CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“I don’t think...I can continue working for you, Zack,” Renee said.
Zack frowned. “My firm doesn’t have a non-fraternization policy. In fact, quite a few of my staff are married to each other.”
“I know,” Renee replied tersely.
“So what’s wrong?”
“You don’t see anything wrong with sleeping with your PA?”
Zack shrugged. “You’re not just my PA. You are...”
Renee held up a hand. “I am just your PA,” she said firmly. There could be nothing more between them. She mustn’t get carried away. She had already gotten herself into a right mess. If her heart got involved, it would be disastrous.
Renee shook her head. “I’ll hand in my resignation...”
“You are not resigning. I’m not letting you go,” Zack said, and she detected a note of anger in his voice.
“You can’t hold me against my will. I can resign. It’s my contractual right...”
“No.” Zack gripped her wrist. “I won’t let you run from me.”
“I’m not running...” She tried to twist out of his grip.
“Yes you are,” Zack sneered. “What are you afraid of? Are you a coward, Renee?”
She inhaled sharply and glared at him. “Excuse me?”
“Face it, Renee. We’re attracted to each other. We want each other. In fact, I can’t seem to stop thinking about you.”
“I...I have to go...” she said weakly. I can’t fall for you!
“Have you found another job, Renee?” Zack asked calmly. “A better paying one?”
Renee bit the inside of her cheek. Zack knew that he was paying her top-dollar. Finding another job that matched her current salary wouldn’t be easy, and Zack knew that.
“You’re good at your job,” he went on reasonably. “Why quit? I won’t let you quit. I’m not letting you go.”
“You...”
“I want you to continue working for me. And I want to date you.”
“D-date?” she spluttered.
Zack smiled. “Yes.”
Renee forced air into her lungs. She knew what he was saying. Zack didn’t want their sexual relationship to end. Not yet anyway.
But she knew that the novelty would wear off. Zack liked excitement and variety, and he would tire of her soon enough.
So.
If this was just a temporary thing…
Maybe, just maybe, it could work.
Renee frowned. Could she handle it?
A purely sexual relationship?
There was no reason why they shouldn’t enjoy each other. They were both single and available. The sex was great. And she could use a little fun and excitement in her dull, boring life.
And they weren’t flouting any company policy.
But while she had fun, she needed to protect herself and her reputation as well. The fun times wouldn’t last forever.
“Fine,” Renee said at last. “We can work together, and we can fuck.”
Zack raised a brow.
“But...we have to be discreet,” Renee said.
“Discreet. You mean you don’t want anyone to know that we’re fucking.” He still spoke calmly, but his eyes hardened.
Renee nodded. “It’s for the best.”
“For you or for me?”
“For everyone. Gossip can be vicious. And…the tabloids...”
“I don’t care about the tabloids. I care about...”
Renee thought he was about to say “you”. But he stopped abruptly and gritted his teeth.
“It makes it easier and less awkward for...everyone in the office, don’t you think?” Renee soldiered on.
“What we do is nobody else’s business.”
“Precisely. So we should keep it private.” So I don’t have to see their pitying looks when you finally get rid of me.
Zack stared at her for a long moment. “Fine. If that’s what you want.”
“Yes. That’s what I want.”
Without another word, Zack turned on his heel and walked out of her apartment. After he pulled the door closed behind him, Renee sank into a chair and buried her face in her trembling hands.
It felt like they had just had a fight. But they weren’t even a couple.
She had gotten what she wanted. So why did she feel so horrible?
Any woman would have been so proud and flattered to be dating Zack Howell. Yet she had insisted that they keep their affair a secret. She bet that no woman had ever made Zack feel like a dirty little secret before.
She wasn’t ashamed to be seen with him. But she knew that this...whatever this was, couldn’t possibly last.
She needed to protect herself. She didn’t want to invite gossip and drama into her life.
She could live in a dream for a while. If nobody knew about their affair, it would make it easier to just pretend that nothing ever happened between them when the dream ended.