Fucking Ashley. I felt like I was getting cockblocked every which way. I headed back to my office and overheard Emmalin on a call.
“And how much is it? Yes, just the one vial for now. Yes, I know but it’s all I can do for now. Maybe more next month, hopefully. Okay, thank you. I’ll be by before closing. Thank you. Good-bye.”
I heard her take a big sigh. She sounded sad.
“Hey, what do you say we get some lunch?”
She looked up. “You know, I already ate.” I was gone five minutes, ten minutes max. I looked at her questioningly. “I had a late breakfast and wasn’t hungry, so I just had an apple.”
“No, I’m sorry. That isn’t a proper lunch,” I scoffed. She looked at me almost offended. Had I offended her?
She stood up. “I actually have an errand to run, so I’ll be doing that on my lunch hour.”
Before I could say anything, there was a half-assed knock on the door and Chace walked in.
“Hey, man. Just ran into Ashley. Please tell me you hit that.” Chace walked in laughing, then stopped when he saw Emmalin, who was all too eager to leave. She nodded, gave an awkward smile, and left.
Chace looked from me to the door.
“Sorry, man. I thought you were alone. Who was that?”
I rolled my eyes. “That would be Emmalin. She was with Walters and Reed, but now she’s with us. She’s in here temporarily until her office is done.”
“You been holding out on me, man? Well, I can’t wait to feel her.” Chace laughed as he slinked over to the golf course.
“She’s not to be touched, Chace,” I said through gritted teeth. “And stop fucking the staff.”
“What? Come on. She has that sweet, innocent look going on. You know they always say to watch out for the sweet ones.” He focused as he determined his next shot.
“I’m not fucking around, Chace. I said she’s off limits.”
He tilted his head and eyed me curiously. “What’s going on?”
I shook my head.
“You’re a fucking liar, man. In fact, the last time you became this possessive was the night of that party. Fucking hell, is that her?”
I didn’t say anything, and all of a sudden, I became very interested in my cufflinks.
“Fucking shit, I never thought I would see the day when Grayson fucking Mandrake became smitten.”
I ran my hands through my hair. “Would you just leave it alone, and leave her alone, okay? This isn’t a request.”
“Fine, but I get Ashley, you son of a bitch.”
I smiled. “Whatever, man.”
I hurried the six blocks to the pharmacist. I couldn’t believe it. Here he was throwing me up against walls, basically telling me he wanted to fuck me, and then one of his whores comes prancing into the office. Fucking joke.
I got to the pharmacist for my medication and reluctantly shelled out the almost three hundred dollars. Well, that should last a few weeks. I sighed. I was forever burdened. I placed my medication in my bag, stepped outside, and shivered. Damn winter was approaching already. Good old Chicago.
I glanced at my phone. Fifteen minutes to get back. I practically ran. I got back to Tower Headquarters and headed straight for the black elevator. When I reached the top floor, I didn’t see Glenda, so I went directly into the office. I had just a few minutes to spare when my phone rang. It was Tyler.
“Hey, you. I didn’t think you would ever call.”
“Well, you know me. I like to make an impression. How’s everything?”
“I’m good. Are you doing okay?”
“Yeah, work is going good. So far, it looks like we’re right on schedule. However, after that, I’ve been told of another job elsewhere, so I may be heading that way.”
“That’s great to hear. I know how much you’ve wanted this.” My voice trailed off.
“What’s wrong? And don’t you dare say nothing.”
I smiled. Tyler knew me so well. “Honestly, Tyler, nothing. I’m just really happy for you. You deserve this, you know?”
“Thanks, babe. Look, I’ll try to see you before the next job, okay? Right now I have to go. I only had a few minutes.”
“Thank you for calling.” I hung up the phone. I was happy for Tyler. He was finally getting his life back in order. I was just about to start working, but my phone rang again.
When I got back into my office, Emmalin was just ending a phone call. With her head down and her hands covering her face, she let out a heavy sigh. It was obvious something was bothering her.
“How were your errands?”
Straightening in her chair, she briskly answered, “Fine, thank you.” But she refused to make eye contact as she stared down at her hands. She was going to be a challenge.
I placed a bag in front of her on the desk. “Here, I had a hard time believing that an apple would subdue you for the rest of the day, so I got you a sandwich.”
