Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Ryan
I was restless all day. It ramped up tenfold as the time inched closer to the interview.
The steamy air sat heavy in my lungs as I stepped out of the shower to the vanity and cleaned the foggy surface.
Wrapping a white towel around my waist, I leaned over the sink and gripped the edge as my alter ego took over.
The mask fell into place, the excitement dissipating.
I looked up at my reflection, and Zander stared back at me—all my insecurities vanishing with the fog on the mirror.
Throwing the towel in the laundry, I donned the tightest black boxer briefs I could find. No one would see them tonight, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared. The black slacks settled on my hips and I shrugged into a black button down, both of which I had ironed, perfectly creased and crisp.
The pristine silver belt buckle glinted in the mirror as I dried my hair and styled it, long enough on top I needed a bit of gel to hold it in place.
I ran my fingers through it and laced the only dress shoes I owned.
With the three rings I knew would drive Raven mad nestled on my fingers, I was satisfied.
I left the chain necklace in the dish on the dresser, but I would wear it when I visited Raven’s house. Whenever that time came.
The bright afternoon sun glared as I walked to my old Honda.
My parents didn’t spend a lot of money on me since I was their biggest disappointment, but they at least got me a car when I turned eighteen and went to college.
It might’ve been their way of thanking me for at least going to the one they wanted.
I hadn’t gotten a new one after I started to earn my own money because who was I trying to impress?
I lived alone and seduced women with my voice on the internet for a living. I didn’t need an expensive car.
The drive downtown was painless since it was mid-afternoon.
I had chosen this time on purpose so hopefully Raven’s staff would leave before the interview was over.
After I parked in the same garage I followed Raven out of last week, I went into the building and rode the elevator to the thirteenth floor.
I wondered if Raven would remember me from the park.
Her face that day seemed like she wouldn’t forget me easily so hopefully, it was a good sign my voice wasn’t the only thing about me she liked.
My nerves were nowhere to be found as I stepped off the elevator and walked into the office suite, in daylight this time. I was a few minutes early so instead of sitting in the waiting area, I sidled up to the reception desk. The lady sitting behind it looked up from her computer.
“Hi, I’m Ben Jones. I have an interview with Raven Lovelace.” My performance voice was dazzling.
The woman hesitated, almost as if she was stunned for a moment, then beamed. “Oh, yes, I’ll let her know. She should be right out.”
I flashed a thousand-watt smile. “Thank you, ma’am. And how are you on this lovely day we’re having?”
She looked up again and narrowed her eyes. “You trying to get brownie points, young man?”
My laugh rang out into the room as I rested my elbow on the silver surface of the desk. “Maybe,” I purred, one side of my mouth upturned. “Do you have some to lend? Maybe put in a good word with the boss for me?”
I didn’t have much to gain from this woman since it wasn’t like I was going to actually work here, but I wanted her to like me, nonetheless. If I was going to be a part of Raven’s life, her employees were going to be people I interacted with sometimes.
“Oh boy, you’re going to be trouble, aren’t you?” She shook her head as she looked back down at her computer.
Footsteps came down the hall as a woman not much older than me hurried into the room. “Joanne, I’m headed out,” she said, looking up from her phone and dropping it into her bag. She froze when her eyes landed on me leaning against the desk.
Her eyes went wide and she looked at the other woman—Joanne, I assumed—before returning her gaze to me. She wasn’t shy with her admiration as she took in every detail of me. Finally snapping out of her trance and remembering herself, a blush crept onto her cheeks.
Throwing her hands in the air, she turned back down the hallway. “Oh, I forgot my phone in my office,” she said, and disappeared despite having clearly been on her phone when she entered the lobby.
She thundered through the office a few minutes later and hustled out the door without a second glance, and I turned back to Joanne. “She seems like fun.”
Joanne laughed. “She’s an interesting one, for sure.”
My gaze flicked back to the hall, and standing in the center of the entryway was the woman I’d dreamed about for over a month.
Dressed in a charcoal pinstripe pantsuit, her straight black hair flowed down over her chest—her very covered chest that had too much fabric on it.
