Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
He had the air of someone playing dress-up. That hadn’t been the case in Vegas. I could still recall those tight jeans and that snug shirt and my fingers in his hole and my cock in his—
“I didn’t realize you two had met,” Julia chimed in, pulling me firmly into the present.
I shook Raine’s hand and somehow managed not to jolt as a zing of awareness zipped through my veins.
“Vegas,” he muttered through a longer than necessary handshake. “I didn’t know…”
Julia cast a panicky glance between us. “You met in Las Vegas?”
“Quite by accident,” I replied, clearing my throat before continuing in a detached tone. “You’re Julia’s new assistant.”
“Y-yes,” he squeaked.
“He’s been training with Darwin while we’ve been away,” Julia piped up. “I wanted to get him up to speed, which shouldn’t take long at all. He’s new to London, but Raine has loads of experience and was well-regarded by his former colleagues. We’re fortunate to have him with us.”
My lips quirked at one corner as I lifted a brow. “I’m sure we are.”
She tapped her watch and marched toward the door. “We have that meeting with Mr. Blower in ten minutes, sir. Victoria sent word that he’s heading for the Bridge Conference Room. Shall we?”
“Please go ahead. I’ll be along shortly.”
Julia opened her mouth as if to argue, but nodded instead. “Of course. Darwin is expecting you, Raine.”
I kept my gaze fixed on Raine, but didn’t speak until the clip of Julia’s heels faded. “Is it really you?”
He gave a sheepish half laugh. “Yeah, um…what are the chances?”
“Slim to none,” I huffed automatically. “And this was the job you were talking about?”
“Yeah.”
“The one you said you were in over your head and possibly unqualified for?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.” He had the grace to wince as he scratched his nape. The gesture hiked his jacket open, revealing a large dark smudge under the breast pocket of his otherwise white shirt.
I squinted. “You have something on your shirt.”
“Ha. Do I?” Raine widened his eyes and dropped his arm. “Uh, so…this is unexpected and probably looks pretty bad from where you’re sitting.”
“I’m standing,” I deadpanned.
“Uh-huh. Right.” He sighed heavily. “I wish I had an explanation, but I didn’t know this was your company when we met. And since I got here, I’ve been treading water, trying to figure out how to use public transportation and work a freaking iron. So if you’re thinking I tried to seduce you or something like that, don’t. I’m not that clever, and my sexy game goes sideways under pressure. I would never have gotten in your car or…done the things we did—if I’d known.”
I inclined my chin. “I believe you.”
“Good. Will you let Julia know, or should I write a formal letter or just walk out the door? I don’t know how this stuff works in England. Which is funny…I’m pretty good at it back home.”
“Good at what?”
“Saying hasta la vista,” he quipped with a wan laugh.
“You’re resigning?”
“Well…yeah. We had sex,” he stage-whispered. “I can’t have sex with my boss. It’s wrong, and unethical, and I’ve learned my lesson. I will never ever, ever, ever—”
“Understood,” I intercepted, biting my cheek to curb my smile. “That’s an admirable policy.”
“Cool. So how do you terminate employment in England with as little fanfare as possible?” Raine licked his lips and raked his teeth over them nervously. “I get it. I’m fired and I’m going…no worries. Actually, I have a lot of worries—employment and rent are top tier at the moment, but I’ll figure it out. If I can just avoid a security escort on my way out, that would be great. I know a few of the guards now and…well, that might get awkward. But hey, you’re the big cheese. You tell me.”
I crossed my arms and regarded Raine thoughtfully. This whirling dervish of a man radiated enough energy to send a jolt the equivalent of five cups of coffee through my system. I was suddenly wide awake, my veins thrumming with heat and the kind of inappropriate awareness that had led us here in the first place.
I was puzzled by my attraction to him. Raine was peculiar and quirky. In the light of day, he was impishly cute—not sexy, mysterious, or darkly handsome. In short, he wasn’t my type at all. I liked order. I liked cleanliness. I didn’t like messes of any sort, which should have made cutting ties extraordinarily easy.
Raine was vertically challenged, rumpled, untidy, and that shirt was definitely stained.
He was right. He had to go.
I opened my mouth to tell him so when my cell buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the text marked urgent and made a series of questionable decisions I’d never be able to explain if my life depended on it.
“I’m not firing you.”
Raine’s jaw dropped. “You’re not?”
“Not yet, anyway. I’m sure there’s a story behind how you were hired, but I don’t have the time to hear it just now,” I said, striding toward the door.