Chapter 4 #2
‘Why not?’ I ask, sitting back on the edge of my desk, intrigued by her unusual switch to sincerity.
‘Because it was a total accident; it could have happened to any of us,’ she says fiercely.
I blink, surprised by her vehemence. ‘Why do you care what happens to her?’
She folds her arms and her stance becomes more aggressive, as if she’s keying up for a fight with me.
‘Because I like her. She’s the only person here who’s actually been nice to me since I started – she hasn’t judged me or pigeonholed me like everyone else.’
She tilts her head pointedly and raises an eyebrow, as if to suggest she includes me in that grouping.
There’s an infinitesimal pause, during which she continues to stare at me with that same challenging expression, then she adds, ‘And she’s a smart, hard-working and loyal person who’s an asset to your business. You’d be crazy to let her go.’
I don’t know how it’s possible, but my body is responding to businesslike Maya even more than to flirty Maya.
She’s really fucking arresting when she’s being serious.
Despite this added inconvenience, I look back at her steadily.
I have to say I’m surprised and a little bemused to see Maya Darlington-Hume standing up for a woman she barely knows – I really wasn’t expecting that kind of altruistic behaviour from her.
For all she knows she could be making real trouble for herself, with both me and her father, but she’s standing her ground anyway.
And I like that.
‘I’m not going to fire her.’ The words leave my mouth before I’ve had time to properly consider what I’m saying. ‘But she’ll be given a written warning,’ I add quickly.
She lets out a low sigh, as if she’s been holding her breath, waiting for my decision, then she clasps both hands together in an appreciative gesture.
‘Thank you,’ she says, sounding as if she’s genuinely grateful.
Warmth pools in my chest – which also takes me by surprise.
Is it because I feel as if I’ve just seen another side to her?
A more genuine side? One she normally hides from me?
Not that I should let that seduce me into letting down my guard.
I get the feeling she’s a master manipulator, and I’m hyper aware that she’s been playing games with me from the moment we met.
‘It’s good to know that you’re not quite the cold-hearted business-bastard I had you pegged as,’ she says, flashing me a teasing grin now.
‘Yes, well, perhaps you should be a little more concerned about your own behaviour if you’re going to convince people you’re actually serious about running a business,’ I bite back, more aggressively than I mean to.
Her comment has made me uncomfortable. Do I really come across like that? I know I can be stern with my staff when I want something done well, but I’d hoped they saw me as being a firm but fair boss.
Taking a defensive step backwards, she loosens her stance and her body language becomes suddenly indolent – like she actually doesn’t give a shit what I think.
It’s as if she’s realised she mustn’t show me her real feelings in case I use them against her.
It reminds me of the way she acted towards her father when we were in his sitting room together the day we met.
Despite my lingering annoyance about her comment, I can’t help but feel for her.
It must be pretty taxing having Maxim for a father, after all.
‘Actually, I think you’ll find Mr Wynn Jones was very impressed with my behaviour today,’ she retorts, before I can say something to soften my response. ‘He particularly liked my jokes.’
Her meaningful smirk makes me tense.
‘What did you say to him just before I walked in?’ I ask carefully. It’s been bugging me ever since I saw the two of them turn to look at me with broad grins across their faces.
She takes a couple of sauntering steps back towards me, bringing her sweet floral scent with her. I try not to breathe it in – my body is already responding alarmingly to the shortening of the space between us.
‘Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything bad about you, boss. I know where my loyalties lie.’
‘You mean you’re afraid I’ll badmouth you to your father if you do anything to piss me off,’ I say, immediately kicking myself internally for my crassness. Her proximity is really messing with my composure.
She doesn’t recoil, though; instead, she takes another step closer to me, so we’re only a couple of feet apart now. So close I could reach out and touch her if I wanted to.
The air throbs between us.
‘I’m only playing my father’s game so I can finally be independent from him,’ she says, with a hard kind of resolve in her expression.
‘Once I’ve done my time at his company – and yours – I’m taking full control of my life and my money.
Despite what everyone thinks, I’m serious about making a success of my business. ’
Interesting. So I’m not the only one needing to keep Maxim sweet to get what I want. It seems we have something in common. I have to admit I’m surprised to find she’s actually serious about setting up her own company. I’d assumed it was just a ruse to placate her father and keep her funds flowing.
