CHAPTER SIX
PAYTON
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Today sucks. If itwasn’t for Roxy and Cody, I would be completely second-guessing my decision to accept this job.
Like I had a choice.
Alexandra called me into her office, and my induction has now begun. “At lunchtime, please change your shirt.”
“Yes, right. Sorry, someone knocked into me on the way to the office.” I glance down at the stain across my chest.
Technically, I ran into someone, but I wasn’t going to make a million excuses. The entire morning has been a disaster.
“Well, in any case, neither myself nor Mr. Montgomery were impressed you were late on your first day. This client is one of our most important.” She frowns at me.
“I’m sorry, I am never late. I promise it will not happen again,” I apologize.
“Good. Trust is easily lost and hard to earn back,” Alexandra says, moving some files across her desk. “Today I’ll take you through the WME client files and brief you on the upcoming launch season in the fashion industry. I can show you what we have done in the past.”
Truth be told, I’m excited. I love fashion. Not that I can afford any of the big names, but I did have a secondhand Chanel purse and I’m fairly sure the original owner had no idea of its value.
I paid three hundred dollars for it, and while I had to eat macaroni and cheese for an entire month, I was thrilled to own a piece of Chanel.
“As I mentioned during your interview, the Montgomery family owns the Verity Co. brand, among others.”
I nod eagerly.
“Their Spring/Summer launch is less than two months away, and Veronica hadn’t started on the project.”
Woah.
Two months?
“When I say two months, I mean six weeks,” Alexandra says, and my eyes fly open.
Holy hell.
“We have six weeks to put together a campaign to launch the new collection for one of the biggest names in fashion?” I ask.
“Correct,” Alexandra says. “You won’t be alone. Cody is one of our creative directors and you have an entire team here at StoryCraft who will be working in the background. The day-to-day management and liaison with the client will be up to you.”
No pressure.
Alexandra had told me I would have a few weeks to be inducted into my new role, given this was a big step up for me. That clearly wasn’t happening now.
Nope, I was being thrown to the wolves.
Even if the biggest one was a sex god.
She continues. “Because of the time pressure, both Mr. Montgomery and I believe it would be beneficial to have you based in their offices. At least half the time.”
My brows shoot up my forehead. “At... in... working at WME?”
“Yes.” She nods. “They’re setting up a desk for you and I expect you to collaborate with the team. How you spread your time across both offices will be dictated by the work that needs doing.”
I got the feeling Knox Montgomery wants to spread me across the boardroom table. Or maybe I read his dark, broody gaze wrong earlier. But I don’t think so.
As he walked out of our office, his eyes landed on mine and, Jesus, my core clenched and searing heat erupted between us.
Pretty sure I let out a little moan.
I heard Roxy snigger.
“StoryCraft has provided high-quality marketing services to Verity Co. for ten years and we will continue to. It is essential we create a fabulous campaign for this launch.”
“Of course,” I say, nodding.
“Good. Because if we fail, Payton, we’ll almost certainly lose their contract,” Alexandra says, and I blanch. “Let me connect the dots. That will mean your job becomes redundant as it”s funded by the Montgomery account.”
Fuck.
I can’t mess this up. I need this job to prove to my father I am not a flake. And end up in insane debt.
I’ll just have to work my booty off to learn everything I can and make sure this campaign is amazing.
And ignore the way my body shudders every time Knox Montgomery looks at me.
It will pass.
I’ve got this.
ROXY AND CODY TAKEme for lunch and I feel like we’re going to become great work buddies. On the way, I whipped into a department store and purchased a new shirt, before meeting them at a Mexican restaurant.
“Fish tacos,” Roxy says, sliding my plate over as I sit down.
“Thank you so much. God, I’m not usually this flustered,” I say, dropping my bag into the spare seat beside me. “I’m sure Alexandra hates me.”
“She’s just intense,” Cody says around his nachos. “Karen on the other hand...”
Roxy snorts.
“She wanted my job?” I ask.
They both nod.
“Karen also wanted mine, so she hated me for about two years,” Roxy shares. “She’ll get over it.”
In two years?
That’s a lot of glaring and gaslighting.
“Why hasn’t she been successful?” I ask, biting down on the delicious taco. I don’t really care, but I’m curious.
“She doesn’t have a degree.” Cody shrugs. “Alexandra insists that all account managers have a bachelor of communications at a minimum.”
“Oh. That makes sense. So has she started studying?”
“Nope. She’d rather seethe and be a victim.” Cody laughs. “And an asshole.”
“Well, that’s dumb. Why doesn’t she be proactive instead?”
“Exactly babe.” Roxy nods across from me.
“Even starting her studies might get Alexandra to consider her for future roles.” I take another bite and the taco falls apart. “Oh, shit.”
I lift my arm to lick the sauce sliding down my hand, but it’s faster than me and lands on my fresh new shirt.
No!
I drop the rest of the taco on the plate and stare at the bright orange stain.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
Cody laughs. “Maybe we should’ve had a round of margaritas instead.”
“Worst first day ever,” I mumble as Roxy hands me her pile of napkins.
“That isn’t coming out,” she helpfully advises, and I slump, then start laughing.
It”s that or cry.
I leave lunch a few minutes early and purchase my second new shirt of the day, swapping it—once again - in the changing rooms.
Then I head back to the StoryCraft offices and spend the rest of the day with Alexandra going over the previous Verity Co. launches and client files.
My brain is mush by the time five o’clock rolls around.
When I arrive home, I drop my bag on the kitchen table and pull out both stained shirts, spraying them with stain remover before dumping them in a bucket to soak. Then I head straight to my bedroom and set out a nice outfit for the morning.
I change it four times, swinging between a couple of sexy dresses that I know will capture the attention of a certain hot executive, then swapping it for something more professional.
I have a feeling Knox will notice me anyway and that we will both have to squish whatever attraction we both have for one another.
It won’t happen.
It can’t happen.
Outfit sorted, I then unpackage the cheap analogue alarm clock I purchased on the way home and place it on my bedside table.
There is no way I will be late tomorrow.
I’m determined to make a good impression at WME and knock this launch out of the park.
How hard can it be?
Not harder than pretending that I’m not stupidly attracted to Knox Montgomery, surely.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so stunned by the beauty of a man like that before. My body has been buzzing all day, imagining his huge body against mine, his mouth running down my neck, those large hands of his ripping my top open.
I bet he’s a great kisser.
I bet he knows how to please a woman.
Ugh.
I step into the shower and begin soaping my body, hoping to take my mind off him, but it does the opposite. My nipples harden painfully, and I brush the sponge over them.
Then again.
God, what would it feel like to make love to a man like him? So powerful. So... male. Those muscular arms could lift me onto my shower seat and shove open my legs. My fingers find my private flesh and I press inside myself, gasping as I pretend it’s him.
Knox wouldn’t ask, he’d take.
I finger fuck myself seeing those dark, broody eyes in my mind and know that if there was ever a moment between us, I would be very hard pressed to say no to him.
I will need to remember what the consequences are if I did.
Not that it’s even a thing. Knox Montgomery has probably forgotten my name by now. But as my orgasm rips through me, I can’t help but wonder if he’s touching himself, too. Thinking about me.
I’m an idiot.