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15
“Emma?” he looks at me pointedly, that hint of serious coming through the boyish charm.
“Even women have needs.”Do they?I think sourly. I’m pretty sure I’ve never needed to go there. I tried it when I was young; non-serious boyfriends and the pressure of other kids doing it. I didn’t like it much and it only left a nasty taste in my mouth.“You would know, of course, being one hundred percent hot-blooded male.” I laugh at him, raising a brow at the man who is as far from feminine as any guy can get.“I go to bed with enough women to know it’s not only men who crave sex. There’s no way you can tell me you don’t get the raging horn, at all?” He’s a little too focused on me now and looking all too invested in this.“Jake, can we talk about something else? I don’t think I want to talk about sex with my boss over lunch.” An anxious knot has moved up
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The Carrero Effect 16
The afternoon is chaotic. For the first time, I’m glad of my assistant, Rosalie’s, lingering presence; it feels like I don’t get a second to think.Jake’s in his office with just as much going on as me; I’ve walked in there a dozen times with files and notes and each time he seems to be shedding clothes. He’s now sitting with his shirt pulled out, unbuttoned at the collar and his sleeves rolled up. His normally styled hair is ruffled, messy, and his tie and jacket are strewn across his couch. His shoes are lying in the middle of the floor, a sure sign he’s stressed.I pick up his tie and jacket and hang them neatly on the hooks behind his door, shuffling his shoes to under the edge of his desk with the toes of my stilettos. I move all the papers from the left side he’s been through and pile them neatly into an open box file, before laying out some stapled contracts he needs to sign to send down to legal. He smiles up at me br
The Carrero Effect 17
Seattle is miserable.It’s rainy and cold and the meetings drag endlessly, another boring board of directors, and another boring meaningless round of chatter. Something I learned working in my new role is how much businessmen like to set up meetings to discuss nothing much at all and will take several sessions to conclude on something minor.The hotel is like every other we have stayed in and as usual we have a penthouse suite. Grand, opulent, and modern. Jake insists that when we travel, we have rooms in the same suite, so I can be at his beck and call as we usually work late from them. I spent the best part of last night having him dictate memos and running through his schedules and itinerary before he made me get up at the crack of dawn to jog with him in the rain.Jake likes conversation when he runs, so whenever we leave home and his trainer behind, he harasses me into it. I have never jogged so much in my life until I started living with this man.I&r
The Carrero Effect 18
My shower is hot, steamy, and satisfying. I come out flushed and breathless and figure I maybe should have gone easy on the temperature gauge. My head’s swimming a little, and I’m still feeling fragile.I haul on my nightdress and robe to try and cool off, pad out into the empty room, and instantly know that I’m alone. I had been in the shower an hour and they must have left for dinner. It feels good to be able to chill out and have some alone time though. I mulled over the call enough in the shower and I’m tired of thinking about it. I’ll have to screen my calls from now on, maybe change my number. I’ll need to call my mother; I have an inkling that she was behind him getting it and it pisses me off immensely.Always a sucker for a goddamn sob story. She needs to get a grip.I have been in the social pages a lot over the last few weeks on Jake’s arm at various functions. I guess he figures I’ve hit a goldmine and wants
The Carrero Effect 19
That’s a good question to ask a shrink, as I want to know.His face appears above me and I jump a little in fright; I wasn’t expecting him so suddenly, maybe it wasn’t sudden. I have been taking long pauses to daydream between replies. This is a weird angle, but even down here he looks gorgeous.Why can’t you look ugly from at least one angle, Carrero? Even the odds up a little. Maybe have a double chin or something.“Nothing … You deserve so much more than someone like him.” He seems serious, and just hot. Too hot.“I’m part of him … I have his blood … But he didn’t want to know me.” I sigh dejectedly as he moves from above me and on to the couch beside me; he has a glass which clinks with ice and slides it on the low table to my left. He sits near my head so he can look down at my face and he’s no longer smiling. He seems blank.“Does he want to know you now? Is th
The Carrero Effect 20
The sun piercing tiny slices through the drapes is worse than having salt poured in my eyes. The nausea hits as I try to sit up and my mouth waters crazily. My cell is by the bed, and I realize it’s been switched off; I never switch it off, I don’t even know what time it is and I could have missed a multitude of calls.I swallow down the bile and reach for the glass beside my bed, lukewarm water will have to do. I know I should remember last night but after my third drink on the couch I don’t remember much else. I don’t do hard liquor, so it’s no surprise.I’m a total lightweight.I know at one-point Jake came back; I think.Maybe.I have strange images of him leaning over me with his tie hanging free; I’m not even sure if it was a dream or a memory from another time.I shower fast to combat the dizziness and ram toast and paracetamol down my throat in the sitting area in a bid to recover quickly. The place is s
The Carrero Effect 21
I’m falling apart; I don’t shout at Jake. I don’t shout at anyone like this. I’ve more control than this now, I’m no longer that hostile teen Emma.“It affects you.” He’s equally riled, but I don’t care.Be angry. You started this, Jake. Leave me alone.“This doesn’t affect my ability to work for you, therefore it’s none of your business.” I snarl through gritted teeth.“You are my business; we work together almost every second of almost every day. Our relationship goes a little deeper than boss and assistant. It depends on trust and honesty to be able to work this way.” His voice is heated, he reaches for me again and I move out of the way, tense, and prickling. If he touches me, I may lash out, I need to go to my room. “I trust you with every detail of my life; would be nice if you did the same.” His voice matches mine, tense and tempered, rage bubbling between
The Carrero Effect 22
He’s back in playful mode and for once it doesn’t irritate me, it relieves me. This is what I need.“Knew you couldn’t hate me for long, Bambino.” He’s still smiling and trying to look convincingly assured while failing.Yeah, of course, you were so confident when I walked in.I remember his stressed posture and lost look, only moments before.“Hmm, the jury is still out on that,” I answer impassively. I could never hate Jake. He throws me a mock injured look and I push him harder this time, so he falls back onto the couch with flailing arms and a shocked expression.Easy there, teen Emma, he’s still your boss.“Hey, woman! Any more of that and I’ll have to retaliate. I can promise you; my kind of physical exertion will put some color in your cheeks.” He gets up as though he’s going to grab me and I squeal, throwing out my arms toward him and shoving him straight back down wit
The Carrero Effect 23
It’s late, and he’s out with some blonde bimbo who posed in Playboy who’s all fake boobs and Botox with an irritating laugh and a weird pair of overly plump lips. We fly home tomorrow so he’s letting off steam Carrero style. Loose women, booze, and a nightclub. So very Jake.I glance at the clock in distraction, noticing how quiet it is when he’s not around to frustrate me. I don’t get his fascination with nightclubs, all that loud, thumping music grinding bodies, and stifling air. But then Jake’s fascination with jumping out of planes and down buildings is beyond me too. He’s the original adrenaline junkie and never seems to sit still for long.It’s a hot muggy night and I’m sticky in my sweats and T-shirt, my hair has been up all day and it feels itchy with my scalp screaming for release. I had a good workout session in the gym after dinner, but I regret eating first. I’m starving now due to the energy bur
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