Chapter 52 – Mindy #2
Once Antonio hangs up, I do my best to act as bossy as Remi. “You know I said I’d be staying at my apartment on the nights before I have to go to the bakery. I don’t want to disturb your sleep.”
He links his fingers with mine and casts me a pleading look. “Do it for me. Just for tonight.” Then he really gets me when he adds a soft, “Please.”
“Ugggh, fine,” I grump. “But we’re going to bed early.”
His grin is pure sin with teeth. “Sounds like a fantastic idea to me.”
When you’re with a man like Remington Hale, “going to bed early” does not equate to sleeping. Not that I’m complaining about our nocturnal activities. Last night was amazing, and I feel like we connected on an even deeper level than we ever had before.
I’m still smiling when Antonio insists on walking me up to the office.
“Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asks, and I pat his arm.
“No, it was fine. Thank you for getting up so early to go to the bakery with me.”
“And thank you for the extra cookies,” he replies with a twinkle in his eyes. “I’ll be outside in the reception area if you need me.”
I have no idea why I would need him since security is extra tight downstairs due to all the hoopla surrounding our little impromptu dance in Target. As Antonio predicted, the press now knows my name and that I work in Remi’s office.
Getting settled in at my desk, I open my email to find one from Phoenix, Remi’s brother and the marketing director at Hale Cosmetics.
It contains a company-wide memo as well as a press release for our approval, both regarding our relationship.
I roll my eyes, finding it ridiculous that this even requires a damn press release.
But apparently it’s big news when one of the richest men in America starts dating someone new, so I read it over and then forward it to Remi’s personal email address.
Remi strolls in a few minutes later in a pristine navy suit and matching overcoat.
“Good morning, Ms. Espinoza,” he says, maintaining the professional demeanor we decided to adopt at the office.
“Good morning, Your Unholiness,” I reply, earning me a grin.
His eyes drop to my clothing. “I see you’re wearing the red suit.”
“My others were at the cleaners,” I say, challenging him with a glare. “I haven’t had time to pick them up because we’ve been running around to dinners with our families all week. I know you said it’s not a professional color, but you’ll just have to deal with it today.”
Remi props his hip on my desk. “I lied when I said I didn’t want you to wear it because it wasn’t professional.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I quirk an eyebrow at him. “Oh really? Then why did you make such a big deal about it?”
He leans closer until his face is so close I can smell the mint of his toothpaste.
“Because it’s the same color as the dress and lingerie you wore the first night we were together.
And every time I looked at you, all I could picture was you with your legs spread and me eating your pussy.
I could literally taste you on my tongue. ”
Then he brushes a soft kiss across my lips before standing and knocking twice on my desk, leaving me a bit flabbergasted with that admission. “Have a good day, Ms. Espinoza,” he says casually, back to being my boss instead of my boyfriend.
“You too, Mr. Hale.” Before he reaches his door, I say, “Oh, there’s an email I forwarded to you from Phoenix. He said he wants to get the press release out today.”
“I’ll do that first, and then I’m going to hop on that conference call about the new construction projects in California.
” His nose wrinkles. “Hopefully it won’t take the entire morning.
I’m going to turn off my cell and put my office on safe mode so I can concentrate, but if you feel the need to come suck my cock under my desk, I have no problem with that. ”
“Remi!” I scold, though there’s a giggle behind it. “So much for professionalism.”
He winks and goes into his office, and a minute later I hear the door lock engage and the whir of the system kicking on.
The entire security system was upgraded last week, and executives can now turn off all notifications to keep them from being distracted by constant messages while they’re in important meetings.
The system automatically sweeps for listening devices and malware, and it also locks the office door since they’re often discussing proprietary or confidential matters.
His office is now soundproofed, and the door is secured with a thumbprint scanner. Remi, Antonio, and I are the only ones who can enter when the office is in safe mode, though there is a way first responders can bypass the system in case of a medical or fire emergency.
Throughout the morning, I take approximately five million messages from people who just have to talk to Mr. Hale right that minute, and I still manage to get through most of the correspondence Remi dictated yesterday afternoon.
I look up when someone enters my office area, and the warm smile I’d put on my face freezes. A woman marches with purpose toward me. She’s got perfectly coiffed raven hair and is wearing a low-cut white jumpsuit with matching heels.
