Chapter 5
Fortunately, being Mr. Matthews’ personal assistant wasn’t as bad as Emma thought it would be. Her tasks were usually mundane and repetitive, but at the end of her first week, she got a paycheck in the mail that almost covered her first month of rent which was due in about a week. With this new financial incentive, she worked harder than ever. Most days, she didn’t even see the CEO. He was usually in meetings or in important conference calls. There was almost nothing personal about her position until he abruptly called her into his office one Wednesday afternoon without a designated task.
She walked in; comfortably fitted in the new pair of shoes she had bought with the surplus of her paycheck after paying rent. They had a sleek black finish and three-inch heels. The best part was the incredibly soft rubber insoles that made her feel weightless.
“Please, have a seat.” Mr. Matthews instructed. Emma felt the weight of his dark eyes roll up her legs, and follow the slit of her skirt. His eyes sparkled with dark intentions as he pushed himself closer to the desk, a mischievous smile on his lips.
As she sat, she noticed his eyes move from her leg to her shirt. She regretted the dark purple bra for a moment, as she remembered how translucent the white blouse was. She frowned as she thought about whether he could see the lace through her shirt. Whether this aroused him or not was unknown because when Emma looked up at his face, it was stoically composed.
“You’ve been doing very well this past week, I’m impressed.” He said, as he leaned forward in his chair, his hands wrapped around the coffee Emma had gotten him that afternoon. “I really appreciate it.”
“Thank you, sir.” She answered, her cheeks turned rosy at the compliment. She sat there, and looked at his handsome face; she admired his angular cheeks, well-defined jaw muscles, and powerful neck. Throughout her time as his assistant, she had admired him from afar. She found herself attracted to him more as the days went by. There was just something about his dominant personality that made her want to spring on him and take him for a ride. This thought made her blush a little harder; she could feel the warmth well up between her legs. It was like an itch she couldn’t quite scratch. She bit her lip and held his gaze. Even though Mr. Matthews was quite a few years older than her, she had managed to hold her own against him. While others were intimidated, she always kept her composure.
“In light of that, I’d like to make you an offer. Tonight, I need someone to accompany me to a party. It’s a gala for a large donation the company is about to receive from a very generous group of investors.” He explained.
Emma’s face remained stoic, but her eyes displayed confusion. Why was he telling her this? Did he need her to find him a date?
“I was wondering if you were free this evening, and if you’d like to be my plus one.”
Now, Emma was really confused.
“You want me to go to the gala with you? As your personal assistant?” Emma asked, as she tried to keep her voice level, even though her mind worked overtime again as it attempted to figure out the implications of his ambiguous offer. It was only then that she remembered her conversation with Mr. Limerick, who had warned her that she would need to work outside the conventional office hours. Was this what he meant? Was she really expected to accompany her boss to a party?
“No, you would be coming with me as my date.” He said, as if it was totally normal to take an employee out on a date. Emma parted her lips, about to say something, but the words never came out. Instead, her lips clamped shut and she just sat there, and stared at him. “I will, of course, provide you with transportation, clothing, and anything else you might need.” Emma continued to hesitate. She thought this was anything but appropriate. “And a bonus if all goes well…”
“A bonus?” This had piqued Emma’s interest.
The corners of Mr. Matthew’s lips curled upwards at her reaction. “Yes. I’ll be more than happy to pay you handsomely for your efforts. What do you say?” His voice allured her and was strong, like a bait casted out for Emma to snatch up.
“So I just have to pretend to be your date?”
“Exactly. It should be easy for someone like you.”
Emma tried to decode what that might mean as she sat there. Eventually, after a few moments of dead silence, she nodded in agreement. “Okay. I’ll go.”
“Fantastic, I’ll have everything delivered to you this afternoon. I’ll pick you up around eight.” He paused and smiled at her. Emma, who had already stood, felt her knees weaken as his smile took her breath away . “Oh, and you can take the rest of the afternoon off. I can handle things from here.” He finished his statement as he took a sip of his lukewarm coffee.
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Emma rushed to the door as she heard the bell ring. When she opened it, there was a box on her doorstep, but no one was there to accompany it. She picked it up, and saw the words Mayflower Inc. stamped in the corner. She immediately realized it was the package Liam had promised her.
Giddy with excitement to figure out what she was to wear that night, she brought it into the living room and started to slowly open it. Gingerly, she discarded the packaging and gasped as she laid her eyes on a shimmery blue dress. It was a mermaid style dress that hugged every curve from the knees upward and flared out at the bottom. The bodice was decorated with ornate lace in a pale champagne color that reminded Emma of Mr. Matthew’s favorite suit. The midsection was see-through; it would show off her naturally tanned skin. Along the left-hand side, there was a scandalous cut that nearly reached her hips.
“Wow…” Was the only thought that Emma could form as she held it in her arms. “I can’t believe he wants me to wear this…” She was amazed. Not even her prom dress had been this fancy.
