Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHLOE
S tomach grumbling, I stare at Roman’s door and tap my fingernails on my desk. I haven’t seen him since he disappeared into his office after the meeting. After he pinned me with his cool gaze and told me to check over his schedule for the upcoming week, highlight any conflicts or issues, and be ready to brief him at three o’clock this afternoon.
I’m still not sure if he’ll let me return tomorrow, or when he’ll decide. I’ve spent the last hour going through his emails, flagging priority messages for action, and listing meeting requests so I can confirm which ones he wants added to his calendar and which I should reject.
Now I’m starving.
According to today’s schedule, Roman has a late business lunch with his brothers, but he didn’t mention when I should have mine. Should I put on my away message and grab something? Or wait to be given permission?
Nibbling on my lower lip, I peer down the corridor toward Sophie’s desk. Is she still there? Tate and Cole have corner offices too, so I can’t see their assistants from here. Sophie’s dropped by a couple of times to check on me, and her encouraging smile has brightened my spirits. The last time she came around, she reiterated her offer to join me for lunch, and I’m desperate to take her up on it.
Suddenly annoyed with myself for letting my boss’s intimidating manner bother me so much, I shove my chair back and stand. After blotting my damp palms on my skirt, I head toward his office.
Just as I raise my arm to knock, the door opens and Roman strides out. I take a quick step back to avoid crashing into him, but my heel catches on the plush carpet, throwing me off balance.
Before I can topple embarrassingly to the floor, large, firm hands grip my upper arms and yank me upright, the sudden overcorrection bringing me against his chest. His very hard chest.
I inhale sharply on impact, and an intoxicating scent floods my senses. A mixture of expensive soap, citrusy cologne, and a hint of something that practically screams hot, sexy man . I almost take another breath to fill my lungs with it, but before I can, I realize that I’m inappropriately plastered against my boss.
When I lift my face to his, my next inhale is a little shaky and far less distracting. I’ve managed to keep my awareness of how good-looking he is out of my mind while he’s been hidden behind his office door, but now it hits me full force.
His wolf-gray eyes, framed by those dark lashes, are fixed on mine. From this close, the silver flecks in them are visible, along with the fine lines extending from their corners that only make him more attractive. My focus drifts to his seductive lips, which somehow look both firm and soft at the same time.
What would it feel like if he lowered his head and pressed them to mine?
Strong fingers flex around my arms, applying the slightest pressure, almost as if he’s about to draw me closer.
Just as the thought registers, he lets me go.
I wobble a little at the abruptness of my release but quickly steady myself. When I look up, he’s already several feet away.
“Is there something you want from me, Miss Callahan?” There’s a rasp in his voice I haven’t heard before.
I blink. Oh god. Does he know I was wondering what it would feel like to have his lips on mine?
He frowns. “You were about to knock on my door.”
Oh . I duck my head slightly, hoping my warm cheeks don’t give me away. “Uh, yes. I was going to ask whether there’s anything you need me to do right now, or if it’s okay to grab some lunch.”
With his brows still pulled together, he checks his watch. “That’s fine.”
Then he strides off.
Okay, then. I guess cultivating social niceties isn’t high on the priority list for a man who’s as gorgeous as sin and intimidating as hell.
Without allowing myself to dwell on him any longer, I hurry down the corridor to Sophie’s desk outside Tate’s office.
She looks up and grins as I approach. “You’ve been released?”
I laugh. “It seems that way.”
“Great, I’m starving.” She pops up and leads me to the elevator while I fill her in on my morning.
As we descend to the fortieth floor, she listens, brow wrinkled, and shakes her head. “Roman’s always been the most serious of the three brothers. Which makes sense, since he’s the eldest and the CEO. But he’s never come across as unreasonable. Obviously Lena wouldn’t have hired you if she didn’t think you were experienced enough.”
“I suppose I’m grateful he’s giving me a chance. But it’s frustrating to think I might miss out on this job and I’m not even sure why. It can’t just be because of my age, can it?”
Before she can respond, the elevator doors open, and we step into the most luxurious cafeteria I’ve ever seen. What looks like a marble-tiled floor gleams under our feet, and various food stations are set up around the perimeter, offering everything from Italian to Greek to Japanese, along with good old burgers and fries. Large windows let in plenty of natural light, and the cheerful chatter of employees puts me at ease.
As we pass a list of prices, I’m surprised at how reasonable the costs are.
“The meals are subsidized,” Sophie informs me.
Yet another reason I need to keep this job. Despite my boss’s chilly demeanor, the great salary and cost-saving perks like subsidized meals will only make taking care of Dad easier.
We choose sushi, and once we have our plates and our bottles of water, we find a seat at a two-person table near one of the big windows.
I admire the slightly different but equally captivating view of Manhattan for a moment before taking a large bite of the deliciously fresh California roll.
“Okay,” Sophie says, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “Tell me your story.”
I swallow my mouthful of food and pick up my own napkin. “My story isn’t very interesting.”