I recognize her instantly. She’s the woman I saw on the screen of Remi’s phone that night almost eight years ago. The one listed as “Darling Fiancée.”
My heart takes a nosedive. Serena Greenfield, Remi’s best friend, is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Her skin is smooth alabaster and her blue eyes are blazing with… anger?
Forcing the smile to stay on my face, I say, “Good morning. Can I—”
Without even glancing at me, she cuts me off with a sharp, “I’m here to see Remi.” That’s when I realize she’s bypassing my desk and heading for his office door.
I stand. “I’m sorry, but he’s in a meeting right now and can’t be—”
She whirls. “I’m his bestie. I don’t need an appointment.” Pivoting back toward the office, she grabs the handle and keeps walking, expecting it to open, but of course, she’s met with resistance and runs face-first into the door. “Ow!”
My smile is not fake at all now. In fact, I’m trying not to laugh.
Putting on my sweetest voice, I say, “Like I said, Mr. Hale is in a meeting and can’t be disturbed.”
Serena rubs her nose with one hand and continues trying to turn the handle with the other. Finally giving up, she turns back around, looking me up and down.
“I need to talk to him, and he’s not answering his cell or his office phone.” She smirks. “I have his personal office number.” Emphasis on personal.
All I can think is, “Good for you, sweetheart. I rode his dick until my knees ached last night.”
“Which he’s unable to answer due to being in an important online meeting,” I say instead, still smiling. “And his cell phone is turned off so he can concentrate on his work.”
She scowls. At least I think she does because her forehead doesn’t wrinkle even a little bit. Turning back to the door, she notices the thumbprint scanner on the frame and presses her thumb against it, huffing with displeasure when the light blinks red. She does it again with the same result.
“If you do that one more time, security will assume there’s a breach and automatically swarm this office,” I warn. I have no idea whether that’s true or not, but it sounds good. “They’ll probably call the SWAT team in as well.”
Okay, maybe that last bit was overkill, but it worked, and Serena steps away from the door, tilting her chin up haughtily. “Why didn’t my thumbprint work?”
“Oh,” I say, feigning ignorance, “are you an employee here?”
I can hear the grinding of her teeth. “I already told you, I’m Remington’s bestie.”
“Hmmm, let me check on that,” I say brightly, opening my desk drawer and pretending to read something. “The thumbprint scanner to Mr. Hale’s private office is accessible to, number one, the CEO.” I look up at Serena and smile. “That’s Mr. Hale.”
“I’m aware,” she grinds out.
“Number two, Mr. Hale’s private security guard, Antonio Walsh. And number three, Mr. Hale’s executive assistant.” Tilting my head, I keep my voice so sweet I might need an insulin shot. “That would be me.”
The woman does not appear to be pleased. “So you can open the door,” she states.
“Of course I can, but I’m not going to do so until he’s done with his meeting,” I say firmly. “How would you feel if you were in an important meeting regarding a deal worth millions and were constantly being interrupted by people coming in and out of your office?”
I know from what Remi has told me about Serena that she’s never really held down a steady job, despite being in her thirties. Her lips press together until they’re almost white beneath the thick layer of gloss coating them.
“I guess I can understand that,” she says with another snooty lift of her perfectly shaped chin.
“Excellent. If you’d like to wait in our very comfortable seating area, I’ll let you know when he’s done.
” My hand sweeps to the soft leather chairs and couches arranged near a window.
“There are iPads available for your entertainment. You’re also welcome to get a coffee and pastry from our coffee shop on this floor. ”
“I’ll get a coffee,” she mutters, stomping away on her mile-high white heels.
The office is relatively quiet for a few minutes, which is good because I need to release all the steam from my ears after that encounter. What a fucking shrew.
I’m not a jealous person. I believe men and women can be platonic friends, but there was just something so proprietary about the way Serena Greenfield spoke about Remi that rubbed me the wrong way.
My phone rings just as the she-devil in white returns. I offer a polite smile to her as I answer. “Thank you for calling Hale Cosmetics, Remington Hale’s office.”
“Good morning, this is Maria Martinez, the mayor of Galveston.”
“Oh, good morning, Mayor Martinez. I’m Mindy Espinoza, Mr. Hale’s executive assistant. How can I help you today?”
I don’t look up, but I can feel Serena’s full attention on me.
“I was wondering if it would be possible for me to speak with Remington.”