Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
He pushes his hair back and looks at me dumbfounded. “Did you get hit by the train?”
I blink and with a monotone voice I reply, “Yes. I did.”
“That’s horrific.”
“It is. I’m dead now. I’m a ghost. Can’t you tell?”
He throws a pen at me that was tucked into the breast pocket of his shirt. It bounces off my right boob. “Oh HA. HA. Miss jokester.”
Giggling, I take another gulp of my drink and push my glasses up my nose. “So yeah, my ex-therapist thinks that’s where I get my counting from. Because I nearly died all on the same day that my parents abandoned me. I think they were hoping I got hit and died so they could claim it was an accident. I used the numbers as a way to focus on anything but the reality that my parents hated me so much.” I look away unable to face his scrutiny. “You think I’m a freak, don’t you?” Before he can answer I continue, “I know I’m weird… I totally know I am. And it can be annoying at times but——”
“I don’t think you’re a freak,” he cuts in, looking at me with a genuine gaze. I sense no lie here. “I think you’re an amazing PA and a really good person.”
Okay… now I kinda want to hug him but not in a sexual way. I smile, feeling my cheeks warm again but because of his compliment this time. “Thanks, Mr. C.”
Our eyes hold each other’s for a long moment, and something dances between us. Something innocent, pure, new, exciting. Are we becoming friends?
He looks away when Laurie groans loudly and rolls over in her bed. When she starts snoring again, he sighs and stands. “I should go. I’ll come and get you both at about five tomorrow.”
“Excellent. We’re just gonna sunbathe by the pool.”
“You? Sunbathe?” He laughs and looks me up and down. “Has your body ever seen the sun?”
“Nope, and it’s not going to. Laurie is sunbathing, I’m going to sit in my body tent and read.”
Still laughing, he exits the room with me following at his heels.
He turns back, gray eyes twinkling with humor and happiness. “Goodnight, Rose.”
“Goodnight, Mr. C.”
I close the door and rest against it. Why is my heart beating so rapidly?
Chapter Six
He sees me and my sixes.
“Morning, Pax,” I say cheerfully as I enter Mr. C’s office with bagels. “I come bearing gifts.”
“That’s kind of you,” Pax replies, watching me place the individually wrapped bagels onto Mr. C’s desk.
Mr. C ends his phone call and then narrows his eyes on me, he looks tired and disheveled but then he has been up for nearly two days straight. He does this sometimes, especially when he’s working on something big. He loves work so much he often forgets that the rest of the world keeps moving. “You’ve been working for me for nine months and you still haven’t booked any annual leave. I meant to talk to you about it yesterday.”
“I don’t have plans yet,” I reply.
“I told you to make them.”
I cross my eyes at Pax. “Think he needs a break from me?”
“If that’s true, you can come and work for me instead,” Pax suggests, his usual flirtatious smile in place.
Pax is just a few years older than me and runs public relations. He’s brilliant at his job though and has risen to the top in no time at all.
He’s very charming so it’s no surprise and is extremely adorable, with cheeks slightly too big for his face and deep, long dimples that lead to thick lips.
I may or may not have a slight crush on him. So much so that now that he has moved to the office next to Mr. C’s I try to find any excuse to bump into him.
It’s not that I want to date him, but he makes me feel good when he gives me attention. Even though he gives every girl attention.
Maybe I can be the one to tame him?
Ugh… I sound like such an idiot. I’ve been reading too many romance novels.
He pushes his hair back, smiling so that his lower lip just covers half of the top row of his teeth.
Swoon.
“Hands off my Rose,” Mr. C replies in jest, winking at me in a friendly way. Something he hasn’t done for a while because he’s been a pompous ass.
His rose? That’s kind of cute.
“Maybe we can share her? I have yet to find a personal assistant that doesn’t stumble over their feet and my schedule,” he mutters, sighing gravely, flexing his head from side to side.
“I don’t mind helping where I can,” I respond while trying not to flutter my eyes like some sex-hungry fiend.
Mr. C gives me a look. “You get paid to work for me and my team, not a different sector entirely.”
I raise a brow and retort, “I run errands for your wife, what’s the difference? At least my time is being spent on your company.”