Chapter 7 Asher
ASHER
The entire morning into early afternoon, I'd spent distracted and at times, pacing my office.
I hadn't been in the office since Tuesday and now, being Thursday, I was falling behind on things I needed to get done.
Meanwhile, Veda pranced around in that short skirt that made her look leggy and luscious, and it was driving me mad.
I had no clue what had come over me.
All I knew was that for two years, I never thought about another woman even when they threw themselves at me, and after a few interactions with her, I was out of control.
She was all I could think about.
When I tried to focus on work, I found myself irritated and unable to concentrate.
My eyes would drift up to the window where I could see her working with the real interns across the hall in cubicles, and I'd start getting hard as I watched her smile.
To make matters worse, I was anxious about the meeting this afternoon with all of the interns and the man who led the whole team—Jared.
We were supposed to go over all of their progress and success, and I was supposed to give my honest feedback.
It was something Robert set up weeks ago, before Veda was on the radar, and now I wished to God I'd never set eyes on her.
If anything could make me spin out and unravel faster than the drinking, it was her.
But she was also the thing that temporarily, if only for a moment, made me remember what life was like without alcohol in my system.
Veda Porter took a nervous system response that felt hardwired into my brain and pressed pause for twenty glorious minutes while I kept calm and reveled in her aura.
And now I was on edge again, wanting a drink every two seconds just to get through the day.
When the knock came at my office door, I couldn't turn them away. I was CEO of Locke Global, for Christ's sake.
I had to do my job and I couldn't keep hiding behind excuses.
"Come in," I grunted, standing from my desk to watch the door swing open.
Jared entered first, nodding at me. "Sir, we're ready for our meeting." He held the door open and stood to the side for the others to file in.
One by one, they walked past him and found a seat in my office in various places—the table in the corner, the small leather sofa on the far wall, and the armchairs across from my desk, turned to face the group.
"Yes, well…" I straightened my tie and watched Veda more than the others.
She glanced around like she didn't know what she was doing and in fact, she didn't.
She wasn't even a part of this meeting.
Hired as a way to keep tabs on me, Veda didn't fit with the interns, my assistant, or even in my office, though she clearly had the skills to outshine them all.
She strutted over to the sofa and perched on the armrest, folding her hands in her lap over the tight grey skirt that hugged her hips so beautifully.
My cock jumped at the sight, and it had to be obvious to anyone paying attention to me that I was staring.
I had to pry my eyes off her and whatever voodoo she had cast on me, and I turned to Jared who was shutting the door.
"How's the team doing?" I asked gruffly, and he chimed in with his full report on each member individually as he took his own seat.
When he got to Veda, he paused for a moment and cleared his throat. "Ms. Porter is exceptional at everything she does, Sir. I appreciate your loaning her to us for the past two days, but she really deserves an office of her own."
Jared's words strummed the tune I already heard playing since the moment I met her. Smart, elegant, well-spoken, Veda drew attention wherever she went.
"Thank you," I told him, and I noticed that Veda was still avoiding eye contact.
I wasn't sure if it was because of what happened between us or if it was the way I'd handled it by avoiding the office.
"Now, where are the reports?" I held out my hand and he slid a stack of manila folders into my hand.
With the distraction, I settled behind my desk and the team waited. Every single file I looked through was flawed.
Numbers were jumbled, typos on every page—except Veda's, of course, which were flawless.
It was rubbish, completely ridiculous.
These college students and near-grads were never going to make it in this company if they couldn't proofread their work, and Jared, of all people, should know better.
"Disgusting," I grumbled finally, standing up.
I looked up at Ivy, one of the youngest interns and still only a sophomore at Cambridge doing remote studies.
"Can you even spell? This report looks like it was typed by a fifth grader.
And you," I said, turning to Garrett. "The math on this budget sheet has so many flaws.
Common core didn't do you any favors, did it? "
"Sir, I—" he protested, but I was unhinged by that point.
I had never been accused—not even in my younger years in middle management—of being a pleasant man to work for, and just because I was sober today instead of three sheets to the wind didn't mean I'd changed.
