"I have not."That damn eyebrow tics higher. "Yes, you have."I drop the sleeping e-reader on the coffee table next to my drink. "I'm not bored. I'm thinking."Vincent takes a large breath as if he's gathering strength for dealing with me and then closes the lid to his laptop, pushing it to the side. "About your desire to join the mile-high club? Because if so, I can make that a reality."I laugh, my eyes flitting back of the bedroom. Maybe. "No.""Then what?""Where do people think we've been? What happens we get back to the states? What about your… Tiffany?" I don't want to use the word wife to describe her. It's a complete cop out on my part but a constant reminder of the trouble facing us. Sometimes in a woman's life, she needs to take the cop out and hold on to it like her favorite childhood stuffed animal. "What about us?"Vincent smirks and leans back in his chair. "That all?"That all? That's everything."It's a start," I say lifting a shoulder.He stands an
I set Vincent's morning coffee to the side of his keyboard right where he likes it and then step back looking at the way I've arranged his breakfast for the morning. Can optimal working happen at this desk? I tilt my head to the left. Then the right.The coffee sits too near the keyboard. There could be spillage if he hit it with his hand while sitting down to work. I adjust the coffee to the right and stand back, smiling at my perfection.My plans never had me working as someone's personal assistant, but it turns out when I put my mind to it, I make a damn good one. My deep sigh of satisfaction moves a few of the copies on the corner of Vincent's desk and I stop and arrange them back into a neat stack before leaving his area.Vincent and his musky woods scent, which makes me want to take off his shirt and roll around in them for a few hours startles me at his office door.His gaze is dead set on the center of his desk where a wrapped breakfast sandwich waits. "Is that peanut b
Mainly a nosy roommate who wanted to know every single thing about my trip and who texted me incessantly until I returned home to fill her in—on most of it—in person. When I asked Davis to drop me off at my apartment after we left the small Lansing airport, I worried Vincent might think the worst. But my head was still wrapping itself around the fresh developments, and I reassured him while also promising myself everything would be okay.We stare at one another with a million words to say. Apologies and questions about the future, but we're at work now and I promised myself, and Vincent, I would be an excellent assistant. Those things have to wait.My phone vibrates in my back pocket. I'm waiting on a call from Vincent's dry cleaner so I don't waste a second pulling it free.HENRY: How is your dad?I roll my eyes and slip the phone back in my pocket without answering."What?" Vincent asks, studying me carefully.I swoosh a hand in front of my body like I can wave away Henry
"No," I sputter out quickly. "V, I'll be fine." No way I'm having a crazy beefed-up dude follow me around trying to hide in the shadows.He turns back to his papers, not seeming too upset. "Fine I'll let it go for now, but I'm leaving the discussion open for later."I pause at his doorway shaking my head. "Okay, I don't foresee that ever happening, but we can leave it open."He starts to say something else, but I walk away from the doorway. The red light on my phone flashes to life with the first of many calls scheduled for the day. It's going to be a long day, but I'll spent tonight with Vincent and that's a good reward.… I MOAN AND MUMBLE, my legs clenching together but being forced apart. My head thrashes in the pillow and my eyes pop open finally coming awake."What?" I ask dazed as Vincent's tongue finds my core again.His head pops up from between my legs and he pulls, twisting the covers away from my body. "Lie back and relax. This is a morning treat."Before I
I have tears in my eyes as I lower the phone and look to him, the first sign something is amiss.Slowly as if I'm precious and he doesn't want to damage me, Vincent takes my chin in his hands. "Mackenzie, what's wrong? Tell me."I sniffle and wipe across one eye. Doesn't he see? "I'm sad because I'm losing my job and now I need to find a new one. My boss can be a real ass, but he's grown on me."Vincent appears startled as if I've lost my mind. He even chuckles despite my sorrow. How can it be one week ago I was so mad I wanted him to fire me, but now faced with not getting to spend my days with Vincent has me ready to blubber like a small child? How much changed in a short time?He takes my phone and tosses it lower on the bed. "Go shower," he says placing a kiss on my chin, his hand running lower and squeezing one of my breasts. "You're not losing your job. It's just moving the marketing. I already told you this."It's the second time he's agreed to maintain our original ba
"How will it be a celebration if there's no alcohol?" Ashley asks."Because it's a sober celebration," I say emphasizing the word sober.She whines, sitting on the couch. "It would be a lot more fun to celebrate with alcohol."I can't disagree, but Ashley has been drinking too much lately and if staying in one time will help her, I'm willing to sacrifice. "We are going to have a lot fun.""But, Kens, how? This is your big celebration for moving to marketing. You really need alcohol.""We don't need alcohol." Only boring people needed liquor to make a night fun."How about wine then? That's a barely a liquor."I can tell we'll argue over this for a while, so rather than spend the entire night listening to Ashley complain, I give in easily. "Fine, one glass of wine.""Two.""I think there's a new rule in this friendship. No using your negotiating skills against me."She laughs. "Does that mean I win? My student loans have to be good for something.""Two glasses. But
I finish signing the last piece of paper, making my transfer to the marketing team official, and then pop the top of my brand-new company-provided laptop. It's a new week and a new department. Sitting floors below Vincent has left me hollow. I'm aware we're in the same building, but this space is so much different from the one I've shared with him for the last few weeks.The marketing department is a wide-open floor with basic carpeting and white walls. Gray soft padding lines each of our cubicles, but otherwise it's plain and boring. Nothing like the almost homey space I used to call an office sitting right outside Vincent's door. He even had a plush leather couch in his office and two bookcases full of reading material.While he used to drive me nuts with his fingers clicking over his keypad as he smashed them into oblivion, now the whole floor is full of various people tapping away at their devices. I'd much rather it be replaced with the sound of his angry death strokes.But
Nothing I can do will make up for not going on another date with him. If he dislikes me for that, I guess he'll dislike me. It's his choice if he holds a grudge for the rest of his life.I have enough boy problems. I don't need to go adding more to the mix.With my laptop turned on, I put in the company-provided password and check the large clock on the login screen. 9:01. Already an hour into work and I've spent most of my time thinking of Vincent.Not off to a brilliant start.I brought nothing personal with me into work because I was constantly aware I wasn't staying as Vincent's assistant. Either I'd quit or he'd fire me. The slimmest chance went to ending up exactly where I am now. The desk outside Vincent's office was never mine. It belonged to someone else, and I was merely renting it for a short time.Now, with a spot in my own area, I can move into this position and decorate. Make it mine with a plant—probably best to go with fake—or my favorite picture of Ashley and