GRAYSON
After a lengthy discussion with Tabatha in human resources regarding Aubree, I gave her the go ahead to keep her on for the ninety-day trial period. According to her resume, she had taken some college courses, but didn't finish. She'd been working part time at the coffee shop for minimum wage. I’d never had to work for minimum wage, but I didn’t imagine it was very much. I felt like such a dick now for not leaving a tip those times she waited on me at the shop. What Tabatha didn’t realize was: I came in there with the intentions of hiring Ms. Layne full time. I needed her within my grasp at all times. There was something about her, other than being beautiful, that drew me to her, and that confused the hell out of me. When she gave me attitude in my office earlier, I wanted to turn her over my knee and spank her ass.
When Tabatha cleared her throat to gain my attention, I knew I’d spaced out momentarily in my Aubree fantasy.
“Mr. Decker.”
“Tabatha, how many times do I have to tell you to please call me Grayson? We’ve known each other for years, and you still insist on calling me mister?”
“Mr. Decker.” I exhaled a loud sigh and gave up on arguing about the name. “I know that this is your company, and I’m only saying this because it’s my job to look out for you and your company. Ms. Layne is a beautiful woman.” Why was she telling me what I already knew? “You need to keep things on a professional level at all times. You don’t need to be slapped with a sexual harassment suit.”
I swear this woman could see right through me. After I made her a promise that I wasn't sure I could keep, I headed back down the hall.
When I made it back to the office, Aubree wasn’t at her desk. Had she really taken me at my word and stayed put in my office? I was shocked to say the least when I stepped into my office to find Hannah from Jameson's party sitting in a chair in front of my desk.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, a little harshly. I was mentally plotting about all the ways to kill Jameson for telling her where to find me. I walked around my desk and sat in my chair. I tried to ignore her by opening up my email and focusing all of my attention on that. I guess I was hoping she’d just go away. Suddenly, I heard her clear her throat from across the room. As I glanced up from my desk, I found her standing in my office in nothing but a red lace thong and white bra, which barely covered her nipples. My eyes flew to the door, and found it closed. Thank God. She at least had the decency to close the door. I’d hate for Aubree to walk in. She sashayed her way around my desk and stood between my legs. Leaning forward, she placed her hands on the armrest of my chair, her breath paused when she gazed into my eyes, which sent a surge of desire straight to my cock, and that, for some reason, disgusted me.
"I believe I asked you a question, Hannah,” I snapped. She bit her lip and hesitated a moment longer before finally speaking.
"You haven’t reserved your Jingle Belle girl.” Her pink tongue peeked out and licked her bottom lip. “I thought I’d show you what you have to look forward to.” Just as her bra hit the floor, I heard a loud gasp from across the room. Aubree stood there with her mouth open, frozen in place.
“Aubree, my door was closed. Don’t ever barge into my office again when the door is closed. You always knock first!” I scolded, and her eyes immediately filled with tears. A slight giggle came from Hannah when Aubree turned and ran from the room. That action alone spoke volumes about the kind of person she was. Hannah may have been beautiful, but, she had got an ugly heart. It suddenly became all too clear that Hannah was the type of woman that I’d wasted years on, and it was becoming tiresome. I was even a little disgusted with myself. “Put your fucking clothes on and get the hell out of my office,” I bit out.
I sat at my desk long after Hannah left. I thought back to all the times that women just like Hannah showed up at my office in the middle of the day, and Maryann, my previous secretary, never said a word. It was almost as if she thought if she didn’t see it, it was not happening, but she knew. Now it just felt wrong. I scrolled through a few emails before forcing myself to go out and address things with Aubree.
Tabatha’s words from earlier in the day played through my mind. Keep it on a professional level. I stood in my doorway and watched as she pulled a tissue from the box on her desk.
“Aubree,” I murmured.
Her back straightened, but she didn’t turn around.
