LENKA
I didn’t know why he wanted me to come to his office. Some part of me thought that it was to tell me that he’d had enough of me. It’s kind of crazy, considering that we’ve been getting on so well for so long. That didn’t stop me from being paranoid though. We come from different worlds, and the idea that someone like him could be in love with someone like me constantly plays on my mind.
I live in a small pokey studio with my little brother. I can tell every time Danny steps through the door that he’s uncomfortable with it. Scott and I have been spending far too many weekends at his penthouse. I’ve told Danny that this is my life now and that he has to accept it. He says that he does, but I have a sneaky suspicion that the job offer has something to do with my living accommodations.
“I know that my living situation bothers you," I say once Adele has left, and Danny and I are alone in his office. "I know that this is some sort of charity. But you need to realize that this is me—who I am—your poor girlfriend, and you’re going to have to accept it.” I sigh, avoiding his gaze.
“I have a position in a new company that I don't have the time to run, and I want you to be a part of it,” he tells me firmly. “I know you’re so fucking stubborn, and you have your pride, but please don’t knock whatever position Adele offers you. I'm sure she'll work hard to find something perfect for you. You'll hurt her feelings if you decline.”
I give him a weak smile. When he puts it that way, it's impossible to say no. “Fine," I surrender. "You know, I never thought about doing anything but cleaning floors or waitressing. Doing something like this will give me the chance to do something with my life.”
He hands me a drink and kisses me on the cheek, his face lighting up from his triumph.
“Are you not having anything?”
“I don’t feel like it.” He moves my hair to the side. “You’re beautiful, do you know that?”
I sip on my glass of wine and then put it down and face him. “You tell me every single day.”
“But do you know that you are beautiful?”
I sigh, predicting what's coming next. He always says something super sweet before he launches into a serious conversation.
“I have something to tell you. Don’t get mad. I just want you to hear me out,” he begins.
“Okay.”
“Your mom was doing pretty bad. No money. It was kind of sad. I don’t blame you for leaving her. You thought about Scott and your well-being, or maybe it was just all about Scott. I hate that you were forced into making that decision.”
I take a deep breath, feeling guilty that I haven’t thought of her once. Just the same way that she never thought about Scott or me when she constantly kept trying to drink herself into an early grave.
“Anyway, I put her in rehab. I know that you’re probably going to be angry with me, but if the worst happened to her, believe me, you couldn’t deal with the guilt. I have the money, and it’s no big deal to me.”
I nod, finding myself speechless. When did he do it? What did he expect me to say?
"Are you mad at me?" he asks, cowering slightly.
"No," I reply softly, grateful that he's such a caring guy.
He moves a bit closer, his eyes growing hooded. “Do you know how beautiful you look right now?”
I smile, immediately cueing in on what he wants. “I think that you’ll appreciate what I have underneath my dress.”
He gets up and shuts the door. “You love my office, don’t you?”
“I’m just in love with you, Danny.”
I find him hypnotized as I stand and slowly take off my dress, revealing the red number that Adele helped me pick out last week after we had lunch together.
“Are you going to stand there all night or are you going to come and enjoy my new lingerie?”
He winks. “I want to admire you for a little while before I unwrap you like a present. You’re so beautiful that I can’t help but love you more and more every day.”
Danny slowly walks over to me and takes me in his arms. I can’t believe that he’s everything that I’ve ever wanted in a man, and he’s all mine. The girl that cleans floors fell in love with a billionaire. It sounds like some fairytale, but in my case, it’s reality, and I love it.