Her eyes brightened. “I know you’ll get this because, well, you’re you. Sitting in front of my monitor lost in code brings me to my happy place. The best feeling is seeing how one or two lines of code can change things on my screen. It’s thrilling.” She gave an embarrassed laugh, and her lips curved into a wide smile. “Geez, I sound like a total nerd. Before you ask, no, I don’t have a life other than being online. How sad is that?”
“Not sad at all. You’re right, I get it.” No matter what it took, and no matter what I had to do or say, she would work for me. “You’re overqualified to take a job as Josie’s assistant. You’d die of boredom in a day. Come on, what do you say?”
A few seconds passed, followed by a few more, and a charged silence stretched between us.
I always got what I wanted, and I wanted the curvy, expressive woman sitting opposite me.
Chapter Two
Aubrey
There was no way this was happening. Noah James, who was heart-stoppingly gorgeous and richer than the Queen of England, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates collectively, had offered me a spot on his team.
Beneath the table, I pinched my thigh to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. When the coffee had sloshed over him, I’d almost fainted. Steaming coffee could melt your skin—something I had firsthand experience with.
When I was two, a full coffee urn at a trailer park picnic poured over me. Some kids had been roughhousing and knocked into the table. My mom and I happened to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The left side of my body from my shoulders down to my feet were permanently scarred. Because I was so young, I didn’t remember much about that day, but I did remember all the years spent going in and out of hospitals getting treatment and skin grafts.
I always covered up because my scars repulsed people. My teenage years had been hell on earth. I’d never had a boyfriend, and I’d only ever had a few sloppy kisses at college, but that didn’t stop me wanting and aching and dreaming about the one. But a fantasy was all it would ever be. I would never let my guard down enough to allow someone in. Most days, I didn’t notice my scars, but the second someone saw them, whether I knew them or not, their horror reminded me of my ugliness.
Noah’s blue eyes narrowed, and he tapped his fingers over the screen of his cell. “Are you coming to work for me?” He watched me intently, assessing me, studying me. “You’d be an asset to my team, but,” he said and grinned, “go ahead and work for Josie if you want. Have fun doing her donkey work.”
I rolled back my shoulders and held out my hand. “There’s nothing I’d love more than working under you.” My eyes shot open. “Oh, God, that’s not… I didn’t mean… I meant…”
His lips lifted into a sexy smile, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “I’m looking forward to you working under me too.” He took my hand in his, and my insides liquified at the skin on skin contact.
I sucked in a quick breath and willed my pulse to slow the heck down.
“See you on Monday, Aubrey Andrews.”
“Aren’t you closed Monday? It’s Labor Day. I’d planned to visit my mom for the long weekend.” Why were these words coming out of my mouth? I needed to stop talking before he changed his mind and fired me. “I guess I can see her another time. She won’t mind. I think. Forget I said anything. I’ll see you Monday.”
“I’ll see you Tuesday. Spend some time with your mom.” He pushed away from the table and stood.
I’d have been lying if I pretended not to be disappointed, but it wasn’t like he could spend all day chatting to me by a food truck in the park.
“I’ll let HR know, and I’ll call Josie to tell her I’ve poached you.”
“Will she be mad?” I frowned. Conflict left me jittery, and I avoided it at all costs. The saying burying your head in the sand could have been written with me in mind.
“Don’t worry about anything,” he assured. “I think this is the start of something good for both of us.”
With one last smile, he strode away, and I watched every long-legged step he took. Noah James could wear the hell out of a pair of jeans and a ratty T-shirt. I sighed and gave my head a quick shake. Crushing on someone like him was a huge mistake, and yet here I was, drooling.
Nothing would ever or could ever happen between us. It wasn’t like a thirty-year-old billionaire would fall for a twenty-three-year-old college graduate from a trailer park.
“Can I get you anything?” A smiling woman about my age with pink hair appeared by the table. “Coffee? Water? Soda?”
“I’m fine, thanks. Sorry, I’m taking up real estate by sitting here. I’ll get out of your way.”
She shook her head and the twenty or so earrings lining her earlobe jangled. “Sit as long as you want. I was just wondering if you needed a drink while you were lost in your thoughts.”
I didn’t know her from Adam, but I had to share my exciting news with someone before I exploded. “Can I tell you something?”
“Sure.”
“Noah James offered me a job on his team. I’m still in shock.”
A smile stretched her lips. “Congratulations. He and his brothers are super cute.” Her brows pulled in, and her forehead wrinkled. “I don’t understand why they don’t flash their cash or live large. Every day they go into the office and work beside the masses. If I had their money, I’d be jumping on my private jet, sunning myself on tropical islands, and partying in Vegas every weekend. I’m Willow, by the way. It seems I’ll be seeing a lot of you.” She jerked her head toward the coffee truck. “Snack Attack is mine. I’m here from dawn till dusk every day. The tech geeks have their own coffee bar inside the building, but they like to come here and hang out at the park. They love themselves some caffeine.” Her eyes lit up, and she grinned. “Speaking of which, here comes Evan for his tenth cup of coffee today. See you around. Nice meeting you.”
“You too. I’ll stop by Tuesday for some tea.”
“I recommend a chocolate muffin too.”
“Sold.”
A new chapter was about to begin. Goodbye, Aubrey Andrews, tragic burn victim. Hello, Aubrey Andrews, college graduate and the newest employee at The James Group.
Maybe Noah had been right. Perhaps this was the start of something good for both of us.
Chapter Three
Noah
Tomorrow would be Aubrey’s one-week anniversary as a member of The James Group—not that I’d been counting the days. I’d kept my distance, but my willpower was waning. There was something I wanted to ask her, and I hoped she’d say yes. I’d been biding my time, but I planned to talk to her later today.
I sat at the boardroom table, not paying attention to a word either of my brothers were saying. I was too busy watching the rest of the office through the glass walls that enclosed the meeting room.
My fingers curled into fists. Aubrey was laughing at something Michael, our head coder, had said.
Jealousy wasn’t something I was used to. I momentarily closed my eyes and forced myself to get a grip. My thoughts were all over the place. I’d never experienced emotions like these in my life. Something about her brought out my inner Neanderthal. The possessiveness I felt towards her was an entirely new feeling.