13. Emilia
CHAPTER 13
Emilia
M y heart lurches in my chest as I read his last text over and over again. The two of us are practically toeing the edge of something, and I can’t exactly name what it is. All it know is that it makes me feel sick, but it also feels nice at the same time.
Then the reality of my situation settles in and I practically jump out of bed.
“Nika!” I call out as I beeline straight for my closet. “Anika?”
My sister walks into my bedroom, her eyes half closed and her steps sluggish. She rubs her eyes before peering at me.
“Why are you yelling my name at such an ungodly hour?” she asks, yawning softly.
“It’s eight a.m.,” I point out. “And I have to be at work in less than two hours.”
Her brows furrow and she stares at me in confusion.
“Don’t you usually need to be at the café by seven, though?” she questions airily.
“Nika, I already closed down the café and it’s about to be sold. Keep up, little sis.”
“Right, I knew that,” she murmurs. Her eyes briefly flicker close and she rubs her forehead before looking at me again. Her confusion is kind of adorable. “If you’re not going to the café, then what work are we talking about?”
“My new job,” I clarify. “At Harrington Holdings.”
“Your new job at…” She stops abruptly, and her pupils grow larger. “Say what now? Okay, slow down, sissy. I’m going to need you to start making sense. You’re working where?”
“At Harrington Holdings,” I repeat.
“I didn’t know you applied for a job there. When?”
“Yesterday.”
Anika sighs. “The full story, Emilia. Please.”
“Alright, fine. So you know how I’m selling my café to them? Well, I was talking to Sterling yesterday and I may have brought it up as a joke that I wanted to work at his company, but then it became serious because I actually do need to work. And I honestly thought he’d tell me to fuck off, but he just texted me this morning and told me I was hired and that I have to be there before ten a.m. and I have nothing to wear!”
I think I said all those words in one breath. Anika blinks, and I blink as well. And then she’s walking toward my bed and slowly lowering herself onto it.
“Yeah, that made no sense,” she finally says.
I snort. “Which part, exactly?”
“All of it,” she exclaims. “What do you mean you’re working at Harrington Holdings? What would you even be doing there?”
“I’ll be Sterling’s assistant.”
My sister falls silent yet again, her brown eyes practically piercing into my skull. I allow myself to be the subject of her scrutiny considering I did wake her up at this “ungodly hour” to lay all this overwhelming information on her.
“So you’re going to be working as Sterling’s assistant,” she starts slowly, and I nod. “Despite you asking for the job just yesterday?”
“Yep.”
“And he’s hiring you despite you not having any qualifications to be an assistant.”
“How hard can it be?” I shrug. “I just need to answer his calls and read his emails. I’m honestly so glad. A part of me was worried he’d tell me that the only position available was a janitor or something. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a janitor,” I hurriedly say. “My skin just reacts badly to the chemicals in most cleaning agents.”
“Uh-huh,” Anika murmurs. “And you don’t think it’ll be a bad idea to work as an assistant to the guy you like?”
I choke on air and Anika starts to laugh.
“Holy shit.” She giggles. “You actually like a man, Em. That’s… crazy.”
I’m quick to protest. “No. I don’t like him. You’re being ridiculous, Nika.”
“Oh, really?” she says, arching an eyebrow. “In the time I’ve known you, you’ve never once asked me to help you to pick out an outfit to anywhere.”
“That’s just because I’m nervous,” I insist. “It’s my first day and I have no idea what to wear.”
“Sure, I believe you’re nervous,” Anika says. “Nervous to see your crush. Sterling Harrington. Honestly, that’s insane. I can barely believe it. I knew I was sensing some sexual tension between you!”
“Nika!” I yell, flustered.
Her words are reminiscent of what Paige said the day Sterling was in my office. And now I’m thinking about Paige. I wonder if she’ll already be awake so I can call and ask how she’s doing.
“Hello?” Anika draws my attention. “What are we going to do about this? When are you going to tell Sterling you like him?”
“I’m not!” I snap. “Because I do not like him and we are not telling anybody anything.”
She smiles. “You’re right, we should probably keep it a secret for now. If Carson finds out, he’ll lose his shit.”
“He’s not going to find out anything because there’s nothing to find out,” I say in frustration.
“Come on, Em. You can admit it to me.”
I groan loudly before falling face down on my bed. There’s no use trying to convince Anika otherwise when she’s fixated on something.
“I don’t have time for this. Can you just help me figure out what to wear?” I ask, my voice muffled. “Something office appropriate.”
