Chapter 6
SIX
The cool spring air hit my lungs as I stepped out of the restaurant. A passing rainstorm had left the city covered in a shiny sheen, and the lights reflected off the water pooling on the streets. The other agents followed closely behind me, an excited chatter filling the air. Hands clapped my back as we hailed cabs, a good sign that tonight had been a success.
The entire evening felt like a test, the first opportunity I had to prove to the other agents that I was capable of leading our office. While internally, I knew I was ready for this challenge, looking out at six employees I respected made the doubts sink in. Hopefully, they didn’t catch the shake of my hands or the crack in my voice.
The restaurant was a good choice. All my guests seemed enamored with the level of talent dining with us. Actors, athletes, and musicians filled the tables, most a respectable distance from the windows to avoid the flashing cameras. While the paparazzi might be a nuisance outside- inside , we were the sharks in the water, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike .
At least, the rest of the group was acting that way, carefully assessing every person in the room.
Me? I was too distracted with thoughts of my assistant.
I had no idea how Calla managed to get us a reservation with such little notice. It was a dick move to ask her to try to fit us in somewhere, especially on a Friday night. Most high-end restaurants in Manhattan were booked out for months, only willing to fit in celebrities who promised clout and media coverage.
But Calla not only managed to get us in to one of the hottest restaurants in the city—she also got us a table in the center of the room. For a meeting with clients, this would have been disastrous, drawing too much attention. But for our group, it was perfect, making us seem like the most influential people in the restaurant.
After all, that was the goal.
If this task was a test, Calla aced it with flying colors.
She was different than I expected, so much more than the stories led me to believe. Her first day on the job, I stayed extra late at the office, trying to close a negotiation for one of my actors. It was practically morning by the time I wrapped up for the night. I’d assumed she’d gone home hours earlier, but instead, I found her at her desk, sleeping softly on the surface, her hands curled under her face.
I stared at her for a few minutes, taking the opportunity to study her. If she saw me watching her, she’d probably call me a creep, but I couldn’t help it. Her auburn hair was falling all over itself, escaping the bun she’d twisted it into hours earlier. Her heels were tucked next to her desk, the soles facing up at me. She always had a youthful glow to her, but when she was sleeping, it was even more entrancing. It was tempting to touch her cheek, to feel if her subtle skin was as I imagined .
It took me a minute to snap out of my stupor and remember who Calla was to me. Who I was . She was young, vibrant, and full of life, and I was darkness, a shadow passing through the world without engaging with it. We were nothing to each other, just a necessary stop along the way.
I needed to remember that.
As a cab blared in the background, I snapped out of the thought in time to wave off several of the department heads. As they left, Jack stood at my side, tucking his hands into his pockets. “That seemed like a success.”
“Yes, it was,” I muttered, finally letting my guard drop. Out of all the people I’d dined with tonight, Jack was the only one I’d consider a friend, our bond forged by working side by side for years. “I’m waiting for Chuck to make a move to take me out.”
Jack laughed, rubbing a hand over his perfectly trimmed goatee, “As you should. He’s going to be watching you for any mistake.” He smirked back at me, “Speaking of…what the fuck were you thinking, hiring that girl?”
My jaw tensed. “What do you mean?
“She’s not your usual type.”
“Which is?”
“Older, work-focused, dull. ” He emphasized the last point. “But Calla…” He sucked in a breath. “She’s a fucking knock-out. How the hell are any of us supposed to get any work done with her in the office?” He shook his head, smiling slyly at me. “I forgot who the hell I’m talking to. You probably didn’t even notice.”
Oh, I’d noticed. I have to be fucking blind not to notice Calla’s beauty. Between her long legs and a smile that lit up the world, it was impossible to keep my thoughts about her strictly professional .
Not that I would ever let Jack know that. I forced a scowl on my face. “Don’t even think about it.”
“What?” he chuckled. “I’m just saying that if the whole assistant thing doesn’t work out, she’d make a great first wife.”
“Like you’d ever willing tie yourself down to one woman.”
He placed his hand over his heart like he’d been struck. “You wound me, my friend. Maybe I’m just waiting for the right one to come along.”
“Just make sure it’s not my assistant.”
“Say no more; she’s off limits.” He winked at me. “How about we go for another drink and see what this city has to offer?”
I shook my head. “Another night. I have a meeting with a client tomorrow, and I need to make sure everything is good to go.”
“Oh, c’mon, Theo. You know the saying about all work and no play.”
