Chapter 16
Rosie
Senna and Connor left half an hour ago. Niki repeatedly wiped down his office chairs and my new laptop and phone before passing my new equipment to me.
I want to tell him it will be okay and there’s hope, but I can’t promise anything, so instead I sit patiently.
“At the moment, the exact nature of the job is woolly. I’m a reserve driver but want to get more involved in the business. I don’t like to be bored, but the other stuff might limit me.”
I nod as I doodle on my notepad with the pen he gifted me.
Once Connor had rubbed his fingers all over it, Niki didn’t want it anymore.
Staring at it reminds me of the journey he’s got ahead of him in accepting who he is now and in managing his health anxiety.
“You mentioned last week about a nutritionist and a trainer.”
“Yes. I let myself go while I was travelling.”
I raise my eyebrows. The man who stripped down to his boxers in front of me hadn’t let himself go. He was panty-wetting hot. Shit. I don’t need that image in my head again.
“Let myself go from the perspective of a professional racing driver. Racing drivers are slim and mostly muscle. You need physical endurance to sit in a tiny space in a small car for hours, sometimes in blistering heat. I need to be at peak fitness.”
“Have you recruited these people?”
“I’d like you to.” I try to hide my surprise that he’s entrusting me with this. The cute dimple on his right cheek proves I’ve given myself away. “You were a professional sports person. You understand the importance of good health.”
“I was seventeen. Some days I only ate fast food between games.” I smile, and his dimple deepens.
“But I see your point. I took a nutrition module at university. Would you like me to speak to your counsellor? He’ll need your consent, but knowing what direction and speed he’s moving you will help.
I don’t want to employ people who’ll derail his existing support. ”
“You’re amazing.”
“You can say that again.” Unlike at the carpet company, where I was the office nepo baby, I like being valued for my skills. “I have such a praise kink.”
His eyes widen.
“Not like that,” I stutter. “Sorry, it’s something I say with my housemate.
I like being told I’m doing a good job, if I am.
I don’t want falsities, but…” I take a slow breath.
“It’s nice to be appreciated.” I squeeze my eyes, but I can still see his smirk.
“I want to crawl under my desk now. Is that possible?”
He chuckles. “Learning what you need from me as your manager is helpful. No crawling required.” He looks down and up and fumbles with his cap before clearing his throat.
“In summary, you’ll be great here. And as I learn about myself and hopefully improve, I’ll get involved in other areas of Coulter.
In the meantime, you can speak to my counsellor.
I’ve put his number in your work mobile. ”
He slides the phone over to me.
“This is the main way I’ll contact you. Sometimes I need to travel. I promise to only call during work hours, unless it’s an emergency—”
“Like…?”
“Like the dog sitter has shit all over the dog and fallen down a hole, and he’s trapped with a poo-covered dog and is suffocating and—”
“Okay, that’s enough.” I hold my hands up. “So that’s where your head goes when someone says emergency. Bloody hell.”
He cringes. “My imagination got more vivid last year.”
“What was the weirdest thing you saw while in Greece?”
I’m mesmerised by how he strokes his defined jaw with the tip of his thumb. “Aside from a man trying it on with a woman who was way out of his league without even asking her name?” he says, referring to the guy chatting me up when we met.
I smile as I roll my eyes. “Whatever.”
“I didn’t leave the villa until that night but managed a few trips out the week before I returned home. I watched someone bungee jump off a crane on the edge of a river.”
“Why was that weird?”
“The guy vomited on the way down and kept getting hit by it while he cried.”
I walk to the door with my laptop under my arm. “That’s enough chat with you today. I’m going to research nutritionists, trainers, and dog walkers.”
He chuckles as I leave the room and sit at my new desk, which is positioned outside his office.
I locate my login information and everything else I need in a folder labelled Bella.
A smirk toys with my lips as a barista appears in front of me. “Niki ordered coffee for you, but he wasn’t sure what your favourite was, so I’ve brought three kinds of coffee with different sprinkles and syrups.”
The barista reminds me of one of Sasha’s exes. He’s hot, but nothing compared to the boss I refuse to have a crush on.
I grab a latte and point to the other coffee on the edge. “Is that for Niki?”
He shakes his head. “He makes his own.”
“Thanks,” I say.