“But sexy,” Anika adds.
I turn my body around to look at her. “No.”
“Yes. Don’t worry, Em. Let me handle this. I am so excited!” she squeals, heading into my closet.
While she does that, I continue staring up at the ceiling. Wondering at the position I’ve somehow landed myself in. If you’d asked me two weeks ago if I saw myself working as Sterling’s assistant, I would have laughed in your face.
And yet.
“It’s weird, though,” Anika says from inside my closet. “Sterling’s the last kind of person I would have expected you to fall for. He’s so cold all the time.”
I frown. “He’s not cold with me, though,” I tell her. “But that doesn’t mean I’ve fallen for him. He’s just different from what I thought he was.”
“That’s so cute.”
Anika doesn’t say anything else for a while, leaving me to my thoughts. When she finally reappears out of my closet, she’s holding an outfit in her hand.
“I think this is perfect for your first day,” she announces.
I stare at the ensemble, and even I have to admit it looks nice. Well then, here we go.
Three minutes before 10 a.m., I’m striding into Harrington Holdings, my heels clicking confidently against the polished marble floor. I’m clad in a tailored black suit which includes a sleek blazer and a fitted blouse, paired with a pencil skirt that hits a little above the knee. Anika even helped style my hair into a sleek, professional bun and I’m wearing minimal makeup.
Despite the flutter of nerves in my stomach, I keep my head high and my expression composed. As I approach the reception desk, I spot a familiar face emerging from a nearby hallway and quickly lift my hand to wave her over.
“Lisa,” I call out to the brunette.
Her eyes widen in surprise at the sight of me before narrowing slightly. “Emilia? What are you doing here?”
I offer her a polite smile. “Good morning to you, too. I’m here to see Sterling Harrington.”
“Why?” she says on a frown. “And why are you dressed like that?”
I could be imagining it, but I’m getting serious fuck off vibes at the moment. Still, I decide not to engage. Lisa and I are friends, sure, but I know her through my siblings. Lisa and Carson apparently hadn’t crossed paths in Edenton until they ended up at the same college, when Carson was in his third year. According to Carson, she gravitated toward him, forming a friendship, and once they were done with college and moved back home, she did the same thing to Anika.
Anika likes her a lot, though, and when someone hangs out with your little sister, you kind of get them as a friend by default.
Lisa blinks, clearly taken aback. Join the club, sister.
“Assistant? Since when?”
“Since today,” I reply, maintaining my composure.
Her expression shifts from surprise to skepticism. “And what exactly qualifies you for this position?”
There’s a small smirk playing on her lips that feels condescending. I don’t like this, not at all.
“I don’t know why you’re asking me all these questions when you can always ask Mr. Harrington himself.”
She huffs, clearly unimpressed. “You’re right. Let’s go to his office.”
I clench my jaw as we walk through the expansive corridors, the air scented with a hint of polished wood. Reaching Sterling’s office, Lisa raps sharply on the door, waiting for him to call us inside before pushing it open.
His office is the epitome of luxury with floor-to-ceiling windows and a massive mahogany desk that sits close to the wall, its surface immaculate save for a laptop and a few neatly stacked files. There are some plush leather chairs arranged for visitors and a bookshelf that houses an array of journals and books.
Sterling looks up from his laptop, his piercing gaze sliding over Lisa before settling on me. A shiver rolls up my spine.
“Emilia, welcome,” he says, his tone neutral.
He rises to his feet just as Lisa steps forward, her posture rigid.
“Mr. Harrington. I just need to discuss Ms. Cameron’s appointment. I’m a little concerned about her qualifications and if she’s going to be a right fit at the company.”
Sterling’s expression hardens. “While I appreciate your diligence, Ms. Briggs, Emilia’s position isn’t up for debate and it certainly doesn’t concern you. She’s my assistant. Let me worry about her qualifications.”
Damn, that was cold.
Lisa opens her mouth to protest but Sterling raises a hand to silence her.
“That’ll be all, Lisa. I’ll call you in here again if I require your presence.”
Lisa shoots me a withering glare before storming out. Damn, I thought we were friends. She acted friendly to my face. I guess that just goes to show you can’t trust people.
The door closes behind her with a soft thud, leaving me alone with Sterling. Something I need to get used to. Because I’m going to be alone with him a lot from now on. I think.
He gestures to one of the leather chairs. “Please, have a seat.”
His gaze lingers on me, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“You look nice,” he adds.
Heat washes over me, but I pretend to be unaffected by the compliment.