“Makes me in charge of this office,” I added solemnly. “A lot is riding on us bringing in new clients. I’m not going to fuck it up in our first month.”
“Whatever you say, man,” Jack joked, walking backward down the street. “Let me know if there’s anything you need in the morning.”
I waved him off, hailing a cab uptown. At the late hour, it didn’t take long to get back to the office, but my eyes were already heavy. Most sane people were probably heading home for the night, tucking themselves into bed next to their partner, but I meant what I said to Jack. This office needed to be successful. There was no other option.
The rest of the building was quiet as I rode the elevator up, all the lights turned down low. While I enjoyed seeing more faces around the office, these were the moments when I thrived.
But as the doors opened on our floor, a strange sound echoed from the office—music. More specifically, someone was singing. I walked down the hall, following the noise. Maybe a janitor had left the radio on? One of the staff? When I turned the corner, however, someone entirely different came into view.
Calla was in my office, white AirPods tucked in her ears. She swung her hips as she sang along with the words. She had twisted her hair up, and she’d kicked off her heels to the side of the couch. As she piled different file folders on my table, she sunk to the floor, twisting her hips as she rose back up.
What the hell was happening right now? I waited for a surge of annoyance, for my anger to rise at the sight of her desecrating my office, but instead, I found myself smiling, unable to look away. I lingered for a moment, just enough for the memory to implant itself right alongside the last one. Her hips moved in a seductive rhythm, as if begging for my palms to caress them, to hold her against my chest, letting her feel the effect she had on me.
I sucked in a sharp breath, trying to keep my dick in line. If she turned around and saw me watching her like that, it’d be a recipe for a sexual harassment case. This needed to stop. These daydreams about Calla were going to be the end of my career, and I couldn’t allow that.
My jaw tensed as I walked into my office, taking her phone off my desk. After I pressed the pause button, Calla kept going, belting out the last few notes.
“What the hell?” she snapped, quickly turning around. “Oh shit.” She ran her hands through her hair, rushing over to throw on her shoes. “Theo—I mean, Mr. Ayad, I am so sorry. I got carried away, and I just?—”
“Thought you could perform a private concert in my office?”
She scrunched her face. “Sort of. It helps keep me awake during late nights.”
“And why are you here so late?” I asked, suddenly desperate to learn more about her and her thoughts. “It’s Friday night. Surely you have better things to do than collate my files.”
“I wanted to stay,” she admitted, a new blush filling her cheeks. “I know you’re really swamped next week, so I wanted to make sure I had everything prepared.”
I nodded, thumbing through the documents she left on my desk. Everything was meticulously organized. Hell, she had even color-coded the folders based on the types of meetings. It was a simple touch, but one I appreciated.
But instead of voicing that thought, I said, “You can leave now. I’ll take it from here.”
“Oh…” Calla brushed a few strands from her forehead. “Are you sure? I have a few more things I want to get done.” When I looked up, she snapped her lips closed. “Of course. I’ll get out of your way, Mr. Ayad.”
I watched as she gathered her things, a new ache opening in my chest. What was it about Calla that elicited this guilt? I’d been brash with assistants before, but it never caused any sort of reaction. I couldn’t let her leave just yet.
“It’s Theo.” I waited for her to turn back around to face me. When she stopped, I continued. “You don’t have to call me Mr. Ayad. Theo works just as well. And next time, you can use my office speakers.” I pointed to the wall. “Much better sound quality.”
“Next time?” Calla furrowed her brow .
“That you want to stay late.” I glanced up at her. “But please, no more Ivy Abrams. If I never hear that song again, it’ll be too soon.”
“Oh, crap.” Calla clapped her hand to her forehead. “I completely forgot. Listen, no offense to Adam, but this album is amazing . If she’s looking for an agent, you should try to recruit her. The girl is blowing up.”
“Oh, I’m aware,” I groaned, sinking into my chair. “But I doubt after our last few conversations that Ivy would be interested in joining forces. Besides, I would never do that to Adam.”
“Aww, Theo,” Calla crooned, stepping to the other edge of my desk. I hated how much I loved hearing her say my name. “There is a heart under all that Armani.”
“They installed it with my software patch.” I tapped my chest. “Just have to figure out how to turn the damn thing off.”
“What?” Calla’s mouth hung open in surprised delight. “A heart and a joke? Oh, Theo…” She shook her finger at me. “You’re going to have the ladies lining up if you keep this going.”
I shook my head. “Out, Calla.”
She winked at me as she crossed the room, stopping in the doorway. “Don’t worry, Sunshine. It’ll be our little secret.”