Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 72648 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72648 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Stiffly, I nod, because I rarely do anything people demand. And if she were anyone else, not jumping to take this offer while talking to me with such impertinence, I would have shown them the door long ago. But, for some reason, I want to work with this woman. I want to discover just how much fire and sass she truly has. Need to know if I can break her sweetly or if it will take a mighty effort.
Because not only do I want her in my employment to help with the basic tasks of my daily job, but I would also love to get that luscious body beneath mine.
“You have five minutes to decide,” I bark before turning on my heel to head for my bedroom.
It takes me less time to put on my work attire. Today, it’s a custom-tailored Italian suit in charcoal gray with subtle silver pinstripes. I have business meetings outside of the hotel, so I must dress accordingly. But I give her the allotted five minutes, fiddling with my hair in the bathroom mirror to pass the time. It’s wavy and slightly too long, but it only takes a few rakes of my fingers to settle it into the natural style women seem to like. It gets yanked a lot, which is proof enough.
By the time I return to the living room, I expect her to immediately accept my offer. Instead, she has her head bent over her phone, tapping away on the screen. As I approach, I see she has a calculator app open.
Lifting her gaze to meets mine, she calmly says, “I need fifty thousand.”
Now this, I wasn’t expecting. My palm doesn’t itch, but my business savvy rumbles with respectful appreciation at her attempt to negotiate.
I’m up for the challenge. “The offer isn’t open to negotiation.”
“Then I guess it’s back to housekeeping for me,” she replies with a shrug. I’m astounded when she grabs the vacuum, starting to unwind the cord from the back.
Okay, there is far more to this woman than I thought to give her credit for. She’s not only piqued my interest, but she’s also made me downright curious as to what drives such an attitude. Am I so out of touch I don’t even know how ordinary people operate if they don’t have a need I can fulfill?
“I’ll make it fifty-five thousand, but you’ll be at my beck and call, morning and night,” I reply, tugging on one shirt cuff to fiddle with the onyx link there. “This is a salaried position, semi-autonomous, and I’ll expect you to figure things out proactively, not wait around for me to direct you. If I call you at three in the morning to do something for me, I expect you to do it. I’m a hard taskmaster, and I demand absolute loyalty and dedication. More than that, I require you to use that brain you have shown you possess, unlike my last assistant. Let it get lazy, and you’re fired. If you exceed my expectations, I’ll give you a raise in thirty days. Any questions?”
I almost laugh at her incredulous expression. I’ve managed to one-up her by offering more than she demanded. I can tell she’s wondering if she’s sold herself short. Frankly, I would have paid whatever she demanded. I don’t expect she’ll last long. The people who work directly for me never do. I demand a lot and people rarely meet my expectations. For now, she has an immediate solution to my problem, and she sparks my interest in the otherwise monotonous world I seem to occupy lately.
If she ends up in my bed, even better. I have a feeling she’d be a fantastic fuck, especially if she channels all that sass into her lovemaking.
“Um… do you want me to finish cleaning your suite?” she asks, and I’m disappointed she has to ask.
But she doesn’t know me yet. She doesn’t know I follow through on every single promise and offer I make. So I’ll give her a pass. “No. Like I said, I’ll make sure your duties are covered by someone else. I’d like you to get that Desert Rose venue secured. Afterward, come down to the executive offices. You can work on getting the suppliers updated with the new location and the attendees notified of the change of address.”
“Yes, sir,” she replies. Given the tone of her voice, I half expect her to give a sarcastic salute of her hand.
My palm tingles again, but I ignore it. This is just business now.
CHAPTER 4
Bailey
“Bailey,” my mom calls out from the living room. Actually, it’s more of a long wheezing plea. Without hesitation, I leave her kitchen, which I’d been cleaning, to see what she needs. She smiles sheepishly as she adjusts the nasal cannula that delivers the life-saving oxygen to her body through her nose. “Honey… this tank is almost out. Think you can exchange it before you leave?”