“Thanks. You look good, too,” I say a little awkwardly.
He chuckles softly, leaning back in his chair. The air between us thickens with tension. I clear my throat, breaking the silence.
“So, shall we begin?”
He nods, his expression shifting to one of businesslike focus.
“Of course. After you sign the contracts for the sale, you’ll need to go to HR and the legal department. I’ve already spoken to them and your employment contract has been prepared as well. You can discuss it with whoever attends to you at the legal department.”
“Okay, no problem.”
“Now let’s discuss your role and how to integrate you into your position. I think it should be fairly easy. I’m having a desk prepared for you outside my office. It should be done in a few hours. It’s nothing much, just a cubicle-esque space that offers you with a direct line into my office. As my assistant, you’ll be taking all my calls and managing my schedule. You’d also have to take care of the little things as well, like buying me coffee or lunch if I request it.”
My nose wrinkles.
“Yeah, I had a feeling you’d hate it,” Sterling says, his eyes soft as they study me. “This is going to be fun. Just remember, you asked me for this job.”
I roll my eyes. “It’s okay. I can do all of that with a smile on my face,” I tell him.
“Oh yeah?” Sterling asks, a playful glint in his eyes that has my heart racing in my chest.
“We can’t do this,” I blurt out.
He pauses, clearly taken aback. “Do what?”
“Nothing,” I reply. “This. We need to keep things professional.”
“Ah, of course. Professionalism is important, Ms. Cameron. I don’t think it’ll be hard for us to display it.”
Turns out, it’s really hard. Throughout the day, I slip up and call him Tin Man about three times, and I can feel his eyes on me anytime I’m in his vicinity, his heated gaze feeling like he’s trying to crawl into me. By the time it’s time to leave, I’m almost glad to be out of his presence. Of course it’s not that easy to escape him, though.
“I’ll give you a ride,” he informs me as I stand in front of his desk.
He’s just finished filling me on his schedule and making sure I’m up to date on any important events coming up. I’ve got every meeting of his ticked in my calendar and I’ve taken note of the meager free time he has going forward with the development underway.
“No,” I protest, a little too quickly. “I mean… you’re my boss. Do bosses really drive their assistants home?”
“I didn’t realize there was a rulebook we had to follow,” he states gruffly.
“There isn’t, but…” I trial off and the glint in his eyes tells me he’s won.
“We’re going to be spending a lot of time together, Emilia. And we’ll be leaving work at the same time each day so it makes sense for you to just let me drive you home. Plus, your house is on my way.”
I sigh softly before agreeing. I leave his office to pack my things from my desk outside, and by the time I’m done, he’s standing right behind me. As far as first days ago, my day here at Harrington Holdings wasn’t so bad.
I received a lot of weird looks from the other employees but they mostly stopped after Sterling reiterated that my presence here is only temporary, same as his, until he returns back to his position at New York. I think a lot of the looks from the other employees has a lot to do with Lisa, to be honest. I had no idea she was such a bitch.
“You okay?” Sterling questions from the wheel.
I look at him and nod once. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just thinking about today.”
“And how was it?”
“It was fine. You’re actually much more tolerable than I give you credit for.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” he drawls.
“Yeah. One of the few ones you’ll ever be getting from me.”
He simply shakes his head at that. “How’s Paige?”
My heart warms at the fact that he’s thought to ask. Sterling Harrington is surprisingly not as superficial as I thought he would be. He’s proven me wrong on a lot of things, actually, and I feel like every day he continues to surprise me with his actions.
“She’s okay. Her leg’s healing nicely and they’re hoping she can get started on the physical therapy soon enough.”
“That’s good. She seems like a strong girl. I’m sure she’ll be okay.”
“Yeah, she will be,” I agree.
We arrive as my house pretty quickly. “Thanks for the ride, Mr. Harrington,” I say to him once he’s parked on the curb.
I take off my seatbelt, but a part of me wants to linger because I’m enjoying being in his car a little too much. It even smells like him. I’ve never been a person to notice a person’s scent but Sterling has a pretty distinct one. I think it’s his cologne. It has this musky, wooden scent that just sends pheromones running through me.
“You can call me Sterling when it’s just us,” he states, leaning his head back against the headrest of his seat to look sideways at me. “It feels more natural. Or Tin Man if you prefer.”
I laugh, avoiding his gaze. “I do prefer, actually. It just fits you so well.”
“Ironic considering you’d be a tin woman as well if you think about it.”
My brows furrow. “What do you mean?”
