Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
“You have any big plans for tonight?”
Amelia looked up from packing up her purse and smiled at Jamie from Accounting.
There were few people she personally got along with at the office, and Jamie had been one of them.
She said yes to the invites for happy hour when they came from him, and he was one of the few who didn’t give her a wide berth because she was the CEO’s executive assistant.
“How’d you know?”
He nodded toward her closed laptop and she chuckled. She never left work on time. Between putting out unnecessary fires and being on call for her boss, she usually started early and ended late every day.
But not tonight. Mr. Monroe can answer his own phone calls and emails.
“Hot date?” Jamie wagged his eyebrows.
“Not exactly.” Signing up for a particular room in a sex club wasn’t how she’d define a date, unless she signed up with someone she knew. “But I am eager to get out of here and enjoy whatever is left of my Valentine’s.”
“I know that’s right.” Jamie waved at her. “I’m about to enjoy mine too. Good night,” he singsonged.
“I’m right—”
“Ms. Wayne? A word.” Amelia gritted her teeth.
Her shoulders bunched into her neck, and she rolled her eyes.
Why would tonight be any different for her as far as getting out of here on time?
She was already well past the time she should have left, but here came her asshole of a boss needing something from her.
“Oop, I guess you’re not leaving yet.” Jamie leaned forward, keeping his voice to a whisper. “Don’t let him keep you here, and if he does, ask him for a raise.”
Amelia smiled, shooing Jamie out of the office.
At least one of them should be able to enjoy their evening.
She wasn’t sure why her boss was still here either.
He rarely came in on Fridays, but he showed up this afternoon like the entire world was on fire and closing on a deal needed to happen that very second.
She let out a sigh and threw on her trenchcoat. Her bags were already packed, so all she had to do was figure out whatever he wanted and leave. She hoped the coat would be a deterrent and make it clear she was not staying later than necessary.
Amelia walked toward his office, staying in the doorway. “Yes, Mr. Monroe?” She tried to keep her tone level, but the pinched brow on his face said she hadn’t.
A tense silence fell between them as they stared at each other. The city lights that shone behind Mr. Monroe’s desk always took her breath away. Each building was lit up like the stars in the sky. It was a pretty reminder that, with enough light, even the darkest skies were never that dark.
She loved the view—it was the best one in the entire office. She would sneak in here as soon as the sun started to set, especially during autumn and winter. It always got dark around four then, and that first twinkle of light peeked through the open windows like a gentle kiss hello.
It was too bad it was wasted on someone who liked to show up sporadically and drive her crazy, like he was doing now.
Why had he called her in here?
“Mr. Monroe?” This time she didn’t try to keep the annoyance out of her tone. If she didn’t leave in the next ten minutes, she was going to be late for her plans tonight.
“Are you going somewhere?” His deep rumble rolled over her body.
Goosebumps skirted along her skin, and she felt her stomach swoop.
It wasn’t an uncommon response to the sound of his voice, especially in the early morning hours or when they both stayed late in the office.
Mr. Monroe sounded like sin, and his wide shoulders, toned frame, and tattoos that occasionally peeked out from under the suits he wore only added to the appeal.
If someone was into that sort of thing.
Which she wasn’t.
At all.
“Ms. Wayne?” His sharp tone made her bristle. He called her in here and waited for what felt like forever to say what he wanted, and now he was rushing her?
“Considering I’ve been off the clock for thirty minutes now, yes,” she snapped. She took a quick glance at her watch. Great. She had to leave in the next seven minutes or she’d be late. “What is it that you need me to do? Convert a doc to a PDF?” She smirked when his eyes narrowed.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Or is it the calendar giving you trouble again?” Her tone was all sugary sweet.
“And there she is.” Mr. Monroe chuckled as he unfurled himself from behind his desk. “I was wondering who this polite person was standing in front of me.” He placed his palms on his desk as he leaned forward.
Amelia watched him perform this tactic so many times, she wondered why he was wasting it on her.
When he was seated, he always had this relaxed, devil-may-care energy.
