“It’s okay. It’s kind of hot when you get all grumpy. Makes me want to ride your face.” Shit, did I just say that? I was just thrilled that he also liked me.
“I don’t want us to disclose what just happened to anyone. Something terrible occurred the last time I was involved with an employee. I almost lost all my clients.”
“I understand, Nicholas. I would never tell anyone. This will be our dirty little secret.”
He smiled at me, making my heart flutter. “Where are those files? I’d like to help you to make the work easier.”
“Thank you.”
We went into my office and worked on the files together. “Now that we are done, let’s go to Charles’s party. I don’t think he’ll forgive us if we don’t show up. Besides, I asked you to work late, which isn’t fair since it’s your dad’s birthday.”
Swoon.
I smiled up at him. “He wouldn’t forgive us.”
I went into the restroom to freshen up, and we went to my dad’s birthday party, which was being held in a fancy restaurant. Dad was talking with his friends when we walked in. His face lit up when he saw us. Excusing himself, he walked over to us.
“What took you so long?” Dad asked. “You two should have been here hours ago.”
I apologized and kissed him on the cheek as I handed his birthday gift to him. “Happy birthday, Daddy!”
He smiled at me and gave me a hug.
“Happy birthday, Mr. Cole,” Nicholas said. “I got you a little gift.”
“Oh, you are both forgiven,” Dad said, laughing.
I couldn’t help stealing glances at Nicholas. Electrical currents were still sparking off between us. We each tried to keep a straight face, but it was glaring that what we had was more than a boss and an employee relationship.
Nicholas reached for a glass of wine as a waiter passed by. He nodded at Dad before he excused himself.
Dad introduced me to some of his friends, and I made polite conversation with them for a few minutes before I went to my table.
Nicholas was across the room, but it seemed like he was standing too close to me. I could still feel the sexual spark between us.
I was grateful when the band started to play. I danced with Dad and then went back to my seat. I managed to sip a glass of white wine. Nicholas came over to my table and sat beside me. We both ordered seafood and more wine. He looked tense. I wondered what was going on until I saw Mr. Hector Montgomery walk in with his fiancée, Lisa. I continued to eat while Nicholas reached for his wineglass.
Hector and Lisa went around the room, greeting old acquaintances and business associates. I noticed that Hector spent most of the time talking to his associates. Lisa seemed furious that her fiancé didn’t have her time.
She kept reaching for more wine, probably out of boredom. I also noticed that the older women at the party gave her the cold shoulder, so she couldn’t socialize with them.
I looked away when she glanced in our direction, but she had already seen us. She looked beautiful as usual and was elegantly dressed in an expensive dinner gown. The diamond rock on her finger shone as she walked to us.
“Hello, Nick,” Lisa said in a sweet but bitter tone.
She sat right beside Nicholas with a toothy grin on her face. There was something very devilish about that grin.
“Hello,” Nick said politely, but the tension in his body language seemed apparent to me.
It was obvious that she was drunk as she leaned on her elbow and almost tipped the glasses over.
“I see you brought your little handbag here tonight,” Lisa said. “You know … we used to go everywhere together when we were dating. You’d never let me out of your sight. I remember how we used to sneak off in the middle of those parties to have wild sex.”
“Lisa!” Nicholas said with venom in his tone. “Shut up!”
“Oh, come on!” Lisa said. “Don’t you want your little angel here to know our secrets? We used to f-fuck all the time!”
“Whatever happened between us is in the past now. It doesn’t mean anything to me anymore,” Nicholas said. “Do you know what? I regret everything that happened. Amber, I’ll see you later. Excuse me.”
I sighed as Nicholas left the party. Lisa had managed to ruin this wonderful night for both of us.
Thirteen
Amber
“Amber, here are the files you asked for,” Lily said.
She placed the files on my desk, lowering her head. It seemed something had changed between me and the other paralegals since my promotion. I reached for the files and flipped through them to ensure that there weren’t any errors this time.
The entire office was busy working on the acquisition. We’d had to work longer hours. Nicholas had had a talk with the new owner of Big Eight Firm, and he had finally decided to sell. I’d had several meetings with the employees and managers of the firm because Hector made the decision to employ them.
“Thank you,” I replied. “You may go back to your desk.”
She nodded her head and then headed for the door. I was tempted to ask her if she had seen Nicholas today, but I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself. I hadn’t seen him in private since the night we had sex. The few times that our paths had crossed, he had been a total asshole. One time, he’d called me incompetent, and it’d almost brought me to tears.
The door opened again, and Nicholas walked in with Anthony.
“Good morning, sir.”
“Amber, why haven’t you given a report about the meeting you had with Big Eight’s managers?” Anthony asked.
“I thought you asked me to send the report to Mr. Brighton.”
“Well, you haven’t sent a report to me, have you?” Nicholas asked so coldly. “I don’t want you to think you can just sit idle all day and expect the work to magically get done.”
The tone of his voice cut through me, but at the same time, the fierce look on his face made him look so fucking hot.
“The report is on your desk, sir,” I replied. “It’s been on your desk since yesterday.”
Nicholas sneered, “How was I supposed to know the report was on my desk? Next time, give it to my secretary. There’s a reason why you have a brain. Use it and go fetch my lunch while you’re at it.”
Rude. What crawled up his ass?
He stormed out of my office and closed the door. I sighed as Anthony looked at me.
“He’s just all bark. I hope you know that,” Anthony said. He sat and reached for the files that Lily had documented.
“Um …”
I continued working, but I couldn’t help wondering what had happened between Nicholas and Lisa.
Why is he being such an asshole to me? Is it because he doesn’t want to arouse anyone’s suspicions?
I had a feeling that Lisa hurt him badly, but what had really happened? I couldn’t ask Nicholas to tell me about the details of his relationship with Lisa. My heart hammered against my chest at the thought of asking him. He was still my boss; it wasn’t my place to pry in his business.
“This looks good,” Anthony said. “I expect them on my desk before the end of the day.”
“Yes, sir,” I replied. “Do you know Lisa?”