Chapter 5. Aiden/Annalita.

I stared at the screen, I thought about the options laid before me. The most boring would be to come clean straight away, confess why I wanted her at Warner Labs and make myself look like a creepy douche. I scrapped that idea straight away.

Maybe I could feign ignorance, see if I could get her to elaborate on what she thinks being on my private payroll would entail? That could be fun, seeing what path her mind would take her down. Definitely a possibility.

Glancing once again at the words on the screen, I can tell that it was written with emotion. Her rage fuelling her words. Perhaps I shouldn't overthink it and see where the mood takes me.

Rolling up the sleeves of my navy shirt, I set to work:

Miss Taylor,

I'm very grateful for your timely response to the offer I made to you earlier today. I feel that is a matter of great importance that requires my immediate attention.

Firstly, I would like to commend you on your keen thirst for knowledge of the company. Staying focused on you original agenda and not becoming derailed by the prospect of a possible change of career in the future is a good attribute for a research assistant.

Would you please enlighten me as to the specific details you wished to discuss with me? Rest assured that I will answer any and all of your questions so that your thirst is quenched and you are left satisfied.

I am looking forward to our next correspondence.

Yours,

Aiden Warner. CEO, Warner Labs.

Innuendo and flirtation. That's what my billionaire brain came up with? Before I could second guess my decision, I hit send, crossing my fingers that I haven't scared her away.

******************

I...am...a....dumbass. What was I thinking sending something like that to my would be new boss? Rubbing my temples with the tips of my fingers as I reflected on how badly I had messed things up.

Nope. Not helping. I need a drink, jumping off my bed and heading to the kitchen to pour a glass of white wine. Filling it right to the brim, I stuck a straw in it, not wanting to spill a drop. I hopped up onto a stool and grabbed at the straw with my teeth, pulling deeply.

I wished Hayden was here. He was out of town for a week for an art exhibition. Wanting to hear his voice for comfort I went through to get my phone. There were a string of notifications on the screen, one in particular stood out. I swiped my laptop up and took it back with me. I would definitely need that drink.

I found Hayden in my contacts, he was near the top under 'Bestie'. Tapping the call button and the loudspeaker I propped my phone up on the counter as I turned my attention to my computer.

After several rings Hayden's cheerful voice answered. "Hey Gorgeous, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call? Don't say you miss me already? I've only been gone a day.", his deep chuckle soothed my nerves.

Laughing with him, "Not as much as you miss me. How's it going there? Was your flight ok?", I asked as I sipped my wine through the plastic tube bobbing around in my glass, feeling less than classy and not caring all that much either.

"True. The flight was fine, got a window seat. The hotel I'm at is nice...way too nice for me. The pool and gym are state of the art. The conference rooms they're using for the exhibition are gi-norm-ous!", he emphasised every syllable to make his point. "So, why are you really calling?"

Damn, he knew me too well. We have an unwritten rule that, if either of us are away for a week or more, we give the other one a couple days settling in or dealing with being busy, unless there was an emergency, before spending hours on the phone to one another. "I may have screwed my career up.". I went to explain the phone call and the email I wrote in anger.

There was mostly silence on the other end of the phone as I talked, occasionally a hiss of pain and sympathy could be heard.By the time I'd finished, my glass was empty and I found myself stretching over the counter for the bottle to refill it.

I had forgotten all about the notification I'd seen until I looked at my computer. Flipping the screen up, I clicked on the envelope icon and waited until the inbox loaded. There it was, sitting proudly at the top of the list, Aiden Warner's reply. "Here goes nothing." I sighed.

"What are you doing Anna?....Anna?!", Hayden was almost shouting down the line at me, concern in his voice.

So dramatic, "Calm down, Crazy. He's replied. I'm just working up the courage to open it. Uurghh! Why should I care what he thinks? Coz it's the job of my dreams, that's why.", I sounded like a lunatic.

"Anna? You're talking to yourself honey. Listen I gotta go. You want my advice? Leave it. Don't open it right now. Wait til tomorrow once you've calmed down.", I could hear someone calling for him in the background. "Shit! I really gotta go. Love ya Anna.". I said 'thank you' and that I loved him more before hanging up.

I had almost finished my second glass of wine, my stomach was rumbling in protest at the lack of solid food since breakfast. I decided to order a pizza. No muss, no fuss. As quickly as I could, I showered and changed into a pair of sweats and one of Hayden's zip-up hoodies. It was massive on me, stopping around mid thigh. The sleeves need to be folded back in order to see my hands.

The doorbell rang just as I was scraping my hair up into a high pony. I slung open the door with a smile for the delivery guy. With an appreciative glance my way, he handed me the warm box. I popped on the side as I grabbed my purse to tip him, having already paid online for the pizza. I handed him a twenty and flashed him another smile and gave him a small 'thanks'.

Closing the door with my foot as my hands were already occupied with grabbing a slice of my favourite BBQ meat feast pizza. I carried over the box to the coffee table while stuffing my face, then backtracking to the kitchen, I picked up my glass and more wine, pausing a second before tucking my computer under my arm.

I curled up on the deep squishy sofa. The combination of the wine, food and shower had worked magic on my tense body. I turned so that I was lying on my back, propped up by the arm of seat, my knees bent up. Stretching over for my laptop, I lent it against my legs.

Quickly I opened the message from Mr. Warner so I couldn't chicken out. My glass of Dutch courage was in my hand, the pink straw connecting it to my mouth as I started to read. My eyes widened, I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks. Was I reading this right or is it me with the gutter brain that is going way to far between the lines?

The man is a total flirt, unashamedly so, it would seem. There was no mention of retracting the offer, quite the opposite in fact. I wondered how far I could push this little battle of words with him? Ordinarily I would've sighed with relief, replied graciously and ignored the subtle innuendo but the wine, oh the wine, has other ideas. Cackling to myself I hit reply.