Chapter 4 #2
Brad merely grins as he gets up and circles his massive desk, before directing me to a small seating area off to the side.
His office isn’t really an office in the traditional sense.
It’s a giant cube with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, so that we’re overlooking a breathtaking cityscape.
Plus, despite the massive size, there’s very little furniture inside, which only emphasizes how much sheer space there is.
I swear, they could fit a string orchestra and its audience inside, with room for a lavish reception afterwards.
Brad reads my mind. “We use this room for parties sometimes,” the CEO grins as he seats himself on a lounger. “I find that the view is conducive to deal-making.”
I smile sassily.
“Because it reminds people of your wealth?”
The older man thinks for a moment.
“Yes, and because the view is beautiful,” he says. “Everyone’s in a better mood when they’re able to take in a gorgeous view.”
That’s when my insides begin to tingle because my stepfather doesn’t turn towards the windows while saying those words.
Instead, his blue eyes pierce mine, making me feel seen .
It’s as if this man is telling me that I’m the one who’s gorgeous, and not the setting.
A hot chill of awareness runs through my being, and suddenly I’m reminded that Brad Landry and I aren’t equals.
He’s a powerful, charismatic billionaire in his 40’s, whereas I’m a young woman just starting out in life.
He has a wealth of experience to draw from, while I have almost none.
Basically, I’m na?ve and inexperienced, and playing directly into the hands of the bear.
But still, I have to maintain my wits. This is no time to become a mess when I just got here. Yet why was I asked to this magnificent office? Brad grins again, beating me to the punch.
“So tell me, Minnie,” he says in a smooth voice. “What are you doing here?”
I sputter for a moment.
“You emailed me!” I state. “I’m here because of you.”
The older man chuckles, and it’s a sexy sound. The rumble starts deep in his chest before hitting my ears, and my thighs squeeze together tight despite myself.
“I did, didn’t I? But I didn’t mean it so literally. What I meant is, what are you doing here, at Excel Properties? How did you get the internship?”
Ah ha, I knew this moment was going to come.
“ You helped me get it,” I say in a low voice.
“It was before you filed for divorce from my mom. I think you guys might have been in a holding pattern at that point in the relationship? With a chance of reconciliation? Honestly, I don’t know, but I gave you my resume a while back, and you must have put it in the system for me. ”
Brad nods thoughtfully, stroking his strong chin.
“I must have, hmm? I get so many resumes all the time, that I guess I forgot. But a resume earmarked by the CEO probably got HR’s attention.”
“Yes,” I say in a tone that’s a bit too forceful.
“We had a conversation back then. I told you that I was pessimistic about my future career as a journalist, remember? How dozens of American newspapers have been folding right and left, and that I wanted to explore marketing as a career alternative?”
Brad nods thoughtfully again, giving nothing away.
“I do remember,” he says in a deep voice.
I shoot him a look.
“Do you really, Brad?” I ask in a dry tone. “It seems like my presence at Excel is a total surprise to you.”
Instead of being offended, the powerful CEO chuckles.
“I am a little surprised,” he acknowledges. “But it’s fine. Excel has tens of thousands of employees, and another intern isn’t going to bring the place crashing down. At least, I hope not.”
I nod.
“Good, because I’m genuinely interested in marketing and hope to pick up some valuable experience while I’m here. Which brings me to my next point...”
One of Brad’s black brows arches.
“Which is...?”
I exhale with a poof so that my hair flies up a bit as I shoot him a wry smile.
“Well, I think my fellow interns might be angry when I say this, but we haven’t gotten any work yet. It’s been almost a week, but we’ve been sitting on our hands, re-reading the Employee Handbook, and wondering if everyone’s forgotten us. We’re going a bit stir-crazy at our desks.”
Brad shoots me a wry look.
“Yeah, I can see why the other kids wouldn’t appreciate you telling me that. There are definitely a lot of people in the world who’d be more than happy to twiddle their thumbs while letting their paychecks roll in.”
I think for a moment.
“Yes, but it’s not healthy to do that. It’s a competitive job market out there, especially for recent college grads.
None of us want to waste time, and especially not an entire summer.
Say what you will about Gen Z, but lazy slackers we are not.
