast I nearly stumbled.
Blinking, mouth agape as I struggled for air, I found myself staring into Jackson’s penetrating gaze. I shook my head. “Look, don’t feel bad. There is really no reason to drag this out and—”
“I’m not doing it because I feel bad.” He blew out a sigh and dragged a hand over his square jaw. “I looked at your résumé,” he said, preempting my question.
“Okay,” I said. “And?”
“I need you. You can’t go. I haven’t had a truly experienced assistant in months, and I desperately need one.” There wasn’t a hint of pleading in his voice, but I could tell he meant every word he said. “Look, the company is about to take on a major acquisition, and we’re going through a huge merger. I need help. I can’t wait for another assistant. Especially another one as qualified as you. If you can be professional, I can be professional. We’re two adults. I don’t see what happened between us being a problem.”
I blinked again.
Seriously? After all the panting and moaning and sweating and grinding and…everything else we’d done together? He wanted me to work side by side with him?
Even now, my throat was threatening to close at the thought.
Had it really meant so little to him…been so run-of-the-mill that he could see me and not be completely accosted by the memory of our time together, like I was?
Damn. Talk about a reality check.
“Please, Piper, I need the help and you need a job. Don’t walk away.”
I considered him for a long moment. The right decision was to leave, I’d known it from the second I’d seen him on the elevator. But instead my mouth made an executive decision because, just like the other night, I couldn’t seem to say no to this man.
“Fine, we’ll give it a try,” I said, not believing I was actually going to stay.
“Excellent.” He offered me a clipped nod, looking, for all intents and purposes, like he’d never even considered another response out of me. The thought only solidified my new theory.
I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t say no to him. I was more sure than ever that it was a word he wasn’t used to hearing much from anyone.
“Let’s get started,” he said, gesturing toward his office.
His gaze lingered on me, studying me and seeing through me the way he had the last time I’d seen him. For a brief second, I saw a flash of that carnal heat I’d seen in his eyes when we’d first met.
And in the space of that one tiny fraction of a second?
I knew I’d just made the biggest mistake of my life.
Chapter Six
Jackson
“The previous assistant left you a manual that you’ll find waiting for you on your desk. I’ll be in meetings all morning, so it should give you plenty of time to look over the materials and make sure you don’t have any questions.” I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, but she was too busy staring at the floor to bother looking at me.
Then again, she could have just been looking away in the interest of self-preservation. And after all, who could blame her? Even in the bellboy outfit she was wearing, I couldn’t help but feel the urge to pull her to me right then and there and rip her clothes off.
It had to be something chemical, something purely scientific that made me feel this way. Like my testosterone could sense her pheromones or something. Either that or the fact that she’d been the best damn lay I’d had in my life.
My groin ached at the memory even now, and God only knew how the next few days might start to wear away at my resolve. If she bent over to file something in front of me and her skirt was short enough…
I flexed my jaw, fighting the urge to crowd her against the wall and bury my face between those full, round tits she was working so hard to hide behind the shapeless shirt and jacket.
In spite of my words, I had no intention of keeping her on. It would be an untenable situation during a time where I needed to focus most on my business. Still, I had a mountain of shit to get through this week, and there was no way I was going to be able to replace her quickly. In fact, judging by Sally’s tone the last time we talked, I was fairly certain it was going to be a real bitch trying to get her to find me more applicants. Until I was able to do that and get someone else in place—preferably someone old with warts and facial hair—I would find Piper another position in the company.
One that wasn’t directly under me.
Even that thought sent another rush of blood to my cock. I blew out a sigh.
It was all going to work out fine. It was only for a few days. We’d get through it, and in the end, she’d still have a job. And me?
I’d be a free man again. Free to walk the halls without adjusting my suit jacket in an attempt to cover my raging hard-on.
Heading from my office, I noticed as each of my employees turned to nod and greet me. In my peripheral vision, I saw Piper grin at each of them, offering a little wave. I didn’t bother to stop and introduce her. She wouldn’t be here long enough to make friends. Instead, I slowed to a stop by her desk.
“This is you. You’ll find what you need in the manual. The directives should be clear and to the point, but if you have questions…”
I trailed off, because frankly, I didn’t care if she had questions. All I wanted was for her to be able to muddle through well enough to take even a little heat off me and keep me organized until someone more appropriate took her place.
I gestured to a black binder on her desk and then slipped into my office and closed the door, careful to make sure she’d taken her seat before making my way to my own desk. As usual, papers littered the surface, and I groaned as I opened my email to find a shit ton of new messages, each more important or serious than the last.
With the merger approaching, we had to ensure that every last one of the commercial listings we were acquiring was fit to come on board with us. We needed nothing but homers here, properties we could move quickly and sell at a premium. Which, in addition to being a major pain in the ass in general, meant that I was hearing from lawyers and accountants on a near constant basis these days.
My calendar, too, was covered with Post-it notes and crossed-out reminders in so many colors and handwritings that I couldn’t be sure what was important and what wasn’t.
Sighing, I glanced at the clock, pressed the buzzer, and waited for Piper to answer.
“How can I help you, Mr. Dane?”
“Coffee, please. I take it—”
“Black,” she finished. “All in the manual. I’m a fast reader. I’ll have it for you right away.”