Chapter Seven
Elizabeth
I stepped into the office after my long weekend, hoping that my boss didn’t notice the special security usage at the hotel.
He asked me a question the following day about a different contract than the Seneca, so I kept my fingers crossed that he’d been unaware of the code use.
I took off my coat and outerwear, and sat at my desk.
There was a large stack of files for me to go through that Mr. Keaton must have worked over the entire weekend.
As soon as I opened my email, he sent me a message through our inter-office messenger. I know you had a long weekend, but don’t forget our daily roundup.
I won’t.
I dreaded it this morning. In the two years I worked for Mr. Keaton, I never dreaded this moment as much as I do now.
When I first started, these meetings were a little scary, but after two weeks I’d come in and out of his office like it was nothing.
Today was a different story. My nerves were shot.
I stepped into his office, and stood a little too long. “Um, you can take a seat, Elizabeth. A few days off and you forget how?” he teased.
“It seems so,” I laughed. Maybe Mr. Keaton didn’t know about the hotel lock situation.
“So how was your New Year's?” Damn it, did he have to ask?
“It was different,” I answered. My eyes shifted toward the window and then down to the edge of the wooden desk. “Yours?”
“Just like a regular night. A few hiccups, but nothing I couldn’t handle. So did you actually go to the party?” he asked. My heart thumped in my chest so hard I wondered if he heard it.
“For a little bit,” I answered with my voice trailing off.
His brow raised and my chest tightened fast and hard. He was onto me. “That's a cagey response. Is there anything you need to tell me? Do I need to fuck somebody up or call in some favors?”
“No. Why?”
“You were the only one invited to the party who had the security codes to get out of a locked room.” All the color drained from my face. He stood quickly and came to my side.
He took my hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. “Calm down. I'm just worried that you were forced in there.”
“No, I accidentally locked myself in a room and needed to get out.”
“At 6:00 a.m?” he added with a smirk.
“Well…”
“Look, I just need to know you were not harmed or anything. Your private business isn’t my concern unless you want me to help you.”
I shook my head. “No, just getting over my head. Still, I didn’t know the locks were on the elevators.”
“Only certain ones have them because they belong to private condos, but since that was activated, I figured you were doing the proverbial walk of shame or there was something more going on. That’s why I sent you a text about the Anderson-Hope contract.”
“Do you get all the code logins?”
“Yes, but we don’t check them because they’re set up by the user.
Although the override codes are flagged when used, of course.
” I pressed my hand to my mouth, afraid he had been notified.
“Relax, they’re only viewed by me so as not to alarm anyone until I’m certain there is a reason to be.
I knew it was your code, and I saw you leave the hotel on the camera alone. ”
“Wow, do you ever rest?” I asked.
“Yes, but it was six in the morning.”
“Thank you for asking about my well-being. Am I fired?”
“No, of course not. I ask that you be more careful. We don’t have codes all over the city and if you ever need assistance, just give me a call.”
“Thank you,” I repeated.
“Now that we have that straightened out. Let’s go over today’s needs because it was a busy weekend.
” I nodded and took notes. After twenty minutes, I had an entire list of things to handle and a profound sense of relief that not only had I not lost my job, but that my boss was more amazing than I already believed.
When I left for the day, my mind went back to the hotel and straight to the dangerous and handsome stranger.
There were so many powerful men at the party, and several of them probably had temporary residences at the new hotel.
A part of me was tempted to search the records, but I didn’t want to risk the man finding me.
Maybe I did want him to find me. He wasn’t safe, I had to remind myself.
Still, I remained steadfast and avoided looking him up.
I went to bed, which was a terrible idea because I woke up in a dirty, hot sweat.
Dreams of our night turned into days of passion where he demanded I marry him.
I got up and poured a large glass of water, drinking it quickly.
As I calmed my rapidly beating heart, I promised myself that the attraction and desire were only temporary and the dream was just a memory of lust mixed with fantasy because I’d lost my virginity. It would pass.
I was wrong.