Charlotte

I’m so bored.

Day five and there is absolutely nothing exciting happening at work today. In fact, there’s absolutely nothing happening at all, just like yesterday and the day before that.

I’m sure there are people that would kill for a job like this—to sit around all day. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be doing!

“Answer calls,” they said, but my phone has not rung once.

I look around my office and it's very nice—sorta. The whole thing is gray like the rest of the interior at NIM except for the windows that span top to bottom across two walls, which are a frosted white. I don’t know why they gave me a corner office though they said it was all the space they had at the moment. Not to mention I have one gray desk and chair along with a laptop and a phone.

However, the phone doesn’t ring and I have limited access to the Internet. Every time I try to look up information, I get blocked. If I type in Elliot’s full name, I get blocked. When I tried to look up the directory and Loulah’s number, I got blocked.

Human Resources hasn’t been much help either. The graying brunette who uses an old-fashioned typewriter at the front desk says she hardly does anything except type all day and that I should just be happy and not complain.

“I swear to God,” I say to myself. “If they don’t give me some work soon, I’m going to quit.”

My phone rings. I can’t believe it!

“Good morning, this is Charlotte,” I answer. “How may I help you?”

I have no fucking clue how I’m going to help this person, but whatever it is, I’m going to figure it out.

“Hello Charlotte, my name is Sue Chandler. I’m with the Federal Drug Administration and I’m looking for a Mr. Jaxon Underwood.”

Holy shit!

“Sue Chandler?” I ask.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“As in Ursula Chandler?”

“Yes, that’s me,” she sings.

“Sue, it’s Charlotte. Charlotte Prescott.”

“Holy fuck!” she blurts. “Oh, crap. I’m not supposed to swear. This call is being recorded. How are you?”

“I’m fine. How have you been? Do you work for the FDA? That’s impressive.”

“Yeah. Are you working at NIM? Did Jax put you up to this? Is he your boss? Did he plan for you to intercept his phone calls? I swear those guys will stop at nothing to try and get their human test trials approved.”

“No,” I comment. “I just started. I’ve only been here a few days.”

“Hmm, can you transfer me to Jax?”

I see the hold button. “Yeah, sure,” I say boldly.

I haven’t seen Jax around, but I’m sure I can ask someone in one of the cubicles out on the floor which number to transfer the call to. “Hold on.”

I put Sue on hold and there’s a knock on the door. I go to open it and standing outside is the HR receptionist.

“Hi, Ms. Prescott. Mr. Rohr wants to see you upstairs.”

“Who?”

“Mr. Rohr. Nick Rohr. Our CEO and founder of NIM.”

“Oh right!” I laugh. I was really hoping Mr. Nine might come calling.

My phone buzzes. “Let me get that. I have someone on hold.”

“Oh no,” insists the receptionist, stomping straight to me and pulling at my arm. “We don’t keep Mr. Rohr or any of his associates waiting.”

“But, I—”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. Just head up to the top floor and scoot before he gets upset.”

I hustle out into the hall and towards the elevators while peeping down to check my outfit. Light gray pencil skirt. Black blouse and black heels. No stains and it's hardly wrinkled except at the crease where it folds when I sit. Gosh, it looks like I’ve been sitting all day.

The elevator opens and I’m taken off guard. Mr. Nine is inside. He smiles.

My knees get weak. He’s in a suit today, navy blue with a baby blue tie—fucking gorgeous, but for some odd reason, I get the impression his suit would go well with a dark pair of glasses.

“You coming in?” He cocks a brow.

I’m reluctant to go in. Not because I don’t trust him, but because I don’t trust myself. I’m ashamed of what we did in the elevator earlier in the week. I haven’t seen him since, except at night. In my dreams!

He hasn’t come looking for me or tried to contact me since. I figure as beautiful and rich as he is, Mr. Nine probably gets to have a lot of those—flings in the elevator.

I should also be thankful. He did do all the work. He got me off yet I didn’t do anything to get him off and I want to. The thought of seeing him naked—

The doors start to shut and he slams his arm into one side, opening them back up.

He sighs, “Please, come on in. I promise. I’ll stay to my side this time.”

My leg lunges into the elevator—my mind lagging, and I prop myself up against the opposite wall of the elevator car.

“Top floor?” he asks, which is strange he should know where I’m going but I nod so he pushes the button

We don’t say anything to one another. The silence is awkward with the exception of an occasional tapping in his pocket. I recall the sound. He had his hand in his pocket the last time and was shaking something around as he is now. As we are lifted in the car rising, I can only guess what’s he’s got shuffling in his pants. Not keys. It’s something small in a container of some sort. A breath mint? Maybe.

I gasp. Just now, I realize we didn’t even kiss and now I’m wondering what that would be like. His tongue and lips were on my breast and I remember how he took me in his mouth—slippery and warm. Licking and then sucking and then biting and then licking again.

Oh God, I’m getting hot just thinking about it.

I’d really like to take a peep over at him except I’m afraid of what might happen. I have no idea what came over me last time and I swear, as much as I’d like to feel that way again—if he makes even the slightest advance, I don’t want to embarrass myself by coming onto him.

Because I will.

I’ll come all over him.

The elevator dings and the doors open. Mr. Nine holds his hand out to show me out first.

Looking around in the hall, I don’t know where to turn.

“Which office are you looking for?” he asks.

 “Mr. Rohr’s?”

“Nick’s office is at the end of the hall,” he points and turns his back on me to walk away.

Mr. Nine places his hand back in his pocket while the other swings as he smoothly heads in the opposite direction.

I can’t believe how crushed I feel. He’s just walking away as if nothing ever happened between us.

I look down at my toes and put my forehead in my hand.

I don’t know what I’m doing here.

Turning my head to peer down the hall to where I’m supposed to go—to Nick’s office, I feel a bit of bile come up from the back of my throat. Not only do I not want to see the cocky rich bastard that is probably going to humiliate me the way I heard he humiliates Loulah, but I know he’s still friends with Elliot and I really wish I ran into Elliot first. I could really use a friend right now.