Chapter 4

Liam

I’m thinking about the strange encounter in the parking garage as I get in the elevator to the top floor of our building. While Blair likes to be on the ground floor, where he can mingle with the employees, or escape them quickly, I prefer the penthouse. We worked hard to get where we are, and while I appreciate the efforts of the people who work for us, I don’t want to rub shoulders with them or be their best buds. I just want to enjoy our success and put a little fear and intimidation into the people below us. Someone has to keep everything running smoothly, at least in my opinion. Blair’s different. He’s far more likely to be that approachable, friendly boss that I would -- or could -- never be. He thinks that’s what keeps employee morale high.

I’m more cynical. I’m pretty sure it has a lot to do with the big salaries and excellent perks we offer. Whether he’s right or I am, somehow we’ve managed to keep a satisfied and stable group of employees. We both rest better at night knowing we pay a fair wage for fair work, and even if our managerial styles aren’t a complete match, we’ve found our niches and we work well together.

So if I’m so content, why am I still thinking about the mousy little brunette who had approached me in the parking lot? She was certain I would remember her, but I’ve never seen her before in my life. I wouldn’t have forgotten her, as there’s something about her that held my interest. And that’s her ass, my inside voice adds.

I smash the buttons on the elevator to stop the ascent, knowing I have to find out who this librarian-type girl is. Soon I’m striding toward Blair’s office. He’s probably with our secretary, Madeleine. They both tend to work late, just as I prefer to as well. If it wasn’t for an impromptu afternoon meeting of the, shall we say, intriguing kind, I wouldn’t have left my office earlier either. I’d showered at Colleen’s place, to rid myself of her strong perfume. That’s annoying. That’ll be the last time I see her, I think. No big loss.

I knock on Blair’s door and open it without waiting for permission. Madeleine wasn’t in the exterior office, but I’m certain she’s rattling around the building somewhere. She never leaves before we do, and we rarely leave before seven at the earliest.

Blair looks up before returning his attention to whatever is spread on his desk. He looks busy, but I recognized the façade. In college when we were bored out of our minds by our classes, we perfected the art of looking studious. He made it through six months of study longer than me, but neither one of us left with a degree. None of that matters now that we have a hot start up, and a pretty vast fortune at that.

“What has you so preoccupied?”

He seems a little startled when he looks up again, but he shrugs. “Nothing.”

Taking a stab in the dark, I ask, “Is nothing about five foot three, with luscious tits and a perfect set of curves?”

He blinks and then flushes slightly. “I don’t know what you mean.”

I chuckle. “Ha, come on. You never were a good liar, Blair.”

“And you are always a huge one,” he counters with a grin.

I shrug. “I may be, shall we say, creative with the truth, but it’s never steered me wrong.” He knows as well as I do that my ‘creativity with truth’ ends at the boardroom. I might stretch the truth or plant the facts to the best angle for whoever I was handling, but I never do that my personal life. I’m always honest with my family, friends, and the women who flit in and out of my life. I’m especially blunt with the women, because the last thing I want is to give any of them an excuse or justification for doing something stupid, like falling in love with me, when all I want is the pleasure of their company before we part ways. Quick and dirty, that’s how I like it.

“That’s true. You do a fantastic job of generating interest in investments in the company.”

“And you do an excellent job with all the touchy-feely, hands-on stuff, like writing algorithms to match people with the right prospective partner.”

Blair snorts. “Are you kidding me? About the only thing matching up is sexual interests and physical traits. Hardly doing rocket science here.” He grins. “Still, we seem to be filling a need, so I guess that’s all that matters.”

“Speaking about filling a need, what about the mousy little brunette with the knockout figure?”

“She’s a new intern that stumbled into my office by accident this morning. It was nothing.”

Something about his shifty gaze tells me he’s totally underplaying the situation. “What, did she give you the full intern experience? Does she suck cock like a champ?”

Blair frowns. “You know I don’t fuck around with the employees, or the interns. And it was like a two-minute meeting. Nothing happened.”

He’s definitely not being fully honest with me, so I go in for the kill. “Did you rub one out when she left?” I’m teasing, but by the way he flushes, I know I guessed correctly. I throw back my head and laugh. “Are you serious? What are you, fifteen years old?”

The way he looks away tells me everything I need to know. “Don’t you have work you should be doing?” He grumbles, his eyes flashing.

“I’m sure I have something to keep me busy, even if it’s not the mousy intern.”

“Stop calling her that,” snaps Blair.

My eyes widen in shock. There’s a new level of seriousness in his voice. I hold up my hands. “Whoa, calm down there, bro. I didn’t mean to get you all riled up. I was just teasing you about the intern.”

“Her name is Chastity.”

I frown at his tone of voice. “You really should slow down there. You sound like you like her.” Like? He sounds practically in love. My idiotic twin. “She’s practically jailbait, don’t you think?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know how old she is, but I assume she’s gotta be an adult. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Nothing’s going to happen, but you should look at her again. I don’t think she’s mousy at all. She’s hiding something behind that plain exterior, and I think you’d see it. Just look past the glasses and the quietness.”

I almost start to tease him again, but stop before I can speak. I just grin and leave his office, but I’m left with a funny, nagging feeling.

Maybe he’s right.

There is definitely something memorable about her, or I wouldn’t have come to talk to him to find out more. I should’ve shrugged the whole thing off and moved on, but here I am, still thinking about her. Maybe she isn’t as mousy as I thought. Her figure is certainly hot and curvy, just the kind of Blair and I both like. To be honest, we like women in all sizes and shapes, but I do have a preference for the curvy kind that a man can hold onto while thrusting hard into her.

I definitely need to get my mind off her. Checking out the sexy Halloween costume contest at my favorite bar will be the perfect distraction once I finish here. The intern is definitely too young and inexperienced for me, and if Blair has any sense, he’ll stay away from her too.