Chapter 16 - Ash #2
"Trust me, I knew it wasn't going to be you since you practically begged me to ogle your body." She tipped her head back to shoot me a knowing grin. "You couldn't have grabbed a washcloth or something? A loofah? Anything to at least pretend you didn't want me staring?"
"No, I couldn't pretend that because I did want you staring," I replied. "If you'd walked in a minute or two earlier, I'm sure the whole experience would've been less unsatisfying."
"Mmm, yes. Your struggles are significant." She slapped my ass again. "Hurry up now. I'll bet you're a stickler for being in the office by a certain time and I won't be much use to you without the proper combination of toast, eggs, and cheese so you need to get a move on."
"Did you think I'd forgotten about that? How could I, after you whipped out pocket eggs at thirty thousand feet. Fuck, no. Your breakfast needs are my top pre-eight-a.m. priority. You're going to love the café on the ground floor of my office building. Excellent coffee too."
When I didn't move because why the hell would I move when I had a soft, naked woman beneath me, Zelda said, "If you're expecting me to kick you out of bed, you've underestimated yourself, as you are a large slab of man."
I traced the jut of her collarbone with my lips. "I don't know if that's a compliment."
"Think it over while you're in the shower."
With great reluctance, I shifted away from the cocoon we'd constructed from blankets and bodies. Standing beside the bed, I held out my hand to Zelda. "Come on. I swear I'll be good. I'll even look the other way when you're hunched over to shave your legs."
She accepted my hand but replied, "A lady needs her secrets. Some other time."
I wrapped my arms around her and pressed a kiss to her hair. "Promise?"
Bobbing her head against my chest, she said, "Promise."
Half an hour later, I emerged from my room to find Zelda staring at her phone and—"What the hell are you wearing? Take that off."
Her head snapped up. "Pardon?"
Helpless grumbles rose in my throat as I waved at her navy blue skirt and ivory blouse with a dreadful bow-sash-tie situation at the throat. "Don't you have anything more…Zelda?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "I vividly recall you asking if I had office attire."
I recalled it too but now I couldn't cope with so much standard issue corporate wear on a woman who was neither standard nor corporate. "Yeah but…that doesn't look like you."
"Are you sure that's the direction you want to go?"
That was a warning shot and I knew it but I pressed on regardless. "I liked what you wore yesterday."
She tapped a finger against her lips. I envied that finger. "Unfortunately for you, this is one area you cannot micromanage." She laughed, saying, "Don't give me that face. It's too early for glowering."
I wasn't glowering but I turned away from her all-seeing eyes anyway. "Fine. All right. Whatever. Let's go."
Zelda followed me into the hall, asking, "Can I get more information about this café? I need my breakfast brain ready to make these critical decisions."
I caught another glance at that horrible blouse, the one that'd certainly come from a bland women's store where everything was neutral toned and ruffled in superfluous ways.
Okay, maybe this blouse wasn't that bad but it was a disservice to Zelda.
It smothered all her wonky weirdness. It even appeared to fade that stripe of blue hair behind her ear.
"Don't tell me the sandwiches are canceled because my office attire is too office-y for you."
I huffed out a laugh. As if I'd deprive her of anything she wanted. "Not canceled," I replied. "But I fully intend to say perverted things to you while we wait in line."
Zelda tapped the elevator button for the ground floor. "Pssh. Like I'd mind that."
After procuring breakfast and ascending to the nineteenth floor of my office building, I held the suite's door open for Zelda and followed her inside. "This is us."
I studied her as she swept a gaze over the small waiting room and receptionist's desk but her expression remained cool and curious. She knotted her fingers around the strap of her purse and tucked her hair over her ear three times.
"We have a conference room right here." I pushed that door open to illustrate though it was pointless given the walls were floor-to-ceiling glass and she could see this for herself.
"Offices on either side. Supplies, storage, and restroom down the hall.
My office is over there," I said, pointing to another glass-walled enclosure.
When Zelda didn't move or react in any obvious way, I brought my hand to the small of her back and led her into my office. We'd sit, we'd eat, we'd figure this thing out.