Her eyes darted up to me and then to the bag in surprise. “Thank you, Mr. Mandrake.”
“Please, call me Grayson.” I continued speaking only after she nodded her agreement. “So, Emmalin, since we’re going to be working together, I think it’s only fair we know some things about each other.” Other than the obvious sexual tension we seem to be harboring.
“Okay, like what?”
“Are you seeing anybody?”
She paused midchew, before finishing her bite and washing it down with a drink of water. Of course, I was imagining her lips wrapped around my dick instead of that water bottle. She cleared her throat and licked her lips. Fuck, she was killing me.
“What?”
“Perhaps the guy you were with at the party? The one who left you stranded.”
“Tyler? No, no. Tyler is just a friend.”
“Just a friend?” I asked, my eyebrow raised.
“Yes, he’s just a friend. We’ve known each other for years.”
My greedy eyes took in her every detail. God, I wanted her.
“Grayson, is there a reason you’re asking me something so personal?” I watched as she reached for her water bottle again.
“Yes, I’m very interested in fucking you.”
She sputtered on her bottle of water.
“What makes you think that’s something I would agree to?” she asked in a choked voice. Leaning forward, I brushed my lips against hers ever so gently, barely touching her.
“I’m very certain you would agree to it,” I whispered. She finally took a breath and uncrossed and crossed her legs nervously. I grinned. “Besides, we still have unfinished business from the night we met. Have dinner with me tonight.”
She slowly shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t have dinner with you tonight.”
Pulling away, I stood, looking down at her with a sly grin.
“You can’t?”
“No, I can’t have dinner with you. I have to work.”
“I bought your contract with Walters and Reed, remember?”
“No, no. I have to work at my other job. I have more than one job, and I work that job tonight at five.”
I took a step back, my eyes never leaving hers. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking. I drew in a deep breath.
“Okay then. Well, what time do you get off?”
“Around eleven.”
“You work till eleven, and then come here by eight?”
“Actually, I work till eleven then go in for a few hours before reporting here.”
Looking down, she chewed on her bottom lip. Before I could say anything, a call came through.
“Mr. Mandrake, I have Mrs. Stewart on the line. She’s very persistent and insists that she speak with you.”
Muttering a curse word, I ran a hand through my hair. Fucking Mrs. Stewart. It was time to get rid of her. I left her on hold since it pissed her off, and kept my attention on Emmalin. “I imagine having dinner at eleven thirty at night isn’t so tempting for you?”
“Mr. Mandrake—”
I cut her off. “Here’s my card. I have a feeling you’ll be walking home alone at night, am I correct?”
“Yeah, but it’s fine. I only live six blocks away, so it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay. I want you to call me, so I can make sure you get home safely.” I held out my hand with my card in it.
“This isn’t necessary, Mr. Mandrake. I’m perfectly capable of seeing myself home, thank you.”
“Nonsense. I forbid it.” I stepped closer.
“You forbid it? What, are you old English now?”
I smiled, going beyond her personal space. “You ask a lot of questions.”
“And you never seem to answer any of them,” she countered.
“I wasn’t aware we were playing twenty questions.” I licked my bottom lip as she took a step back, coming up against the wall. “Were you going somewhere?” Leaning in to her, I trailed a finger down her cheek. “You always seem to be trying to run away from me.” I felt her pulse speed up and her breathing quicken. “Trying is the keyword here, Ms. Ross, but we both know you won’t get away, so you’ll have your free pass… for now.” My lips brushed her neck as my hand glided down her side till I reached the hem of her skirt. Ever so casually, I began to slide it up.
Her knees quivered as my hand inched higher and higher. I kissed down her neck toward her breast, but just as quickly, I pulled back, unable to prevent the moan that escaped my lips. We were both breathing heavily.
“See, I told you. You won’t. My card is on your desk. I expect you to use it.”
I smoothed her skirt back down. My mind was still reeling that I almost had a forbidden, yet sensuous touch. A touch I craved. Turning, I headed to the door. “I have several conference calls, but I hope to be seeing you later.”
The rest of the day seemed to go by quickly. I didn’t get to experience any more of the condescending bastard that was Grayson Mandrake, but maybe that was a good thing. I rushed home to change before heading to the café.