“I’m so sorry.” She cried. "I had gone in search of some type of beverage to offer her while she waited for you.” She sniffled and tossed the tissue in the trash.
“I know today is your first day and it will take a bit to get the flow down, but from now on, if my door is closed, you knock or call my extension. It’s unacceptable and unprofessional to barge into someone’s office when the door is closed.”
She swiveled in her chair, and her red puffy eyes flew to mine.
“First of all, I said I was sorry. I can assure you it won’t happen again. I had no idea you were having sex in your office.” She glared at me and pointed toward my office door. “Nowhere in the company policy did it state that the owner of Decker Investments had sex in his office. You really should add that, or is it in the small print and I missed it?” she lectured.
There was the little spitfire I knew she had in her, and it made my dick hard. I bet she was a wildcat in bed. What I wouldn’t give to find out.
AUBREE
When I walked into the lobby, it had been transformed. There were huge Christmas trees everywhere. Beautiful garland decorated in red, green, and gold. It was my favorite time of year. Even though I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on gifts, it was all about the season. People were cheerful. They smiled, held the door for you, and wished you a Happy Holiday. All the trees in the downtown area were decorated with white lights that twinkled like the stars, and storefronts were decorated in their finest. As I was growing up, my family never really had money to buy gifts. We always got some little something, even if it were just a pair of gloves, and that was okay. To me, it was all about making the memories. When I stepped out of the elevator on our floor, I immediately noticed that there were no decorations of any kind. No garland and no trees. It was depressing after seeing all the beautiful decorations downstairs. Dropping my purse into the bottom desk drawer, I went in search of our Christmas decorations. I guess each office was responsible for decorating their own, so I went into our file closet and looked around. I didn't see anything that remotely looked like decorations. There were some boxes on the top shelf, but I was too short to reach them. I dragged my desk chair into the closet and stood on it in order to reach the boxes. I would have the office transformed before Mr. Decker arrived for work.
***
GRAYSON
As soon as I entered my office, I could hear mumbling coming from the file closet. Aubree was dropping boxes from the top shelf, and papers rolled past the door and out into the main hallway.
"What are you looking for?"
"Shit!" she gasped.
I had caught her off guard, causing her to fall from the rolling chair that she was standing on. Cradling her small frame against mine, fingers skimming the smooth skin just above her skirt, caused my chest to tighten. A feeling that was becoming more common since the first day I laid eyes on her. She smelled so damn good. Like the light scent of Jasmine in the summertime. Her sparkling green eyes burned into mine, speaking without words. Our gazes didn’t waver as I lowered her slowly, down my body until her feet to touch the floor. I didn't want to let go, but I had to.
"What are you looking for?"
"I was looking for the Christmas decorations for your office. I was going to decorate," she replied.
"You won't find them in there," I grunted.
"Oh. Where are they and I'll go get them?" she asked as she straightened the bottom of her shirt where it had ridden up behind, exposing that soft creamy skin.
The skin I stroked just moments ago. My dick strained against the zipper of my slacks, begging to be set free. Begging for a taste of sweet Aubree, but I knew there was no chance of that, and it pissed me the fuck off. And now I had to deal with this Christmas shit again.
"I don't decorate my office." I hissed.
“What?" she asked in disbelief.
"I don't decorate my office. I never have, and before you ask, that's the way it will stay."
She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, her perfect brows dipped as she studied me like I was some alien life form. Surely, I was not the only person in this world that despised the holiday season.
"How can you not decorate? It's the holidays. It's . . ."
I interrupted her before she could finish.
"Let it go, Aubree," I snapped as I reached into my pocket for my vibrating phone. This was shaping up to be a hell of a day as I stared at my mother's name on the screen. "Mother," I answered.
"What? I don't even get a good morning? Where are your manners, Grayson? Did I teach you nothing while you were growing up?" Her tone was flat and impersonal as it always was.
"I wouldn't know. You were never around. I seem to recall several different nannies, but not one memory of you doing anything for me."
