Chapter 2
Vivienne
“I’ve got this.” I said to myself as I got ready for my first day at a new job.
“What is wrong with me?” I muttered to myself. “I am a 40-something, smart, beautiful, vivacious woman, wife, and mother. I can handle a first day at a new job. Now get yourself together.”
“Are you talking to yourself again?” My husband, Robert, of nearly two decades, laughed at me as he walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He buried his nose in my hair and squeezed my hips.
“Stop, you’re going to mess up my hair and I don’t have time to start over.” I fussed, as I swatted his hands away.
“Stop being such a frigid bitch.” Robert scoffed and walked away. I stared in the mirror and shook my head. I wouldn’t let my husband’s words get to me today. He could be a real asshole most days, but I knew he loved me in his own special way.
He was a hard man, but I loved him. Robert was my best friend, the father of our boys. But some days were a little harder than others to love him unconditionally. I meant what I said when we said our vows, I said until death do us part.
Even though, on numerous occasions over the last couple of years, I’ve contemplated divorcing him. I loved Robert, with all of my heart, but I haven’t convinced myself that I was still in love with him.
Shaking my thoughts away, I walked to my closet and grabbed my favorite black kitten heels. I smoothed out my black pencil skirt and took one last look in the mirror before walking out of the door to face a new job and a new boss.
I hated change, but I got bored easily. I welcomed this new change. It excited me. I didn’t have a lick of experience as a personal assistant, but I had plenty of years experience in catering to my demanding, asshole of a husband. So, there’s that.
I climbed into my car and found my favorite playlist to listen to as I drove to the city. Fuck, I hated driving in this traffic.
I parked my car after finding the glass building that was home to Blackwood Architects. As I walked up to the front door, I hesitated for a moment.
“You can do this. It’s a fresh start, a new chapter.”
I opened the door and walked to the receptionist’s desk. The petite blond behind the desk looked up at me with a snarl on her face.
“Can I help you?” She said with a snarky attitude. Jen was her name, I think. I was horrible with names, but always remembered faces.
“I’m Vivienne Sinclair, I’m here for my first day of work. I was told to ask for Melissa Wright or Sam Mitchell.”
Jen rolled her eyes before picking up the phone. “Melissa will see you now. Go to the 2nd floor and she’ll come get you in the lobby.”
“Okay, thanks. Have a great day!” I told her with a forced smile. That woman needed an attitude adjustment, but I always believed in being nice to those who didn’t deserve it because that pissed them off more.
Stepping off of the elevator to the 2nd floor, I looked around at my surroundings. The marble gray floors were sleek. Modern art hung on the walls and contemporary furniture was placed around the perimeter strategically.
You could definitely tell we were in an architectural firm. Heels clicked in the distance, so I straightened my gaze to where they were coming from.
“Hey, are you Vivienne? I’m Melissa. Sam’s administrative assistant.” The friendly woman asked as she stuck her hand out to shake mine.
“Hi Melissa! Yes, I’m Vivienne, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Melissa was a little taller than me, although being 5’4”, everyone seemed taller than me. But she seemed friendly enough, so I shook her hand and gave her a genuine smile.
“So, Sam asked me to get you started on all of your new hire paperwork first, then as soon as you’re done, I’ll give you a tour of the building. The first floor houses all admins and junior partners, oh and the break room. The second floor is where HR, the senior partners, and the conference rooms are. And the 3rd floor is where the CEO and CFO’s offices are located, along with a larger conference room. The guys also have their own kitchen, slash break room, slash living room up there.” Melissa laughed at that last bit.
“Sorry, I got really excited knowing that Mr. Blackwood was finally hiring an assistant for himself. I normally help Lucas Christenson, who is the CFO, and Sam. On occasion when Lucas begs, I’ll help Mr. Blackwood; but Jason really doesn’t like much help.” She breathed deeply, as she grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall to the HR offices.
This was going to be a long day. I got started filling out the required paperwork and decided to stretch my legs. I was almost done, so I knew I’d be touring the building soon.
Melissa soon makes her way back to me and we get started on the building tour.
Upon entering the first floor by the receptionist’s desk and Jen looks up as we approach her. “Back so soon? Not everyone’s first day lasts very long. Some people can’t get passed the first day jitters. Who were you supposed to be working for again?” She asks with a smirk.
Melissa is the first to speak. “I was giving Vivienne a tour of the building. She’s definitely not going anywhere, Jen. And if I were you, I’d watch how you talk to Mr. Blackwood’s assistant.”
Jen tries and fails to hide the shock on her face. “That’s not true. Jason, I mean, Mr. Blackwood never announced that he needed an assistant. Why would he hire her? She’s old enough to be my mother, my god, she’s old enough to be close in age to him!”