Her make-up was minimal, but her eyes were lightly rimmed in black, a look unlike the women I usually went out with.
The high-heeled boots peeking out from the hem of her pants could walk all over me.
We locked eyes and drank each other in for longer than was acceptable, but it was as though everything else fell away.
It was just us existing in that room, and nothing else mattered.
I could look at her until the sun died and bathed the world in ice, never growing tired of mapping every line and curve of her body.
Her pink lips parted slightly, and I ached to taste them again, ached to trail my fingers down the pale skin of her throat. My hand clenched at my side, itching to tangle into her smooth hair. Joanne cleared her throat, and I snapped out of the trance this dark goddess had me in.
I skirted the desk just as Raven walked forward, extending her hand. Her grip was firm and confident, asserting that she was in charge.
“Hi, I’m Raven Lovelace,” she greeted, fixing her professional aura back into place.
I smiled wide and nodded, deliberately keeping silent until we were alone. She knew my voice and would recognize it even if I changed it, but hopefully my acting could get me pretty far before she did. This was going to be fun to watch.
She stared at me, waiting for my name, but after a few seconds she turned to walk down the hallway. “Right this way to the conference room.”
When she reached the door, she stood to the side and waited for me to enter first. I took a seat at the far end of the short table and Raven did exactly what I wanted by sitting at the opposite end. Resting my hands in my lap, I sat up straight in the chair.
Raven was rigid on the edge of her seat, casting glances in my direction. She slid the folder resting on the table in front of her forward and opened it, pulling out what I assumed was the fake resume I’d sent to her job posting online.
She skimmed the document. “So, Mr. Jones, I’ll get straight to the point.
Why did you apply for this position?” she asked as she looked up and laid the pages back on the table.
She was hot, with her hands clasped in front of her with such a serious look fixed on her features, the definition of a badass corporate woman. My pants grew a little tighter.
When I spoke, my voice was modified from my usual tone and accent. “Well, Ms. Lovelace, I think I would be a great fit to join your team. I’m excellent in customer service, which I assume is the main component of the position.” I made sure to emphasize the word service.
I watched closely as my voice settled over her.
Her jaw slackened, and her entire body stiffened at my words while she stared at me.
It was apparent that she sensed something was off, but didn’t know what.
Good. I was hoping she wouldn’t be quick to assume I would use a fake name.
She could know who I was, processing the appearance of the man she’d been playing with.
A pang of worry shot through my stomach, but I pushed it down.
Clearly, I had no intention of actually working for her.
In this capacity, anyway. This was solely to make her squirm, but I would keep up the ruse as long as I could before I made sure she knew exactly who I was.
Leaning back in the chair, I rested my palms on my thighs like I didn’t have a care in the world.
“Ma’am?” I asked.
Her jaw snapped shut and she blinked rapidly as a blush tinted her cheeks. “Sorry about that, your voice reminded me of someone for a moment.” She looked down at the resume. “So you have three years of receptionist experience with a construction company? Why did you leave that position?”
“I decided to pursue some personal ventures for a while. Now that I have them squared away, I want to come back to working in a corporate setting, which I enjoy.” I pulled all that shit straight out of my ass.
Raven tilted her head. “Oh? Were the ventures a small business of some sort?” she questioned.
I held her emerald gaze. “You could say that. I…entertain on the side,” I said, daring her to look away.
The longer I stared at her the pinker her cheeks got. She finally looked back down, tucking her shiny strands behind her ear.
“So, um…” She trailed off, her words failing her. Perfect.
I unbuttoned the cuffs of my sleeves and rolled them up, exposing my forearms. Raven’s eyes never looked away, and they widened as I leaned forward, resting my arms on the table.
Her gaze shot to my hands and the rings on my fingers.
Without realizing it, she sucked in a breath and bit her lip.
I loved watching her squirm in discomfort.
Desire pulsed through me, and I couldn’t stop my words. “Everything okay, Ms. Lovelace? Do I make you nervous?”