"Don't be so dramatic, Grayson. You know your father and I only wanted what was best for you," she replied.
I dropped down into my chair and fired up my computer. "Was there a point to this call, Mother?"
"Oh yes!" Her voice was full of excitement now. "Do you remember the Tates?" I knew where this call was headed, and she wasn't getting away with it this time. I was putting a stop to this now.
"Yes. I remember them. Isn't their daughter, Ronnie, a Hospital Administrator or some shit like that?"
"Grayson, her name is Veronica, and, no, she's not an administrator. She's a state senator, and here's the good part. She'll be in town the week of Christmas and I invited her for Christmas dinner. I think she'd make the perfect wife for you." I swear her voice rose a whole octave higher at the end of that sentence.
"Mom, I have a girlfriend." What the hell? “We're actually engaged." Holy hell! The shit just keeps getting deeper. If she wasn't excited at the thought of Veronica and I together, she was ecstatic to think that I had a real girlfriend and was actually engaged.
"Grayson, that's wonderful news! Why haven't you told us?"
I may as well keep shoveling the shit and cover myself up.
"We planned to make the announcement at dinner."
By the time I hung up with her, she was planning a wedding and I was wondering how in the hell I was going to get out of this. I had to come up with a plan. If I were to tell her that we'd broken up right before Christmas, she'd insist on setting me up with Veronica Tate. I would just have to find someone who would agree to go along with this outrageous scheme I'd cooked up.
My desk phone beeped, and Aubree's voice came over the intercom.
"Mr. Scrooge, Phillip Brand is here to see you."
I dropped my head in my hands and groaned. I should have stayed in bed today. Phillip, my vice president, chuckled as he lowered himself on to one of the chairs in front of my desk.
"Don't fucking say it." I growled.
"Well, I'm going to say it anyway. Where in the hell did you find her, and does she have a sister?" I raked my hand over my face and sat back in my chair. "Are you sleeping with her? Because if you're not, I'm going to ask her out."
"No, I am not, and neither are you," I declared through gritted teeth.
"You've thought about it." He cocked his head to the side and smirked.
If he only knew the fantasies that I’d had about Aubree Layne. I jacked off in the shower that morning just thinking about what she might look like under those clothes. Damn! My dick was getting hard again from just thinking about it. I was going to have the worst case of blue balls known to mankind.
"She's here temporarily, and, besides, I don't sleep with employees. I'm her boss for fuck sake!"
"Who pissed in your coffee this morning?" He snickered. The asshole knew how to get to me, and it was clear he was enjoying himself immensely.
"Aubree, and then my mother." I exhaled a breath of frustration. "Was there something you needed this morning, Phillip?"
"No. Nothing other than to just bust your balls and check out your new secretary all the guys are talking about." I arched my brow in question. "They were right. She is hot as hell." The asshole grinned. He knew he was getting to me.
Phillip and my best friend Jake had always been able to read me like a book.
"Well, if you don't mind, get the hell out. I've got shit to do this morning."
He laughed as he walked toward the door.
I sat there in my chair, listening to him flirt with Aubree, and when she started laughing at something he said, I'd had enough.
I pressed the intercom button, and said, "Aubree, I need to see you, and bring a notepad."
They both got quiet. I looked up just in time to see Phillip stick his arm around the door and flip me off. If he’d stuck his head around the corner, I would’ve warned him to fuck off.
Aubree was a vision as she glided in and sat in one of the chairs across from me and crossed her long legs, causing her skirt to rise, revealing a creamy thigh. It was getting harder by the second to keep things professional. My dick strained against my black slacks as I watched her bite her bottom lip while writing the list of reports that I needed from her.
"Um. I'm not sure where to find some of this information. Tabatha has shown me a few things and I've spent time researching some things in the computer, but the investment ledger doesn't sound familiar." She bit down on the top of her pen, and it was one of the most seductive things I'd ever seen. I wanted those full pink lips wrapped around my dick, and soon. Fuck Phillip for knowing me so well.