‘Well, I applaud you,’ I say sincerely. I suspect she’ll have the tenacity and smarts to achieve what she wants too.
‘And, yes, you did do a good job, showing Wynn Jones around,’ I go on, before she has time to respond to my switch in attitude.
‘He was impressed with how knowledgeable you are about the business. It seems you’ve picked up a lot in the short space of time you’ve been working here. ’
‘I’m sure you find it hard to believe, but I am capable of more than just making coffee.’
Her smile is wry, but I sense indignation behind it – which makes my stomach lurch. Does she really believe I think so poorly of her? But then, to be fair, I’ve never let her know I’ve noticed how hard she’s been working.
‘I don’t find that difficult to believe at all,’ I say calmly. ‘You strike me as a very shrewd and enterprising woman, and I appreciate your ability to think quickly and keep a cool head. You saved the day – and the deal.’
She’s looking at me now as if I’ve just grown another nose.
‘Oh, okay… well, good. I’m glad to have helped.’ The antagonism in her stance finally slips away and her arms relax by her sides.
‘You really did.’
I push myself to my feet, so now we’re standing only inches apart. A hazy kind of look steals over her eyes as I stare into them and her lips part as she draws in a quivering breath.
I can’t help but glance down at her mouth, wondering how it would feel under mine, how it would open for me, how sweet she would taste.
The air seems to hum between us with a dangerous sort of tension. The sort I really shouldn’t be allowing myself to feel.
I know that getting closer to her right now would be entirely inappropriate. And potentially incredibly dangerous. I know it, but I don’t seem to be able to get the idea of it out of my head.
‘Perhaps I deserve some kind of reward for saving the day?’ she murmurs, flashing me a provocative smile.
My cock hardens as I think about how I’d like to reward her: with a replay of the first time I summoned her into my office. But I quash the idea quickly. I mustn’t give in to this.
‘I guess so,’ I say gruffly. ‘I’ll be sure to let your father know what an asset you’ve been to the business today.’
I think I see disappointment flash across her face, but only for a second before she quickly reins it in and gives me a cool, gratified nod.
‘Well, if that’s everything you need from me today, Mr Chivers, I’m going to head off home.’
Her mouth widens into a bright, seductive smile, then she swivels on the spot and strides away from me on those beautiful long legs of hers, her head high, her shoulders back. Ever the picture of cool confidence.
Pausing at the door, she raises her hand to give a backwards wave with her fingers.
She knows I’m still watching her.
‘See you tomorrow,’ she calls over her shoulder, and then disappears out of my office, leaving the air humming with promise in her wake.
Slumping back against the desk, I try to reconcile all the thoughts rushing through my mind.
Maya Darlington-Hume is not the person I thought she was.
I realise now that everything I assumed I knew about her has come from the stories I’ve read about her in the press, which all paint her as being a vacuous, self-centred party girl. But from what I’ve seen first-hand today, that doesn’t seem to be true at all.
Unease ripples through me.
Thinking about it now, every piece of work she’s done for me so far has been carried out with accuracy and a flair I wasn’t expecting.
I tried to put it down to the other PAs helping her, but I know, deep down, that’s it’s all her.
I just didn’t want to accept it before. After her last couple of stunts, I wanted her to be less than she obviously is: to make it easier to deny myself and not have to accept how much I want her.
I stand up and start to pace the floor, my whole body vibrating with a need I can’t deny any more.
Fuck it.
There’s clearly no point in trying to ignore my attraction to her. This thing between us is too strong to resist. We’re both adults – we know the score. No one’s going to get hurt. It’ll only be a short-term thing anyway. Just a bit of fun to pass the time. Our sexy little secret.
I turn and head for the door.
* * *
Maya
I stride towards the lifts feeling thoroughly confused.
Something changed between us in that office – after he told me I’d done a good job with Hugo and complimented me on the work I’ve been doing for him. It was as if he saw me as a real person for the very first time, and I felt so elated by his praise I wanted to kiss him for it.
I didn’t, though, because the last thing I need right now is him rejecting me again.
What I want is for him to come to me – to not be able to resist me. Then we’ll be on an even footing.