We need experience. Skills. Bullet points for our resumes, and this is where we’re going to get them. ”
Brad nods, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Oh my god, is he laughing at me? Does he think my little speech is sanctimonious and trite, coming from a girl so young and green?
Do I sound like I’ve been memorizing aphorisms, like someone who consumes too many “girl power” memes?
OMG, I’ve totally overstepped and my cheeks flame hot as I try not to squirm.
“I see,” the huge man hums, one tanned cheek twitching a bit.
OMG, he is laughing at me! Suddenly, I feel so stupid.
I feel like a completely inept moron sitting here in the billionaire’s office, and fervently hope for a hole in the ground to swallow me up.
Heck, if the hole swallowed this entire building, that would be great.
But Brad merely smirks again, his tanned face so gorgeous that I can barely breathe.
“I find your eagerness very refreshing,” he remarks lightly. “We need more of that at Excel.”
I shoot him a look.
“Really.”
“We do,” he confirms. “We can always use fresh new energy around these parts, and I find you very intriguing, Minnie.”
“Okay,” I say in a hesitant voice. “Thanks. I think.”
He grins fully now, flashing even white teeth and momentarily, I’m reminded of a wolf smiling because Brad Landry’s not my friend, nor is he an amicable co-worker, nor even a doting manager. This man is a predator circling his prey, and unfortunately, I’m it.
“You’re very fetching, Minnie,” he drawls again, his large form still on the sofa. “But I’d like something before you leave.”
I pause, squinting at him.
“Like what? For me to take my words back? For me to go home, so you and my mom can divorce in peace without her daughter here, under your shoe?”
“You’re not under my shoe, Minnie,” the huge billionaire immediately responds, still looking relaxed on his chair.
Somehow, however, there’s tension emanating from that broad form.
I can feel the masculine vibrations in the air, and my insides go hot as a result.
My thighs squeeze together and there’s a pool of warmth in my secret spot. Oh my god, what’s happening?
“I am under your shoe—” I begin, but the CEO cuts me off.
“I’d like a kiss for my trouble, sweetheart,” Brad states, his form still relaxed as he sits across from me. “I think that would be a nice thank you for getting you this job. What do you think?”
I stare at him, my cheeks flushing.
“ What ?” I stammer. “A kiss between us? Like me and you?”
Brad’s black brow quirks with humor, but the air’s also gone thickly intense. My pulse races as I stare at the billionaire, my heart thrumming at a million miles in my chest.
“Yes, a kiss in return for submitting your resume to the system, even if I had nothing to do with your getting hired,” he smiles, although there’s a silkiness to his tone now that causes a frisson of awareness to run down my spine. “I think that would be a nice token of thanks.”
Oh my god, this is so wrong. This man is two decades my senior, and the CEO of where I work! Not only that, but he’s my mom’s ex-husband. Are he and Joelle even fully divorced? OMG, OMG. Who knows where they are in the process?
Yet I find myself getting up from my seat in slow motion and approaching the seated man as he waits.
As I come closer, the blood begins to pound in my ears as my heart thrums. I’m being pulled to his massive form as if caught by a powerful tractor beam, and my insides melt as my skin goes hot.
Meanwhile, Brad’s blue eyes begin to gleam, even as he stays stock still.
“Yes,” the older man rasps. “Come here, sweetheart.”
I come to a halt while positioned between his two spread knees. I can feel the fabric of his suit pants on the outsides of my thighs, and I look down at him with wide eyes, the oxygen thin in my lungs.
“What do I do next, Mr. Landry?” I whisper. “I’m not sure.”
He lets out an inarticulate groan.
“It’s easy, sweetheart. Just bend your head and press your lips against mine.”
My pupils dilate as I stare into Brad’s azure eyes, and suddenly, I see that the inner iris of one is a greenish brown. How interesting! This man has a bit of heterochromia, but immediately my inner voice speaks.
What are you doing? it screeches. How can you even be thinking about his eye color at a moment like this? Run, girl, run! Run like the wind!
But I shut out the voice because the truth is that I don’t want to run.
I want to be right here, standing between the powerful alpha male’s knees as my small hands rest on his shoulders.
I want to stare into his gaze, consumed by the lust in them, as I lean slowly forwards and press my lips against his mobile ones.
They’re warm and soft, and at first, nothing happens.
But then, Brad seizes control and before I realize it, the kiss has deepened.