I photograph the barista’s trolley and send it to Sasha while resisting asking the barista if he’s ever slept with a crazy brunette who shrieks in bed.
She tells me too much about her sex life.
I wish I could share something, but that would involve having time to fuck someone who’s attracted to me.
It’s hard enough fitting in vibrator time.
As the barista leaves, I fumble with my phone. A smiling Tabi holding a rabbit from the weekend fills my lock screen. I’ve resisted telling Niki about her, but I won’t hide her. And I can’t lie to him, especially after how we met.
I blow on my coffee, debating my next steps. I don’t want to change who I am in his eyes, but if this does, that tells me all I need to know about Niki Coulter.
I sip my coffee, letting it scald the back of my throat before knocking on Niki’s door. I wait for him to answer, understanding his need for control better after seeing him with Senna and Connor.
“Come in, Rosie.” I shiver at his commanding voice.
I take another burning gulp of my coffee and fake a smile. “I can get my coffee, and I should be getting yours.”
“I don’t need you to.”
“At least tell me what you drink in case I ever want to,” I say, shuffling in the doorway.
“Americano. You?”
“I like a latte, but I also love soda. Don’t tell anyone. It’s an addiction I’m trying to limit, but yeah, love it.”
He nods. His lips quirk as if I’ve told him the best secret.
I bite the inside of my mouth and fix him with a stare.
“Niki, I need to tell you something. By law, I don’t have to tell you, but as much as I want to be known as a capable assistant, I don’t want to lie to you, either. It might impact me more than someone who isn’t…” I sputter.
He holds his hand out in the direction of the chair. “Take a breath and talk to me.”
I fumble with the cuff of my blouse. “When we met, I didn’t think I’d see you again, and while there was stuff in hindsight I should have mentioned, like my name and my age, there’s something else. Someone else.”
“Someone?” he repeats. He leans back in his chair and shifts his cap. “I lied to you by omission that night, too. Could who you’re referring to impact your job?”
“I might have more emergencies and appointments, but I’ll minimise disruption and work extra hours.
I’ll never steal time.” I take a breath and open my hands.
“There’s someone in my life who comes first in every situation.
I have a four-year-old daughter. She’s my everything, but I’m a capable assistant who works hard no matter what. ”
“Okay.” He fumbles with his papers, struggling to meet my gaze. He reaches for his sanitiser.
“I know kids can be germy, but I’ll do everything I can to stay healthy,” I add, biting my lip and waiting for his judgement.
“And if you get ill or your daughter is ill, is it okay if you stay home? I’m sorry. It’s rude to ask, but it would help.”
“Of course. I will do everything to ensure you stay healthy, emotionally and physically. Do you have any other questions or concerns?”
Niki shakes his head.
“You’re not going to fire me or be annoyed I didn’t tell you when we met?” I rattle, my voice pitching.
“It’s none of my business. I appreciate you telling me, though.
You’re driven. You must have pushed to get your degree while bringing her up, but ultimately, you’re my assistant, and as long as you work hard and give me a heads up about changes impacting work where possible, I’m set.
” His response is perfect and a helpful reminder he’s my boss and nothing more. “I have one question.”
I stare at him, waiting for the inevitable query I always shut down about Tabi’s father. “Go on.” I fake a smile.
“If it’s not too personal,” he asks as I hold my breath, “does she like dogs? Because a third opinion could help when we search for one.”
My true smile is immediate and unwavering. “Yes, she does. She adores them.”
“Good. I’m glad. Maybe when I’m considering what to get, you could ask her thoughts for me.
” He returns my glee. “I meant to say, I’ve left Connor’s and Tawny’s numbers in your phone as well as Jimmy’s, Senna’s assistant, and Connor’s trainer, too.
It might be helpful to chat to them about the staff I require. ”
“Thank you.” His phone rings, and I step to the doorway.
“And Rosie?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for everything you’ve shared and for earlier when you cut in while Senna dragged me for information. It meant a lot.” His eyes are soft, and his eyelashes flutter in a way that matches the butterflies in my stomach.
“My pleasure.”
Fuck off, butterflies.
“You’re the best. You are, and I hope that helps your praise kink, too.”
I nod and rush away from his beautiful eyes and sweet words. He may be grumpy to everyone else, but he’s the sweetest cinnamon roll I’ve ever fantasised about tasting.