"I can show you where to find the report, and answer any questions you might have."
She smiled as a look of relief washed over her face.
"Thank you." She breathed a sigh of relief.
The movement caused her perky breasts to lift and strain against her pale pink blouse. I wanted my hands on them. I wanted to feel their firmness. Would her nipples be as pink as her lips? My breath caught in my throat as my eyes met hers. They spoke volumes to me. I affected her as much as she affected me. The question was: were we going to cross that professional line and do something about it?
"Why don't you order us some lunch and we can go over a few of the reports while we eat. There should be some menus in one of the drawers in your desk. Don’t worry; they deliver," I said as she stepped around the corner to her office and out of sight.
Drumming my fingers against the cherry wood of my desk, I lightly shook my head. I couldn’t believe I just asked my secretary to lunch. Tabatha was going to hit me upside the head when she found out.
When Aubree came back into my office carrying a cardboard tray with two drinks and two white bags, I motioned to the empty space beside me on the leather sofa across the room.
“I thought we’d have more room over here.” I lightly patted the space beside me. I had placed the laptop on the coffee table in front of us, making it easier than crowding around my desk.
“This smells so good. I was starting to get hungry,” Aubree remarked as she pulled out what looked like a sandwich wrapped in silver foil paper.
“That does smell good. What did you get us?” I asked, eyeing mine wrapped in white paper.
“Well, I didn’t know if you liked your sandwiches heated or if you liked them cold, so I got you a turkey and swiss on wheat and I have pastrami on rye, lightly toasted.” Licking my lips, I stared at her sandwich. “Let me guess, you like Pastrami on rye?” She grinned.
“It is my favorite.” I lay my sandwich back on the table, expecting her to share hers, now that I’d told her that it was my favorite.
“Are you not going to eat?” she asked before taking a big bite of her sandwich.
My brows pinched together, and I said, “I thought we might share yours.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as she pulled her sandwich closer to her. Cradling it like a baby. Her brows crinkled, and I would almost swear that I heard her growl. I slid the laptop closer to us on the table. I was sitting close enough to her now that I could smell her perfume, and it was doing things to me that it shouldn’t.
I let my leg shift just enough so that it was resting against hers. I couldn’t feel the creamy skin, but I could feel the warmth of her slender body next to mine, and it set me on fire.
She stood from the sofa and began picking up the trash that we had left from our lunch. There were paper bags, sandwich wrappers, and chip containers, which we had scattered about.
“What are you doing?” She turned and quirked a brow.
“Housekeeping will take care of that,” I told her.
“Why should housekeeping have to clean up after us? I’m used to picking up after myself. They didn’t make the mess. We did.” I sat there with a surprised look on my face, because I couldn’t remember a time that someone hadn’t done that for me. My nannies, teachers at the private schools I attended, and my housekeeper at home.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Decker.” Aubree stood in front of me with her purse. “Did you need me to stay late?”
I pulled my phone from my slacks and checked the time. We’d already stayed two hours longer than her normal work day. I never thought about the time. I just always left whenever, unless I was meeting someone.
“No. That’s not necessary.”
“Oh. Good. I just hope I can catch the bus. I’d hate to have to wait in the rain.” I looked out the window. It was raining pretty hard. I thought she had a car.
“I’m about to leave. Why don’t I give you a ride?” I offered as I closed the laptop and placed it on the charging station.
“Oh no! I couldn’t ask you to do that. Besides, I need to make a stop along the way.” Her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink as her eyes darted around the room looking everywhere but at me. I pulled my phone from my pocket, sent Henry a text, and pulled my suit coat from the hanger on the back of my door.
“It’s settled. My driver will meet us downstairs.”