“Hey, Emms. A table of four just got seated in your section.”
“Thanks, Caleb. I can’t believe this rush.”
“Yeah, it gets like this a few weeks before the film festival with crews coming in for setup. It’s pretty cool actually, but the best part is the tips, of course.” Caleb grinned as he went to another table.
“Hey, look at that.” I glanced up to what he was so excited about. “It’s snowing, barely, but it’s there. Got to love Chicago.”
I smiled back. “Yeah.”
The next few hours flew by, and before I knew it, it had hit eleven o’clock. I was exhausted. Stretching, I headed for the door.
“Hey, wait up. I’ll walk you out,” Caleb called after me as I grabbed my jacket. Coming up behind me, he helped me put it on. “I know we live in opposite directions, but I can walk you home.”
“No need. I can take it from here.”
I stopped midstride. That voice was becoming way too familiar. I slowly turned. Grayson Mandrake stood there in front of his car, looking every bit as sinful as the last time I saw him at the office. He was driving a different vehicle than I was in before.
Caleb looked from Grayson to me. Uncertainty crossed his face. He didn’t know if I knew the guy, or if he should go into protective mode.
“I’m fine, Caleb,” I assured him. “Really, you have a great night, and I’ll see you soon, okay?”
He slowly nodded. “Are you sure?”
Before I could say anything, Grayson intervened. “She’s sure.” His eyes never left mine.
Caleb placed his hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention. “Okay, Em. Well, I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Have a good night,” I called out to him as he headed in the opposite direction. Taking a deep breath, I turned toward Grayson. “Mr. Mandrake, fancy meeting you here.”
“Yes, well, I assumed you would be oppositional and not call, as I highly encouraged, so I thought I would meet you here. Looks like I was correct.” He stalked toward me, a frown crossing his face. Reaching out, he touched my jacket.
“This isn’t thick enough. You’ll get sick.”
“Okay, well, thank you,” I said with a sigh before turning to walk away. His hand shot out, grabbing my arm and pulling me to a stop.
“My car is this way,” Grayson said as he led me toward it. He made sure I was secured before getting in the driver’s seat.
He started the car, and we sat there for a few minutes as I relaxed in the heated seats. He didn’t speak until we pulled up to my apartment.
“You know, jealousy isn’t a trait I’m accustomed to. In fact, I don’t get jealous. Ever. For some reason, when I’m around you and another guy looks in your direction, or dares to place a hand on you, I want nothing more than to smash his face in.” He ran his hand through his hair.
I threw my head back and laughed. “That’s a little irrational, don’t you think? This is coming from a guy who has a Mrs. Stewart calling him twenty times a day. That’s rich. I’m not yours to control, Grayson.”
His eyes were intense as he grasped my arm. “She’s no one you need to worry about, because she means nothing to me. As far as control, maybe that’s what you need. To be controlled. To give yourself freely. To have your body commanded and be desired as it should.”
My breathing was labored as I instinctively leaned toward him.
“You want that. I can feel it, and I can give it to you. I will give it to you,” he murmured, and it sounded like a promise.
I thought about his words, and I knew if I didn’t get out of his car, I would do something really stupid. Something I’d probably enjoy.
Clearing my throat, I reached for the door handle and muttered, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Damn, even that came out throatier than I intended.
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’ll wait here until you turn a light on, so I know you made it in safely. Which one is yours?”
“Somehow, I think that’s something you already know, Mr. Mandrake.” I climbed out of the car and headed to my apartment. I turned on the light when I got in, signaling that I was indeed safe, and watched his car drive away into the light dust of snow.
I stared at the glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling. Seemed a bit adolescent, but I didn’t care. I loved them. I couldn’t stop thinking about Grayson. He invaded my mind. I knew I should stay away from him; he was dangerous territory. It didn’t help that I was now working for him, so avoiding him was out of the question.
Grayson knew what he was doing. He walked into a room, and everyone stopped what they were doing and practically saluted the guy. He always got what he wanted. Everyone knew him. Everyone also knew the amount of women who were in his arms every night. The question was, was I willing to be one of those women? Was that the only reason he was even paying me any attention?
