2
I got lost in reports and phone calls and lost track of time until the knock at the door. My assistant walked in with coffee in one hand and more reports in the other.
“The rascal is on his way here with the new architect, do you need anything before they get here?”
I looked up at the elderly woman who should’ve retired a decade ago but who was such an integral part of the company that I find it hard to part with her.
She has very unorthodox names for my brother and I, and except for our mother is the only one allowed to get away with the blatant disrespect.
“No Mary, he brought the specs over earlier before I chased him out.”
“Were you two fighting again?”
“No, your rascal was just being annoying.”
“Yeah? And what was my little terror doing?”
“Me? Nothing as usual. You know I’m always the innocent one in these little skirmishes.”
She harrumphed and turned to leave the room with a parting shot. “Call your mother boy before she shows up here and turns the place upside down.”
That’s another reason why I keep her around. Mom still worries about her boys as if we were still in the nursery.
I know Mary is her little spy who keeps her up to date on all that’s going on with us, and the business. If it gives my mother peace of mind to have her here spying, I can live with it.
Ten minutes later the door opened and my brother barged in, laughing as usual as he spoke to someone who was trailing him.
He moved and I saw her. The shock was instantaneous and I stood from my chair my eyes never leaving her. My body went on full alert and it felt like all the air was trapped in my lungs.
It was her, the woman from this morning. What was she doing here? Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed when she recognized me.
“What’s wrong with you two, you know each other or something?” Leave it to Gavin, the boy has no saving graces whatsoever.
“Who are you?” I ignored my brother. In my mind my only interest was in getting her name in case she disappeared again, this way it would be easy to find her.
“Geez Evan, this is Giavanna Gritti, the new architect.” I relaxed at his words and a slow smile started to grow on my lips. Well-well- well; looks like fate was finally going my way for once.
“What are you smiling about brother?”
“Nothing, I was just remembering this little birdie that flew away from me this morning.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” I held my hand out to her. “Giavanna, pleased to meet you, my brother has been singing your praises for weeks.”
Her cheeks were still pink but she pulled it together and took my hand. I’m sure she too felt the electric current that went from me to her and back.
I looked at her eyes and knew that I was right from the look of utter terror that came into them. That’s a strange reaction.
Usually women are falling all over themselves to get this close to me, and none in recent memory had evoked such a reaction from me.
I didn’t want to give too much away in front of Gavin, so I dropped her hand and turned my attention back to him.
I didn’t like that she wiped her hand off on her skirt like she’d touched something dirty as soon as I looked away from her.
I had to remind myself that she was here on business and if we give her the job I’ll have more than enough time to get to the bottom of her reaction.
There was no doubt that I was attracted to her and though I never mix business with pleasure, this was the one time I was looking forward to it.
“Well shall we sit?” My brother was still looking back and forth between the two of us and I guess he too could feel the tension in the room.
I knew I was in trouble when she smiled at him and I bared my teeth. She didn’t see it, but Gavin did and gave me a questioning look.
I listened as the two of them talked over their ideas for the new hotel, even looked over the drawings she’d come up with so far, but my mind wasn’t on the project. It was on her and the way we met.
The fact that she was here now meant something didn’t it? So many things had been out of sync today that it was hard not to believe this was fated.
I don’t necessarily believe in that bullshit, but how else can I explain it? First the stop at the out of the way coffee shop, then running into her, literally, and now her showing up here.
I tried concentrating on what they were saying, but her nearness was having a profound affect on my senses and I found my mind wandering more than once.
I saw her spread out across my desk with my head between her legs and my dick grew hard. I looked at her sharply wondering just what the hell she’d done to me when we collided this morning.
“What do you think Evan?” I knew from his smirk that my asshole brother knew something was up with me. I glared at him before daring myself to look back at her.
That same feeling of knowing came over me and I did something I’d never done before. “Hire her.”
I have no idea if that’s what he’d been asking since I’d blanked out on the damn conversation, but whatever.
He gave me another strange look but since she was his idea he didn’t make anything more of it. I’m sure he was thinking that had been too easy.
Usually it would take me much longer to make a decision like this, and especially now with the importance of this particular project, I was just throwing my hat in the ring.
I didn’t like the way he got all excited when he took her hand and welcomed her to the company, and if looks could singe his damn arm would’ve burned off from the look I gave it.
“Really, I’ve got the job?” She looked at me as if she couldn’t believe it either. Had she been sitting there this whole time thinking I wouldn’t hire her because of what happened this morning?
Of course not many people would get away with calling their new boss an inconsiderate asshole, but hey, it wasn’t her fault.
She refused to look at me as she shook my hand a second time but I never took my eyes off her bent head.
This is going to be fun. I wonder how she plans on working here with me if she can’t even bring herself to look at me head on.
“Welcome to the company Giavanna, I told you he wasn’t the ogre everyone says he is.” Gavin hugged her and I gritted my teeth and fisted my hands. I wanted to rip his throat out with my teeth. What the fuck!
“Thank you, I’m looking forward to being here.” Did she always talk like that? So soft and alluring? Every word went to my dick.
“Come on then, let’s get you settled in your new office and then we’ll get right to it once you’ve got your bearings. See you later brother.” I’m going to kill his ass.