I set my coffee on the small meeting table near the door and deposited my laptop bag on my desk chair. Shrugging out of my suit coat hurt like a motherfucker but it had to be done. I couldn't work in that thing, not all day.
With the coat cloaked over my chair, I started rolling up my shirtsleeves.
It wasn't until I flipped open the second cuff that I realized Zelda hadn't said a word since stepping off the elevator.
Peering up at her, I found she was still glancing around the space, her lips pursed and her fingers tangled on that strap.
I beckoned her toward the table. "Why do I get the sense I'm going to need all of this coffee in my system before you start asking questions?"
"No, no, it's fine," she replied as she craned her neck around to squint at the receptionist's desk. "No fortification required."
I sat down, rested my hands on my thighs. "Then what's wrong?"
"I wouldn't say anything is wrong."
I stared at her because it was too soon to drag her into my lap. Not that I was allowed that pleasure here. "What would you say?"
She shook her head, busied herself with unpacking the bag. "I'm just wondering, Ash, where is everyone else?"
"Everyone else," I echoed.
"Mmhmm." She popped the lid off her iced coffee and wrapped both hands around the cup.
"You have all these offices and desks. Even though it's ludicrous to think you're all by yourself here, it doesn't look like they belong to anyone.
" Her eyes locked on me, she lifted the cup and took a long sip. "So, where is everyone else?"
I started to speak but stopped myself to fuss with my coffee. Not that there was much to do to it but I made meaningful work of swirling the cup until the lingering wisps of milk assimilated into the blackness. Eventually, I said, "It's complicated."
"Oh, Ashville." Zelda gave me a great, overlarge frown, her plush lips popping into a moue that demanded my urgent attention.
Leaning over the table, I took her chin in my hand and sealed my lips to hers.
It was quick and a bit brutal, and my ass was back in the seat in time to catch her swiping a finger over her top lip and whispering, "Whoa. "
"You knew I had a job opening. Or two," I added.
She blinked at me as if she was struggling to process my words. Then, "Tell the truth, Ash. Did you drive off a perfectly competent staff?"
I unfolded my breakfast sandwich from its wax paper wrapping. "Competence is a matter of opinion."
Zelda and the rest of the world might argue that point with me but the fact remained, if I had to spend more time explaining to someone how I wanted a job done than it would've taken me to do the job myself, there was no benefit to keeping them on the payroll.
Did it leave me looking like an impossible manager with even more impossible expectations?
Yes. Did it mean everything got done right the first time? Yes. Mostly.
And that was how I found myself with a skeleton crew for an office staff.
"The phones are forwarded to a remote call center.
I get an update from them every morning at six.
IT is also outsourced. I have someone who handles payables and receivables.
Offsite though Hazel does stop into the office about twice a month," I offered.
"And there's an intern from one of the local colleges. "
She flung her arms out wide. "Where?"
"He's only around during the school year." I ignored her aggravated murmur as I unwrapped her sandwich. "Eat. Please. We can index my issues once your stomach's growling has quieted to a low roar."
"Growling," Zelda muttered while she rearranged her food. "As if I'm the one growling here." She spared me a glance. "Since I'm going to need to do more than organize your calendar, this would be a fantastic time for you to explain to me what it is you do. You know, beyond Grumpy Businessman."
"Grumpy Businessman is not my job," I replied.
"Funny, I was convinced otherwise."
She jerked a shoulder up as she bit into her sandwich and I didn't know how the hell I was expected to survive a full day of her right there without making things exactly as indecent as they were in my head.
"I'm an accountant. I specialize in financial auditing. I've told you this before."
She patted a paper napkin to her lips, saying, "You have, yes, and you'll need to hold your grumpy grumblings about that for a later date. So, what do you account for? Paint me the picture, Ash. Walk me through it and pretend I don't know where you're taking me."
"Can we bring a blanket and a picnic basket? Because that sounds like something I'd enjoy."
"Unfortunately for your blanket, I'm only interested in talking about accounting and auditing." She snatched a pad of sticky notes and a ballpoint pen from my desk. "I want to hear about the work you do. Help me understand so I can help you."