Chapter 4
Lila
A billion thoughts race through my mind. Is this hottie lawyer really flirting with me? And did he really just hire me? Am I now gainfully employed? Do I want to be gainfully employed by him?
Max Spector looks like bad news with his big, teasing blue eyes, dark hair, and navy blue power suit.
The man is the sort of handsome that has your panties off before you can say panties.
The kind of handsome that gets you out of those practical Hanes numbers and straight into a slinky thong so you could make him rip it off with only his teeth.
The very thought of Max’s mouth against my ass is turning me on far more than it should be.
“Sorry, what did you say?” I blink as I gaze at his expectant expression. I’ve completely forgotten what he just said because my mind was in the gutter. Working for him is definitely not a good idea.
“Shall I show you to my office so we can get ready for today’s meetings?
” His voice is as smooth as whiskey, and I shiver at the knowing look in his eyes as he slowly bites down on his lip.
Is this man a mind reader? Does he know that just a moment ago, I was imagining his teeth on my ass cheeks? “Lila?” he prompts, and I nod quickly.
Get your mind straight, Lila Haversham!
“Of course. I’d love to get straight to work, but don’t I have to fill out some paperwork first?” I peer up at him, a sweet, innocent smile on my face. I am not going to let this guy know I’m taking mental snapshots to think about tonight when I go to bed.
“You can do it on your lunch break. I’ll have HR bring the requisite forms to my office.”
“Doesn’t seem like much of a lunch break if I’m filling out W2s.” I tilt my head to the side. “Also, I don’t even know my salary.”
“You didn’t come to my office today to eat lunch. You came for a job.” He folds his arms and looks like a stern teacher. “If you want this job, you have to understand that you’re to work all hours. You can take the breaks you need, but this job may require you to work all hours of the day.”
“I don’t know if I want it now.” I step back and look into the HR office. “I might try my chances for another position.”
“Then go ahead.” He shrugs. “Go and join your friend and see what you qualify for.” He turns around, and my heart sinks.
He takes two steps, then he turns and looks back at me.
“The salary for this position is a hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year, plus full health care, a 10 percent match to your 401K, twenty-five thousand a year allowance for education, and twenty-one days paid vacation.” He smirks.
“Or you can see what’s behind door number two. ”
“One second,” I say as I rush into the HR office.
I can see that Max looks shocked. He probably thinks I’m a fool, but I’m not actually checking out other jobs.
I need Skye’s phone number. I don’t often meet cool women in the city, and I’m not going to let a potential new friend disappear from my life.
Skye is standing in a line behind two other women, and I let out a huge sigh of relief.
“Can I get your number?” I ask her as I hand her my phone. “We should hang out soon.”
“Of course. You have to work these weekend parties with me, too.” She grins as she types in her number. “What’s up with you and Max?” She looks at me with curious green eyes. “Do you know him?”
“Never met the man before in my life, but if he wants to offer me a job, I’m not going to say no.”
“I thought he was going to ask you on a date. Or at least to a hotel for an hour or two.”
“Skye!”
“Sorry…” She makes a face. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Oh, I’m totally not offended.” I lean in and lower my voice.
“To be honest, if he’d asked me to go to a hotel for an hour or two, I may have said yes.
Especially if he included room service and guaranteed me the time of my life.
” I press my lips together. “But it’s probably better that he didn’t because I’d rather have a six-figure income than a one-minute orgasm. ”
“He looks like he can give you five minutes, at least.” She giggles, and I know at that moment that we will be friends for life.
It’s rare to meet someone that has the same sense of humor as you.
“Here’s your phone,” she says as she hands it back to me.
“Also, don’t look now, but your new boss is standing at the door, glaring at you. ”
“Good.” I wink at her. “He’s seeing who the real boss is.” I laugh at her shocked expression. “Yeah, I might be getting fired before I even get my first paycheck.” I give her a quick hug. “Nice meeting you, Skye, and good luck. Maybe we can grab a drink or dinner later this week?”
“Perfect.” She nods and beams at me as she brushes back her long red hair.
There’s an impish look on her face, and I realize that she’s even more stunning than I originally thought.