Quickly, she rushed to her bathroom to put it on. She pulled up the side zipper up and looked at herself in the mirror, she gasped. She barely recognized herself. She looked like a model. The dress complimented her every curve, it even smoothed out all her edges. She didn’t want to be egotistical but she felt and looked amazing in her new gown. With her hands on her hips, she shot her reflection a smoldering look. She grinned, feeling like she could rule the world with how good she felt.
She pursed her lips together, leaning forward with a pouty look. As she did so, her ample chest nearly spilled out of the built-in cups. She smirked, wondering how men would react when they saw her. She shook her head, barely able to believe that she was the same woman in the mirror.
“Wow…” She repeated. No other words seemed to escape her mouth. In a rush, she pulled the elastic out of her hair, her natural curls flowed down her shoulders in a beautiful wave, they were a little chaotic from being trapped in a bun all day, but that could always be fixed. She would need to shower though in order for them to regain their natural style . In the end, Emma was determined to amaze Mr. Matthews. If he wanted a date, he would get the best one money could buy.
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By eight, Emma was dolled up and felt irresistible. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was on point, her hair air dried to perfection. She grinned at herself, she felt more confident than she had in ages. Just as she slid on her shoes, the doorbell rang. She grabbed her small purse and answered the door; she expected to see Mr. Matthews when she opened it, but instead, an older gentleman in a black suit stood rigidly on her doorstep.
“Ms. Brooks?” His voice held an unknown twang to it that Emma couldn’t recognize. She nodded her head regardless. “Please come with me. Mr. Matthews is waiting.”
Emma took his white-gloved hand and followed him down the stairs to the front of the apartment building. There, Emma was surprised to find a limousine parked on the curb. The sleek black finish sparkled in the moonlight. Mr. Matthews grinned, as he leaned against it once he saw his date.
“My, you look absolutely stunning.” His voice rang out as their eyes locked. The chauffeur handed Emma off to him before he settled behind the wheel, where he patiently waited for them.
Mr. Matthew’s squeezed Emma’s hand, his grin widened as he helped her do a little pirouette in front of him. Emma felt her heart thunder in her chest as the contact between their palms electrified. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to kiss him as her attraction for him heightened with the romantic presence of the moonlight.
Finally, he rested his hands on her hips and grinned. “I hope you like the dress.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you, my dear.” His grin deepened as their faces gravitated together like magnets. Emma held her breath, as she pictured their first kiss, but in never came. Instead, he opened the door and helped her inside. Emma was disappointed in a way, but on the other hand, she was a bit relieved. She didn’t know if all of this was supposed to be make-believe or if he had genuinely asked her on a date. In the end, he paid her, so she leaned toward the former.
Once inside the limo, Mr. Matthews kept his arm around her waist, their bodies pressed together. Emma had to do everything to not react . His presence alone invigorated her as she felt her bare shoulder rub against the soft fabric of his suit. “Thank you for all this, Mr. Matthews.” She said, her voice was meeker than she intended it to be.
“Please, call me Liam.”
“Liam.” Emma tested out the word in her mouth, and immediately decided that she liked the sound of it.
“And it’s my pleasure. To see you look so beautiful is more than enough repayment.” As he said this, his hand rested on her left leg, which was now exposed as the slit fell away. His fingers tightened around her thigh, it sent a shiver through her spine. Emma looked at the interior of the limousine to keep herself distracted from the fire that raged inside her heart. She knew soon enough it would spread to every part of her body and eventually settle between her legs.
His fingers crept further along her leg, and abused their silky smoothness. He grinned and pressed himself a little closer, her scent intoxicated him. A mix of jasmine and peaches. It was a light spring scent that made him smile. “Go on, Geoff.” He called out suddenly. The luxury vehicle was soon in motion; it drove effortlessly over the roads.
“You didn’t have to do all of this for me…” Emma whispered.
“Oh, it’s mostly for myself,” Liam admitted. “You’re just the cherry on top.” He winked at her, their faces now dangerously close. She could feel his breath against her own. Her lips burned with the desire to kiss him, but she kept herself in check, she knew this could very well all be a trap. Still, she couldn’t ignore the electricity that ran up and down her spine; it spread to every nerve in her body.
“Would you like a glass of champagne?” He asked, as he reached over to grab a bottle from the built-in cooler.
Emma’s mouth suddenly felt dry, but she managed to whisper a soft, “yes.” He handed her a glass and their fingers brushed together in the exchange. Her body stiffened, and she wondered why such a minuscule moment of contact had such a profound effect on her.
He slowly poured them both champagne and then leaned back, his hand once again rested on her thigh. Emma bit her lip, her mind instantly made the jump; it wondered what it would feel like if his fingers went all the way up, what it would feel like if they snuck under the thin blue thong she currently had on. As they rode into the night, that was all she could think about. His fingers as they ran up and down her moist entrance, as he teased her all the way to the gala.
And by the time they arrived, Emma noticed how wet she already was. This man hadn’t even touched her. It had all been a figment of her imagination and even so, he had managed to make her hornier than anyone else in her entire life. Liam glanced at her as the limo came to a halt, a spark in his eye as if he knew exactly the effect he had on her.