The sad fact remained. I wanted him.
It had never taken me this long to get with a woman. The most I’d ever had to do was wink. Emmalin was different. She wasn’t fake. I didn’t know what it was, but there was something about her that I was drawn to. I actually wanted to know about her. I didn’t want to just fuck her and let her be on her way. I wanted to wake up with her in my bed.
What the fuck was I thinking? This wasn’t me at all. I didn’t do the whole ‘waking up next to someone in my bed’ thing. I’d never even brought a girl to my actual place. That was what all my damn hotels were for. Fuck me. I ran my hands through my hair as I glared at my phone. No arrival yet. I pressed the intercom for Glenda.
“Mr. Mandrake, good morning.”
“Morning, Glenda. Could you have a little breakfast assortment brought up? Just some fresh fruit, pastries, juice, and things like that.”
“Of course, Mr. Mandrake. I’ll call catering right away.”
As I hung up, it occurred to me, what if she didn’t like pastries? Who doesn’t like pastries? I called Glenda back. “Could you also have them bring in a lunch assortment as well as a pasta bar?”
“Are you doing a food tasting, Mr. Mandrake?”
I smirked. “No, it’s just going to be one of those days, so Emmalin and I will need some nutrients.”
“It’s always one of those days, Mr. Mandrake. I’ll let catering know.”
As I hung up, my phone beeped, informing me that Emmalin was arriving at the thirty-third floor. Thank fuck. My eyes immediately sought her out as she walked into the room and began unbuttoning her jacket. She was dressed in a simple black pencil skirt, a light green, button-down blouse, and casual pumps. It was simple, yet she never looked more beautiful. I felt my dick twitch in my pants.
I cleared my throat. “Good morning.”
She looked at me and smiled. “Good morning, Grayson.”
“Pleasure as always.” I emphasized the word pleasure, and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. As she began powering up her laptop, the intercom buzzed.
“Mr. Mandrake, the catering service is here.”
“Thank you, Glenda. Please send them in, and have them set up on my bar.” Once everything was arranged and they were gone, I turned to Emmalin. “Since we couldn’t do dinner last night, I was hoping you would join me for breakfast.”
She glanced up at me in surprise, and then to the spread set before her. “This is all for us?”
I smiled. “Well, I wasn’t sure what you liked and didn’t like, so I just had an assorted continental breakfast spread brought up.” I shrugged.
She walked over to the table, grabbed a plate, and began placing some fruit on it as well as eggs. I sat next to her on the barstool and fixed a plate.
“Tell me about yourself.”
She paused mid-chew. “Like what?”
“Well, you’re going to be working with me, so it would be nice to know about you.”
She nodded and wiped her mouth. “Well, I moved here about three months ago from Arizona.”
“That had to be an adjustment.”
“Yeah, it was. But a good one. At least, I hope so.”
“And you just up and moved, by yourself?” I was still making sure she didn’t have a boyfriend.
“Yes and no.” I froze. “I moved here by myself, yes, but my friend, Tyler, moved here a few weeks ago, so I at least had another person that I knew.”
I took the last bite of my bagel.
“And this Tyler person, he’s just a friend? I mean, you guys looked cozy at the party.”
“He’s just a friend.”
I nodded, satisfied with that answer. “How did you two meet?” For a moment, I thought I caught a glimmer of fear cross her face.
“I met him when I was younger.” She paused. She opened her mouth to say something more, but didn’t. Staring down at her coffee, she nervously tucked her hair behind her ear before saying, “He’s always been a good friend.” She finally looked up then stood. “Thank you for the breakfast. I should get to work.” She began to clear the dishes, but I stopped her.
“No, please. I’ll have someone get this.”
She paused, nodded, and then walked back to her desk. On a high from gambling, I turned toward the back wall to the monitors to look at the world below. All in a day’s work.
“So, I’m assuming that, since I don’t see you again until Friday, you’ll have some spare time?”
She glanced up. “Maybe. I try to work as much as I can when I’m not here.”
“Are you just saying that? Do you really have to work or are you mostly trying to avoid me?” I smirked.
She held my gaze. “Yes.” With that, she turned and walked out of the room, files in hand.
I’d be lying if her damn mouth didn’t make my dick hard.