CHAPTER THREE - VIOLET
I rifled through my closet, not satisfied with anything I was seeing. It was the first day of work and I needed to look professional. Of course, I also wanted to look pretty because hello, it was Sebastian! Not that I was trying to come on to him or anything. I wanted to be professional and do my job well. I never wanted him to regret hiring me.
But well, if I caught him checking me out or if he maybe complimented me, it might give me a self-esteem boost since he was one of the sexiest men I'd ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Considering the fact that he was constantly surrounded by beautiful women – models who threw themselves at him, ex-girlfriends who'd give anything to have him back – I didn't really expect him to notice me too much. I was, after all, Chuck Maddox's daughter. And to him, I'd probably always be that same little girl who'd crushed on him long before I even hit puberty.
Still, it couldn't hurt to put a little more effort into my appearance. Besides, if I was going to be at his side as often as it sounded like I would be, I needed to look my best. He always looked impeccable, no matter what he wore. I needed to match that.
For my first day, I tried to keep the skirt reasonable and tasteful – no more embarrassing moments with a skirt that rode up – but definitely not matronly either. I chose a dark grey pencil skirt that fell just above my knees, and a soft pink blouse. With some heels and my hair pulled back in a chignon, I looked very much the part of the business professional. Feminine, classy, and with just the right amount of sex appeal that made me think maybe, just maybe, Sebastian would notice that I was a grown woman now.
I showed up at his office ten minutes early, coffee in hand, ready to start the day. I carried a cup for me and one for him. I knew what he how he took it from sitting in on coffee dates with my dad. I was always listening, always paying attention. That was me, alright. I waltzed into the building and down to his office, feeling like I was on cloud nine.
As I strolled down the hallway, I could barely contain my excitement. I had my first job, working for a great boss, and in just a few weeks, I'd be heading to Bali for the trip of a lifetime. All for work, of course.
But as I rounded the corner into Sebastian's office, I saw that the door was shut. Waving at him through the window, I could see he was on the phone and he didn't look all that happy. He motioned for me to come inside, and I walked in, smiling from ear-to-ear as I sat his coffee down on his desk quietly.
“Listen, Jess, I'm at work,” he said.
I knew Jessica. It was his ex-girlfriend. She'd come over to our house with him once or twice. She was a typical Orange County type, only after him for his money. With her Botox and boob job, she was about as fake as they came. I honestly never knew what he saw in her – well, except maybe for the perfectly crafted tits. Best money could buy. Likely his money, too.
I mouthed, “Should I come back?”
Sebastian shook his head, motioning for me to sit down across from him so I did.
“I'm hanging up now, Jess,” he said, irritation in his voice. “Goodbye.”
And just like that, he put his phone down and looked up at me, his eyes tired. I'd never seen him so exhausted before. Sebastian had always been a morning person, up before the dawn and usually always in the office before everyone else. He and my father had been much the same in that regard. But today, even at eight in the morning, he looked ready to pass out.
“Thanks for the coffee, Violet,” he said. “You're a lifesaver.”
“Looks like you need it,” I said. As soon as I said it, I cursed myself. “I mean, because you don't have one already, of course.”
Sebastian laughed, sipping his drink and looked surprised. “How did you – ”
“I pay attention,” I said with a wink, hoping it didn't come across as too flirtatious or inappropriate. “And sometimes dad would ask me to pick up coffee for the two of you while I was out.”
“Seriously impressive.”
I beamed at him, proud of myself for being praised this early into my new job, even if it was for something as simple as coffee.
“I aim to please, Sebastian – err, I mean, Mr. Townsend.”
Suddenly, I felt like an idiot all over again. Half the time, I said the right thing. And the other half, I managed to put my foot right into my mouth.
“I mean, I should probably call you Mr. Townsend at work and all,” I stammered. “It's just a hard habit to break.”
“No, call me Sebastian,” he said, smiling back at me. “It sounds weird otherwise.”
It felt weird to call him anything else. He was, after all, Sebastian to me. We'd been on a first name basis for years. Honestly, he was more like family than anything, and he wasn't a big fan of the respecting your elders. He said it made him feel old and that he wasn't really my elder. Even though he was, sometimes it didn't feel like it.
Or maybe that was my crush coming out to play again, forgetting the huge age difference so I could pretend that maybe there could be something between us after all. A girl could dream, right?
“Alright Sebastian,” I said, crossing my legs and sitting up straight. “So, what's the first order of business today? Where do I start?”
“Someone's eager to learn,” he said.
“Always eager to learn from you,” I responded with a slight hint of flirtatiousness sneaking through. Unintentionally, of course.
Though I had to admit, it was incredibly hard not to think dirty thoughts – like how amazing it would be to have him bend me over his desk and take me from behind right then and there. But as soon as the thought flashed through my mind, my cheeks burned bright red and I looked away.
“Great,” Sebastian said, not seeming to notice my sudden shyness, “Let's get started.”