"The whole lot of you needs to go back to kindergarten," I blurted out as I stood and stormed around the desk.
"You could take a lesson or two from Ms. Porter.
At least she spelled everything correctly.
Your computers have spell check for a reason, and every phone and computer comes with a built-in calculator. Use them."
Every head in this office hung in shame, including Veda's, as I cursed them all out.
Little by little, I felt my rope fraying and my pulse pounding, and when I'd had enough, I walked to the door and opened it.
"We'll do this again in three weeks and next time, let's have a grown-up conversation.
" Thank God I had a team of actual professionals checking all of their work before my communications went out the door.
"Ms. Porter, stay. We have to talk." I kept the edge in my voice as I barked the command, because while I did need to speak to her, it was about something no boss should ever have to discuss with an employee.
And I didn’t want anyone else hearing those words to get the idea that she was being singled out or targeted.
But that was exactly what was happening.
At worst, they'd think I was going to offer her a real job or a promotion. She was the only one who'd done any decent work.
When the last of them was out, I closed the door and then the blinds and turned to where she now sat on the couch cushion instead of the arm, but her eyes were still downcast.
I'd spent all day stewing and it was time to unburden myself so I could finally get back to focusing.
And it felt like torture as I walked toward her and she didn't look up.
"Ms. Porter, we should talk about what happened…"
"Given what happened, do you think it's a good idea for me to be staying after meetings in your office?" Her fingers folded together and finally, she looked up at me.
"Fair," I said, pulling one of the armchairs from beside my desk over to sit facing her. "But I have to know…" My mouth felt too dry. I wanted a drink.
But more than that, I wanted to assure myself that I hadn't ruined my future on an impulse. "Do you feel like I crossed lines with you?"
The words came out a bit harsh, maybe a little bitter, which I didn't intend them to, but I was still feeling on edge.
"You crossed every single line, Sir." Veda looked at me straight-faced and alert, and bold as she could be. "And if you asked me to cross those lines again right now, I would."
Her words made my body respond with warmth flooding me. "Even after I had to crack down on you and chew you out?" I wasn't referring immediately to the meeting today, though part of that lecture was for all of them in the room.
Everyone needed a good butt-kicking from time to time. "You handled that well, by the way. Most of those kids can't take any bit of criticism."
Veda chuckled. "I see why they call you the intern eater…" For a brief second, she had the most ravishing smile, but it faded instantly and her cheeks flushed red. That alone was enough to make my dick jump up, as if it wasn’t already rock hard.
There was a spark here between us that was way more than just a chemical reaction.
Veda saw my nasty side and not only had she stuck around, but she managed to enjoy my presence.
"I could have my car around front in ten minutes…" I said without thinking. "If you really meant that." I was thinking with my dick, not my brain, but watching the hitch in her breath, the way her tongue drew out over her bottom lip slowly and then vanished into her mouth again—it was worth it.
"I'll get my coat." Veda stood and then she was gone. With no need for coaxing or any hesitation on her part, she was following my invitation.
Adrenaline surged through my body so fast, I lost my mind. I headed for the front door with my phone in hand, texting my driver to bring the car around, and as I passed Penny's desk she called, "Sir! Where are you going?"
"Out to make a call—"
"Sir, your coat!"
I glanced over my shoulder at my office door hanging open and the dumbfounded expression on my assistant’s face as I pushed the elevator button and the door opened immediately.
Maybe I needed my jacket, but not for what I was about to do.
In under ten minutes, I was seated in the back seat of my limo with the partition up and orders for my driver to stay put unless he got a text from me.
The cabin was warm and Veda practically followed on my heels, but she had the sense to put on her coat, at least.
I pushed the door open from the inside and she slid in. She smelled like a breath of fresh air, literally.
Her perfume was something light and airy, like lilacs in spring. And as soon as the door was shut, she started shedding layers—the coat, then her heels, then her earrings.
"Whoa… hey," I said, grabbing a wrist. "Slow down. No need to rush."