“You and I are a lot alike, Emilia,” he continues. “When you got the call about Paige, you were so distraught. But you only had to be in her mother’s presence for a second before your pain took a sort of backseat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone repress emotions as fast as you did back at that hospital. One minute I was genuinely starting to get worried about you and in the next you were pretty much fine. You took control of the situation in minutes, figured out the solution. It was pretty impressive.”
My mouth dries as I take in his words. I had no idea that was how it looked.
“Thanks?”
He chuckles. “I didn’t say it was a good thing, Emilia. Your feelings matter, too.”
“Sure,” I say on a shrug.
“No, I’m serious.” His green eyes meet mine and I suck in a sharp breath. “You’re allowed to feel anything you want to feel. Life’s too short to keep our emotions at bay.”
It doesn’t escape my notice that he’s basically saying my words back to me.
“Some emotions are too dangerous to explore, though,” I point out.
Sterling’s jaw tightens. He looks away from me. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that.”
I don’t think we’re talking about what happened at the hospital anymore. I feel a clenching in my chest.
“I’m going to head inside,” I say, my voice a little shaky. “Good night, Sterling.”
“Good night.”
He doesn’t look as I open the door, stepping out of the car. As soon as I do so, though, I feel a sharp stabbing pain in the soles of my feet that causes me to stumble.
“Ah,” I hiss, leaning on the car for support.
I hear the car door open and slam shut, and in the next breath Sterling’s standing in front of me, green eyes peering at me curiously.
“What’s wrong?”
His gaze moves down to my feet. I wave off his concern.
“I’m fine. I just don’t wear heels often enough so my legs are killing me after having being in these all day,” I say with a small embarrassed smile. “Lesson learned, though. You’ll be seeing me in ballet flats tomorrow at work.”
Sterling frowns. “Take them off.”
“What, now? My house is right there.” I gesture toward it with my hand.
“Can you walk?”
I make a face at his strict tone. “Of course I can.”
But I only need to take one step forward to disprove that statement. Sterling catches me when I stumble once again, his hands wrapping around my waist. My heart beats once, twice, and then it’s beating too fast for me to count. I feel my breathing stop. Everything around me simply stops.
We’ve never been this close before. His chest is pressed against mine and his face is right there. His lips are right there, and I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to kiss anyone more than I do right now, in this moment. His grip around my waist tightens like he can hear my thoughts. He moves in closer, his scent surrounding me as the air between us hums. I can’t stop staring at his mouth. I can’t help but imagine how it would feel against mine, on my body.
“You know, staring at me like that is a really bad idea, Emilia,” he rasps.
I stammer, trying to step away from his grip. “I-I’m sorry.”
Sterling’s eyes fall shut and he looks like he’s in pain for a moment. When they open, though, they’re clearer and I can practically see the intent behind them.
“Fuck it,” he whispers.
And then his lips come down on mine. Tingles shoot out like electricity through my body, sending sparks dancing, twirling across my skin. His hands are possessive, pulling me tight around him almost aggressively. His other hand reaches up to the back of my head, cradling my skull, and the kiss is soft, so soft, and filled with so much heat.
I shouldn’t be doing this. I really shouldn’t be kissing him right now. But sometimes doing the right thing is exhausting and you’ve just got to damn the consequences and live in the moment. Besides, kissing him feels way too good to be wrong.
I’m the one that pushes my tongue into his mouth. I step even closer to him, his hand sliding down to my ass. I moan when I feel the bulge in his pants rubbing against my thigh. The knowledge that I’m responsible for it makes me wild. His thumb trails down the column of my throat as his silky tongue tangles with mine.
I squeeze my thighs together, feeling my core clench. A part of me wants to rip his clothes off right there and then. But we’re standing outside my house.
Oh my god, we’re standing outside my house.
I pull back abruptly, panting hard. My hands are clenched, fisting the front of his shirt, and our hips are lined up in a way that’s entirely inappropriate. Sterling’s breathless too, his eyes peering at me in a way that makes me feel naked.
I slowly take a step away from his rock-hard body, floundering for something to say.
“That was…” I start, then stop. Finally, I shut my eyes, the words rushing past my lips. “Good night, Mr. Harrington.”
I hurriedly walk past him, as fast as my blistered feet can allow. I make it to my front door and when I glance back, Sterling’s still staring at me with his jaw clenched. I enter my house with a relieved sigh before slowly sliding down to the floor. Thankfully, Anika’s nowhere in sight.
I just hope no one saw us.
Fucking hell. This really was a bad idea. We didn’t even last a day.