It let people keep their guard down and think they could take liberties with him—or walk all over him.
It wasn’t until he stood to his full six-feet-and-some-change height that he intimidate anyone.
It was always fun to watch when she had the opportunity. It was like only she saw the wolf lurking in his eyes when he was seated. His features weren’t necessarily hard or rugged, but he was watchful. He knew exactly how to get what he wanted out of everyone.
Well, everyone except her.
But she got paid the big bucks to keep it that way as his executive assistant.
Mr. Monroe scoffed. “I double-booked myself one time, and you haven’t let that go, which is wild because it was your fault I messed it up in the first place.”
A hot flush rushed through her body at the accusation.
She stomped her way farther into his office.
“It was your fault for not being able to follow simple instructions,” she planted her hands on his desk, matching his posture, “and, by the way, I left said instructions taped to whatever book you were reading at the time. I also sent it in an email and scheduled it in your phone.” When it came to his business life, she had it mapped out without any real input from him.
The only time he cued her into what he did outside of these walls was when it interfered with what he had on his calendar.
Honestly, when she thought about it, it made zero sense that he double-booked himself.
But I guess that’s what happens when you have your head shoved up your ass.
“What could have been so interesting that you missed every one of my notes?” she seethed.
Amelia could feel the heat seeping off her skin. Her chest rose and fell at a too-rapid speed. There were no sounds in the room except for their heavy breathing, and she promptly ignored the way each inhale she took matched his exhale.
Mr. Monroe’s eyes darkened. They quickly dipped to her lips before they slowly slipped down her neck and to the blouse she was wearing. It was light blue, one of her favorites, but it felt too tight against her chest in the growing tension in the room.
Amelia and Mr. Monroe had plenty of heated arguments. It was what they did. But it was always in passing and with more than just a desk between them. She did not like the way her pulse jumped when he took his time bringing his gaze back to hers.
“As if you don’t already know.” Mr. Monroe’s words slipped under her shirt and dove further down her body. She resisted the urge to shift on her feet.
“You’re on call this weekend, correct, Ms. Wayne?” His lips twitched as he slowly sat back in his chair, looking every bit the in-charge CEO he was to the world.
Amelia’s eye twitched. A surprise laugh slipped out of her as she eased away from his desk.
“I already told you and everyone else,” she turned and started walking way, ignoring the way she felt his eyes on her, “I’m off the clock as of thirty minutes ago and won’t be available until Monday morning.
” She stopped at the door, gazing over her shoulder. “Good night, Mr. Monroe.”
“You do know I’m your boss here, correct?
” There was something in his tone that made her brain itch to explore.
But if she did, she’d never get out of here, and she had enough of men dictating her life for one lifetime.
Her ex had a way of shifting her view of the things she wanted and how she viewed herself.
He made it seem like the things that brought her joy were silly and insignificant.
Every time she spoke up or had an opinion about something, he twisted it until she caved, and when it came to their sex life, her pleasure was never considered.
“You and I both know I run things in this office, so much so you don’t know who’s coming or going.
” And that was all based on facts, not ego.
“But I’m sure you’ll do fine all on your own this weekend.
” She waved. “I left notes. Make sure you actually read them, Mr. Monroe, so we don’t have another mishap.
” She swallowed her laugh when she heard him rumbling something eerily close to pain in the ass under his breath.
She grabbed her bags and sped-walked toward the elevator, contemplating taking the stairs down when her phone buzzed. She almost didn’t answer it, but as soon as the elevator pinged, she was pulling her phone out of her bag to see who was bothering her on a Friday evening.
“Because no one seems to understand what ‘off the clock’ means,” she grumbled under her breath and stepped through the elevator doors.
“Of course.” She let out a heavy sigh seeing Mr. Monroe’s name on her screen. She quickly put in her passcode, fingers flying to tell him off again when she paused, seeing what he wrote:
Mr. Monroe: Happy Valentine’s Day, Ms. Wayne. Enjoy your weekend. I’ll see you Monday.”
Amelia slipped her phone back into her bag, doing nothing to wipe the smile off her face.