Chapter 2

Skylar usually dreaded seeing her Supervisor, Randy, heading towards her cubicle with the list of placement assignments, but today she had to stop herself from meeting him halfway. Since she had taken her chance on the Banscroft Empires placement she had barely been able to focus all week. She clenched her jaw and reminded herself her odds were super slim. Everyone in the office had applied for that one, and those placements always went to senior temps, which Skylar was not. Skylar felt herself crash down to reality as Randy reached her cubicle. 

"Good morning Skylar. You had a great review from Mr. Theidle at your last placement. He was disappointed you didn't want the full time position he offered you, but I'm glad you decided to stick with Timely Temps," Randy winked at her and Skylar shuddered. She had tried to block out Thiedle's full-time offer. "Technically I think he made the offer to my chest and not to me because that's the only place that man ever looked," Skylar responded disgusted. Randy laughed and leaned back against the wall of Skylar's cubicle. Skylar liked Randy. He was easy going and had a sense of humour. He and Tina made the office bearable. 

Randy put his focus back on the list in his hands, looking for Skylar's name. "L.....L.....Here we go, Skylar Lindse," he muttered under his breath. "Well holy shit Sky." Skylar's eyes shot up from where they'd been focused on picking at her nails as she tried not to look too eager waiting for Randy to continue. He met her gaze with a goofy grin on his face. "How good a review did you get from Theidle anyway?" 

"Stop screwing with me Randy! I know you know I'm dying here!" Skylar's resolve dissipated completely as she stood up and reached for Randy's list. He lifted it above his head and grinned. "Nah! You know I can't let you see the list. Behave yourself or I'll send you back to Theidle's." Skylar glared daggers at Randy but put her hand back down at her side. "Congrats Sky, you start at Banscroft Empires on Monday. You should also know that all your coworkers hate you now." 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

James glanced at his cell phone on his desk as it went off for what felt like the 100th time that morning. After not showing up to brunch at all, let alone with a girlfriend in tow, his mother had been calling incessantly all weekend. James sighed in resignation and picked up the phone. "Hello," he answered curtly. 

"James, you will be joining us for supper at the club tonight at 7," his mother stated sternly. A dial tone followed immediately after. James hung up the phone and groaned. Damn her. James was contemplating his options when a voice came over the intercom that sounded far too young to be the voice of his secretary Mrs. Babbitt. "Mr. Banscroft your 11 o'clock just called to cancel." James stared at the intercom for a minute before remembering Mrs. Babbitt was out for a month and she had requested a temp before she left. The temp! Before he could talk himself out of his stupid idea James pressed the intercom button. "That's alright, thank you. Can you come in to my office for a moment?"

He released the button and waited. A few moments later the office door opened and the temp stepped inside. Closing the door behind her she started toward James' desk. She was much younger than Mrs. Babbitt, looking to be maybe in her mid to late twenties. She had long, dark brown hair that flowed down over her shoulders and walked with a confidence that James found immediately attractive. She wasn't tall by any means but she didn't need to be. She wore a grey, sleeveless dress that hugged her curves in all the right ways while still looking professional. She smiled as she reached the desk. James suddenly felt awkward, not a feeling he was accustomed too.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Skylar stopped at the desk and made a mental note to call Tina on her lunch break. She had expected someone older, but James Banscroft looked to be in his mid thirties and he was even more gorgeous then Tina had made him out to be. Tina's type was usually pretty boys. Slim build, perfect gelled hair. James Banscroft was broad shouldered, with perfectly messy brown hair with not an ounce of gel. Skylar felt his blue eyes skim over her quickly and she felt an involuntary shiver. If this had been a bar she absolutely would have hit on him. She reminded herself this wasn't a bar. "What can I do for you Mr. Banscroft?"

"You must be the temp assigned to take over for Mrs. Babbit for the next few weeks." His deep voice sent another involuntary shiver down Skylar's spine. Skylar cleared her throat, "Yes sir. My name is Skylar Lindse." He studied her for a moment and Skylar's stomach tightened. Dammit he was attractive. 

James brow furrowed as he leaned back in his office chair. Skylar felt a wave of nerves rush over her instead this time. Shit. First day and she had already somehow messed up. She was replaying the morning in her head trying to pinpoint what when James stood up and began to come around to her side of the desk. 

"Skylar, I need you." Skylar's mental play-by-play came careening to a halt at his words. "Wait, what!?" she practically choked, taking a step back as he came around the corner of the desk. He froze for a moment, and realization dawned across his face at his choice of words. "No! I didn't mean it like that!" he said quickly. "I mean I want to offer you a side job." Skylar stared at him in disbelief. "That doesn't sound any better Mr. Banscroft." She leaned into one hip and crossed her arms over her chest, meeting his gaze. He sighed and sat on the edge of his desk, "You can go Miss Lindse". Skylar relaxed her stance. He looked...nervous? No way this powerful CEO was nervous. And yet? "What's the side job?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxx

James looked back at Skylar. He had already made a complete ass of himself so might as well go all in. "Join me and my family for supper tonight at 7 and pose as my girlfriend." It sounded stupid as soon as he said it and he focussed his attention on the office door as he waited for her response, but it was this, an escort, or end up on an uncomfortable blind date with another boring, air-headed heiress his mother had deemed appropriate. "Fine. We can leave from here. But you have to take me for lunch and to a boutique because I'm not wearing this." James looked at her in surprise as she gestured to her dress. He smiled weakly and nodded. "Fine. We should go over a few details anyway."