“Oops, looks like your new boss is getting impatient.” She nods toward the entrance, and I turn to see Max Spector standing there, glaring at me.
Our eyes meet, and I feel a frisson of excitement as I head toward him.
I’ve barely known this man an hour, yet somehow, I feel like I’ve always known him.
“What are you doing, Ms. Haversham?” There’s a snark to his voice as I stop in front of him. “This is your first and last warning. While you’re working for me, you’re not to cavort with your friends.”
“Um, I don’t technically work for you yet.
I didn’t say whether I’m taking door number two yet.
Also, I wasn’t cavorting with friends. I only met Skye this morning as we were walking to the audition, and I wanted to get her phone number because she seems like a cool person, unlike…
” I let my voice trail off as I look him up and down.
He raises a single eyebrow at me. He’s too handsome for his own good, and I’m almost certain he knows what he does to women when he makes that smoldering face.
His blue eyes are distracting me from being annoyed at his grumpy attitude.
I can already tell that he’s going to be a hard boss, but I’m a glutton for punishment.
I love taking on hard tasks. In fact, the harder he is, the better.
I giggle at my dirty thought, and his eyes narrow at me.
“What’s so funny?” he asks, staring at me in a way that stops my breath for a few moments.
He reminds me of an old-school movie star: distinguished and untouchable to the likes of me.
Though, I could get lost in his ocean-blue eyes.
I don’t even love swimming, but I’d definitely take a dive into his waters.
I have a feeling that even his stormy moods would find a way to carry me far away.
“Nothing. I’m ready to see my office now.” I walk past him into the corridor and pointedly look at my watch, like I’ve been waiting on him the entire time. I glance over my shoulder, expecting him to tell me to get out of the building, but there’s an amused expression in his eyes instead.
“You just met the redhead?” he asks, and I’m confused by his question.
For a brief moment, I wonder if he’s asking about Skye because he’s interested in her.
Maybe he noticed how beautiful she is. Maybe he didn’t hire her because he wants to date her and thought it would be unprofessional to date his assistant.
Not that I would ever date someone like him.
I’m into hot, funny, goofy guys who like to run in the park and recite moonlit monologues to statues. I like men who like to eat ice cream for dinner and fries for breakfast.
Max Spector doesn’t fit any of my wants—except that he is hot. Blazingly, smokingly hot. Okay, so he fits one of my wants. But just one.
And sure, I don’t know him, but I can tell from the way his pinstriped, navy-blue suit fits him that he is a man who doesn’t know the meaning of the word fun.
Plus, he’s a lawyer. Lawyers are dull, boring, and full of themselves. And they never appreciate my sense of humor or respect the fact that I am fine making minimum wage so long as I can chase my thespian dreams.
“Yes, like I just said, we were walking to the audit—”
“You seemed like old friends.” He cuts me off as he walks past me, and I follow him to a large office. He stands to the side and ushers me in. On the right side of the room are four large bookshelves with red and black books. “Law treatises.” He smirks. “No Shakespeare here.”
“I have my own Shakespeare books; I don’t need yours.” I tilt my head to the side. “And besides, I’m more of an Arthur Miller girl anyway.”
“I speak my own sins: I cannot judge another. I have no tongue for it,” he says smoothly, and I’m in absolute shock and amazement.
“You know The Crucible?”
“I’m not just a pretty face.” He winks, and there’s a twinkle in his eyes as he makes his way to his large oak desk.
There’s barely an empty space on the surface.
Files and stacks of tabbed papers are spread everywhere.
There’s a desktop computer in the middle of the desk and an open laptop next to it.
Max walks over to his black leather chair, takes a seat, picks up a folder, and starts reading.
I stand there awkwardly, wondering if I’m expected to grab a pad and pen and say I’m ready to take notes.
Or maybe I should push all the folders onto the ground, delicately make my way to the top of the desk, undo a few buttons on my blouse, and say, “Take me.” Max Spector does seem like the sort of man to get a joke, but then again, I don’t want him to think I’m actually offering up the goods.
Which I might be.
But not really, because I don’t even know him, and I’m a good girl.
Though I’ve been wanting to be bad for a long time.
A long time, equaling the forty-five or so minutes I’ve known Max.
“Is there something I should—”