Millie helped him schedule an all-staff town hall meeting for mid-morning. He wanted to be the one to tell his employees about the massive deal they had just struck. It felt good to know that it was his wits and creativity that had finalized the official decision to award the mall contract to Donovan Enterprises.

He stood before his empire, many of them watching via live video from their offices across the world, and proclaimed victory in one of the biggest nationwide deals in recent history. The employees in attendance in the building whooped with excitement when he showed the slide with the various mall locations they would be building and told them that they would now be THE place for everyone who was anyone to shop.

It had been an intentional move to share the news with the employees before releasing the story to the press. He knew that by now, the press had probably gotten ahold of it, but at least he had shared the news with his workers first. They had a right to know before anyone else. Trevor was fairly confident that his brother would agree with the protocol change when he came back––if he ever came back. Trey had seemed pretty cozy baking cupcakes.

The elevator ride back to the top floor was crowded with people, all chattering excitedly. He caught Millie’s eye and winked at her over the tops of several people’s heads. She quickly looked away, but he didn’t miss the sly smile that lit up her face.

As they rose through the floors, the elevator stopped periodically, ejecting more and more people until it was just Trevor and Millie left heading up to the top floor––their floor. He sidled up beside her and took ahold of her hand, both of them still facing forward, following basic elevator protocol.

“There are cameras,” Millie whispered out the side of her mouth, as if security would be able to read her lips.

Before he had a chance to respond, the elevator doors slid open to relinquish them on the top floor. Millie yanked her hand away as if she had been burned because there were several people in the waiting area. Her desk phone was ringing incessantly.

When she started to scurry to answer it, Trevor saved her from it by asking, “Could I see you in my office, Miss Parks?”

She halted in her tracks and for a brief moment, her carefully measured composure dropped. She gave him a questioning look. He wasn’t sure if it was due to his all-business tone of voice or his use of such a formal name for her. Quick as a wink, her face morphed into that of his competent, efficient assistant. “Of course, I’ll be right in,” she responded as she stopped by her desk to pick up a notepad and pen.

Several well-wishers greeted Trevor as he made his way back to his office. He shook hands and spoke to them, but quickly moved on. It was fantastic to finally feel like he had earned the right to be in this office. Sure, Trey had started working on the deal, but Trevor had been the one to finish it.

He wondered for a brief moment how Selena Chase had reacted to the news, but then he decided not to be petty. He had won, and she undoubtedly knew it. There was no reason to rub it in.

Millie joined him in the office, shutting the door behind her, and perching on the edge of a chair––ready to jot down notes. He rounded his desk, grabbed a binder, and walked to her. Gently taking her hand, he asked her to join him on the couch.

“This is for you.” He handed her the notebook.

“Our Employee Handbook?” she asked him, obviously confused. “Everyone gets one of these when they start working here. I already have one.”

Comprehension dawned on her face then. “I know that I haven’t kept our relationship on a strictly-professional level, and I’m sorry for that. I’ll do better going forward.”

He was touched that she was willing to take the blame for their improprieties. He had been the one doing most of the chasing. “Turn to page 56, please.”

Her crystal blue eyes searched his dark ones for a long moment, trying to figure out if she was in trouble. The fear that she was going to lose her job was unmistakable in her gaze. Wanting to assuage her concerns, he encouraged her to read Section 4, part B.

She read the wording aloud, “Romantic or sexual relationships between employees where one individual has influence or control over the other's conditions of employment, even if consensual, may ultimately result in conflict or difficulties in the workplace. If such a relationship currently exists or develops, it must be disclosed.”

“Disclosed!” Her eyes were wide as she looked up at him. “That used to say ‘terminated.’ I looked it up,” she admitted somewhat sheepishly.

He felt a surge of happiness that she too had perused the Employee Handbook searching for a loophole that would allow them to explore this relationship. “It did used to say that,” he confirmed before adding, “It turns out that it’s pretty easy to change one little word in the handbook when you’re the boss.”

Her face was alight with happiness, but he still wanted to be certain. “I thought maybe we could go out on a real date, but only if you’re interested,” he added the last part quickly. “I don’t want to put any pressure on you, and I want to assure you that your job is not in jeopardy, no matter what happens.”

“Thank you for that reassurance,” she smiled and locked eyes with him. “I would love to go on a date with you sometime.”

Trevor was certain he had never heard more glorious words. “How about tonight?” he asked, already excited to spend time getting to know her.

“Tonight will work.” She kept her tone light, but she was beaming from ear to ear. Her sky blue eyes sparkling with a sudden idea, Millie got up and walked over to lock his office door. “In the meantime, is there anything in that manual about fooling around at work being a forbidden activity?”

His throat was suddenly parched. He swallowed audibly, loving this new adventurous side of her that was beginning to shine through. “If there is, I’ll change it,” he promised her.

He wasn’t able to keep completely at bay the concern over the crowd of people waiting for him, though. As much as he hated to bring it up at this moment, he felt like he needed to say something before things got completely out of control. “There are a lot of people waiting out there.”

Millie stunned him by flipping off the rules for a brief moment. “They can wait. You’re the boss,” she reminded him.

“That I am,” he grinned, liking the sound of those words coming from her mouth.

Sliding a hand slowly up her thigh, she raised her short skirt up enough to hook a thumb over her panties. Watching him, she lowered her underwear to the ground and stepped out of them. Using the toe of one expensive dark grey pump, she flicked them through the air in his direction.

He caught them in one hand and marveled at the tiny wisp of white lace. “You’re full of surprises.” His voice sounded gravelly.

“We’re just getting started,” she hinted, and the promise of what was yet to come made his already uncomfortably firm member transform into rock hard and ready as it strained for release from his pants.

She joined him on the couch, leaning back in silent invitation. He watched her trail one finger suggestively along the prim pearls at her neck. He longed to discover her secrets with his own hands, lips, and tongue. Unable to hold back any longer, he lunged in her direction and loved her until they both forgot everything else.

* * *