Placing my hand at her back, I ushered her across the hall to the elevator. It didn’t escape me that Phillip chose that time to walk down the hall, stopping long enough to wish Aubree a good evening. The asshole did it on purpose. If he didn’t watch it, he’d find himself in the unemployment line. As we ride down the elevator, I kept my hand just above her hip, keeping her close to me, and she didn’t move. That was good. Maybe I hadn’t read her wrong. Maybe she was attracted to me.
“Is that your car?” she asked, as Henry walked toward us with a large umbrella, holding it over Aubree to shelter her from the rain. “Wow. This is nice.” She ran her hand over the black leather.
“Where do you need to stop?” I asked.
“I’m sorry?” she questioned with a puzzled look on her beautiful face.
“You said you need to make a stop on the way home.”
“Oh. Yes. I need to stop at Fulmer’s Pharmacy if he doesn’t mind.” She motioned toward Henry in the front seat.
“That’s what he’s here for,” I replied.
When we reached the pharmacy, Henry double parked in front of the entrance. Aubree looked around at the other cars and opened her mouth to say something. Probably about us being double parked. When I arched my brow, she exited the car where Henry stood holding the door and the umbrella for her.
She had two large bags when she made it back to the car. I was curious as to what she had in those bags, and as I reached for one to peek inside, she slapped my hand. Not many women were brave enough to react that way, but she was, and I was finding that I liked that about her. Women had always fallen over themselves just to impress me. I was coming to realize that, that is just boring. Maybe Jake was on to something, and I’d been seeing the wrong type of woman my whole life.
“What is your address, so that I can give it to Henry?” She began to fidget in her seat, and a look washed over her face that I couldn’t put my finger on. “Aubree?”
She stared out the window, and rattled off her address for Henry. Once we arrived, I thought it couldn’t be the right place, but when she grabbed her bags and stepped from the car, I realized what that look was earlier. Aubree was ashamed. Seeing the place for myself made me worry for her safety. I slid from the seat and took her bags from her.
“Wh-what are you doing?” she stammered.
“I’m walking you to your door,” I ordered, placing my hand just above her hip as we climbed the dilapidated stairs together. When we reached the second floor, one of her neighbors opened the door and stepped outside. He was a large, round man in a pair of boxers and a tee shirt covered in stains. He lit a cigarette as his eyes trailed over Aubree. I didn’t like that at all.
“I can take those now.”
I had been eyeing the guy next door, and hadn’t noticed that Aubree had unlocked her door but hadn’t opened it.
“I’ll take them in for you.” I took a step forward, but she stopped me by placing her small hand on my bicep.
“That’s not necessary. I’ve got them. Thank you for the ride home. Maybe I’ll get my car from the shop this week and I won’t have to take the bus.”
That answered my question from earlier. She did have a car.
“I’ll send my car for you in the morning. I really don’t like the idea of you taking the bus.” I looked a door down, where the underwear guy was now standing at the metal railing, smoking and still watching us. “Henry will be here around nine,” I told her, and took a step back.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine. Why?”
“Does he do that a lot? Stand outside his door in his underwear?”
“That’s Carl, and he’s harmless,” she whispered. “I’ll be ready by nine. That’s nice of you to offer your car. Thank you.” I waited until she was inside and I heard the click of her lock before I turned and gave the asshole next door the stare down. At least he was smart enough to go inside and close his door before I made it to him.
On the ride home, I thought about that piece of shit apartment building that Aubree lived in. I could only imagine what the crime rate was in that area. I also remembered her car now that I thought about it. She had been assigned Mary Ann’s parking spot for the time being, which happened to be at the entrance to the elevator in the underground garage. The first time I saw it I thought about having it towed, until Tabatha had told me that it belonged to Aubree. It was an old Honda, with faded gold paint and a few rust spots on the door and the hood. I had to find a way to correct that for her, but something told me I would have to fight her tooth and nail to do it. She might accuse me of being nice again. I couldn’t remember a time that anyone, especially a woman, had told me that I was nice.