I laughed. I laughed so hard I nearly had tears in my eyes. “What in the world does my age have to do with hiring me? If anything, me being older shows that I have more real world experience. And if I was your mother, the first thing I would do is teach you some manners.”
Jen looked like she wanted to plot my murder and Melissa snickered next to me. Putting her arm gently on my shoulder, Melissa steered me towards the elevators and said it was time to finish the tour.
I shook my head and walked after her. It was definitely going to be interesting working here.
We got off the elevator on the second floor, she pointed out the senior partners offices, but they were all in a conference upstairs with Jason and Lucas.
Before we made our way to the third floor, Melissa ran into her office to make a few phone calls. Since she was going to be a little bit, she said to go ahead and go up without her. The conference should be over by the time she made it back.
I wandered around the 3rd floor, taking in everything. It was slightly overwhelming. Lost in my thoughts, I turned the corner and ran into a solid wall and let out a shriek. A very solid wall of hard muscles.
I teetered back slightly and lost my balance. Before I could fall flat on my ass, strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me upright and quickly released me, but not before slightly squeezing my hips. I slowly let my gaze drag upwards and into the eyes of one of the most gorgeous men I’d ever seen in person. Our gazes met and for a few seconds we just stared at each other.
Shaking my head, I cleared my throat and smiled. “I-I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t mean to run into you.”
“It’s okay, I um, wasn’t paying attention either. I just needed a moment to gather my thoughts and well...nevermind.” The man spoke with a deep, smooth voice that sent shivers down my spine and straight to my clit that was practically now throbbing just from the sound of his voice. I was in trouble.
He smoothed his hair back before clearing his throat and put his hand out to introduce himself. “Jason Blackwood. And you are?”
Before I could mumble my response, Melissa came up next to us and beat me to it. “Oh, Mr. Blackwood, I see you’ve met Mrs. Vivienne Sinclair, your new assistant.”
Ignoring the emphasis on Mrs , I placed my hand in his very large hand and visibly shivered. A small gasp escaped my lips as Jason’s hand tightened in mine. Did he feel that, too?
◆◆◆
Jason
Fuck my life. This meeting was going no where. I knew that my new assistant was starting today but I just wasn’t in the mood.
“Thomas, how much longer is this going to take? I have a new employee starting soon and I want to be prepared before they arrive.”
Thomas Carter, a senior partner, had been droning on about new projects on the agenda and how we needed to get certain investors on board for almost an hour. He was a shark and I didn’t trust him much, but he was a damn good architect.
“Since when do we have a new employee starting?” He complained. Some days I think he forgot who was in charge.
“Well, Thomas, I didn’t know that I needed to run new employees by you. But since you’ve asked so nicely, I decided to hire an assistant. Sam interviewed several candidates before deciding on one. She’ll be here soon.”
“SHE?!” He bellowed. “The last thing you need Blackwood is another distraction.”
“That’s enough.” Lucas called out to him. “Thomas I don’t see where it’s any of your concern on who we hire. It’s not like she’s going to be your assistant. Are you jealous?”
Lucas and Thomas started bickering. I took that moment to excuse myself. I needed to clear my head for a moment before I blew up at someone. I quietly closed the conference door and walked around the corner and into someone who let out a shriek.
Well, fuck me again because this woman was gorgeous. She must be lost. But before I could further look at her, she lost her balance and started to fall backwards. Without thinking, I reached out and wrapped my arms around her waist and hauled her upright.
I quickly released her but not before giving her hips a slight squeeze. I truly couldn’t help myself. This woman had curves for days.
Our gazes met and I was speechless. She shook her head. You could tell she was flustered. Hell, I was too.
“I-I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t mean to run into you.” The woman stuttered out.
I couldn’t find my words either. “It’s okay, I um, wasn’t paying attention either. I just needed a moment to gather my thoughts and well...nevermind.”
After introducing myself, Melissa came up and announced that this gorgeous woman in front of me was now my assistant.
Just great. The woman I knocked over and couldn’t take my eyes off of was now going to be working with me everyday.
Beside me, under me, above me….wait what?
Vivienne shook my hand and I swear I felt a jolt of energy that ran straight through me and had blood rushing to my cock. Did she feel that, too?
I tightened my hand in hers as Thomas and Lucas came around the corner, stopping in their tracks.
“Blackwood, are you going to sit out here and hold hands or are we going to finish this meeting?” Thomas just had a way of getting under my skin.
“Mr. Carter, Lucas, I want you both to meet Vivienne Sinclair, my new assistant.” Turning to Melissa, “Can you bring Vivienne to my office? We’ll only be a few more minutes in the meeting.”
I turned and walked back to the conference room. Ten more minutes is all I would last in this damn meeting.
Who was Vivienne Sinclair? I refused to acknowledge the fact that she was married. I deliberately left off the Mrs. when introducing her.
I’d digest that thought later.