She cocks her head. “Don’t be silly. Everyone’s story is interesting. You just can’t see it because you’ve lived it, and it seems normal to you.”
Her words make me smile. “I suppose so. Well… for the last few years, I worked for a small real estate development company, but it was bought out recently, then restructured. My boss didn’t bother fighting for my position because he was going to have access to an admin pool. And I’m pretty sure because I rejected his advances a few months before the restructure was announced. Though I can’t prove that, of course.”
Sophie scrunches up her nose. “Asshole.”
I nod, taking another bite of sushi. “He was,” I say when I can speak again. “I’m not the least bit sad about not working for him anymore. Luckily, a friend gave me the contact details for a recruitment agency. That’s how I ended up here.”
“Are you single? In a relationship? Any kids?” She munches on her food, eyes bright with interest. Maybe she doesn’t meet new employees that often, working on the executive floor.
“Single, no kids…” I debate whether to say anything about Dad. But Sophie seems lovely, and someone I see myself being friends with if I stay, so I continue. “I actually live with my dad. He’s got a chronic disease, and he needs assistance.”
Her eyes glimmer with sympathy. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Is your mom around, or…?”
I take a sip of my water, brushing away a prickle of residual hurt. “Mom left when I was fourteen. I guess being an artist’s wife and a teenager’s mom wasn’t what she wanted. Since then, it’s just been Dad and me.”
She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. The gesture is a surprise, but it’s reassuring. I squeeze back while giving her a smile. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago now.”
“Still, that’s sad.” Thankfully, she moves on from the topic. “So, your dad is an artist?”
“Yeah. He paints these amazing pictures of New York City. He used to rent a little shopfront and sell them there. Online too. But now he has trouble holding a paintbrush, so…” Unexpectedly, my throat tightens enough for my voice to catch.
“So now you’re looking after him.”
“Yes. And a well-paying job like this will help cover his medical bills.”
“I get it.” Her hazel eyes narrow thoughtfully. “We’ll just have to make sure Roman sees sense by the end of the day. If there’s any work I can help with, pass it on. We’ll dazzle him with how productive you are.”
“Thanks.” I give her a grateful smile. “But if I’m going to prove myself, I need to show him I’m capable on my own. Otherwise, he might be right in thinking I can’t handle the job.”
She nods a little reluctantly. “Fair enough.”
Once I’ve finished my last piece of California roll, I wipe my fingers with my napkin and ask the question that’s been playing on my mind all morning. “What can you tell me about Roman? I did a little research before my interview, but there aren’t as many non-business-related articles about him as there are about his brothers.”
“Hmm.” She pinches a piece of rice between her fingers and pops it into her mouth. “He’s the tall, dark, and enigmatic type. Definitely a workaholic. Has been for years, even before he took over from his dad.”
“Did you know his dad?”
Sophie’s nose wrinkles. “Unfortunately. Let’s just say he wasn’t the nicest of human beings.”
“Clearly, if the insider trading is anything to go by.” A few of the articles I found during my research centered on the previous CEO’s arrest and subsequent eight-year conviction.
“It wasn’t just that.” She scans the surrounding tables, then leans in and lowers her voice. “He was a serial womanizer.”
My brows rise. “Really?”
“Rumor has it,” she says, edging in even closer, “that one of the requirements to work for him was that you had to look like a model.”
I pull a face. “Charming.”
“Uh-huh. He was a real creep. I think we were all glad when he got arrested.”
Doubt sparks to life in my chest. “His sons aren’t like that, are they?”
“Definitely not. Well…” She nibbles her bottom lip. “Cole and Tate were certainly with plenty of gorgeous women before they met their partners. But never in a sleazy way like their dad.”
Though I feel a little guilty for indulging in gossip, her omission piques my curiosity. After working for Geoff, I’d like to know what to expect.
“What about Roman?”
Sophie squints, tapping her finger against her chin. “I don’t think so. Lena’s not the kind of woman who would’ve put up with being hit on in the workplace. And I’ve never heard rumors about him and lots of women. As aloof as he is, he comes across more like a monk than a playboy. Then again, he married an employee, so I guess that means he doesn’t have an issue with workplace fraternization.”
My mind spins. “He’s married?” I don’t remember any mention of a wife in my research, and I swear he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring this morning.
“It was years ago, before I worked here. Apparently, they divorced after six months or so.” She presses her lips together. “I met her once when she stopped in a few years ago for some reason or other, and I really don’t know what he saw in her. She’s drop-dead gorgeous, of course, but she seemed like a grade A bi—” She straightens and scans our surroundings again. “You know what I mean.”
“Wow.” Six months? What ended it so quickly? Did he cheat on her? Marry her just because she was beautiful and then get bored? The thought that he might be the type of man to only care about what a woman looks like sends a faint flicker of disappointment through me.
Obviously, I barely know the guy, but I didn’t get that vibe from him. Not that it matters. As long as he doesn’t turn out to be like Geoff, I can handle him. “She wasn’t his assistant, was she?”
She shakes her head, and a thread of relief works its way through me.
“She was his dad’s.”