"It's so simple so you don't really need me, do you?"
"Oh, trust me I do.”
For reasons I can’t figure out yet.
"Yeah, I mean I guess you do because let's talk about the bathrooms." She shakes her head with a look of disgust. "Your poor employees should not have to go to the bathroom in that horrid mess. Black toilets and pink walls. They should've been updated at least five to ten years ago for health reasons." She blushes, and I laugh.
"Health reasons? They're outdated, but I swear they are clean. Also, it assures nobody is hanging out in the bathroom and not working."
"Please tell me I'm allowed to update them.” She’s fluttering her eyes, practically begging me for permission.
For a second, my mind drifts to her on her knees begging for my cock. Fuck. What is wrong with me?
I clear my throat harshly and step back, clearing my mind of my daydream. "Yes. This whole building. I want to finally put my identity on it."
This time I am going to do it my way, my ideas, not my dad’s. Maybe it’s why I subconsciously fucked things over with Angela by breaking my golden rule of not sleeping with employees.
Though Holly is looking tempting, especially as she licks her lips.….
My phone beeps in my pocket, and it’s the distraction I need to draw me away from Holly’s wet, pink lips. The ones enticing me to break all my rules. Again.
“Excuse me.” I pull my phone from my back pocket and step away.
“No problem.” She smiles sweetly and makes herself busy.
I slide open the screen and I have an urgent text from my cyber threat team. They are asking to see me right away, which is never good.
“Shit,” I mutter.
"Everything okay?" Holly asks as I shove my phone back in my pocket.
“Yes, everything is fine. I need to go meet with one of my teams. I will handle the painters after this meeting.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem. Just text me if you need anything else.”
“Will do, boss.” She gives me a nod, but a conflicted look quickly passes through her gorgeous green orbs. It makes me curious to what it is about, but I don’t have time to question her.
I back out of the conference room and I’m sliding through my contacts on my phone when I’m momentarily distracted by Holly’s ass through the glass panels as she bends over to pick up her fallen pencils.
Damn, I am in trouble.
My phone beeps and Sam’s name appears on my screen with a new text.
SAM: You're still staring at her.
I glare back at Sam's office and she’s on the office line. She gives me a little wave and I type back.
Just get back to work before I fire you.
Sam: If you fire me, who will clean up your drool trail. Liam
I can hear her mocking tone through the text message.
Go to work.
Sam: You can see me working. Now stop creeping on the poor girl.
I mentally flip her off and shove my phone back into my pocket. I give Red one last look before I head to seventh floor to deal with my team.
I have come to realize that having Holly here is going to be hard with my addictive personality. Because after only being around her for this short of time, I'm already craving more of her presence and I'm not sure how I'm going to get my fill of her.
CHAPTER FOUR
HOLLY
The universe has to be playing tricks on me. What are the chances I not only see the mystery man who knocked me up outside of a bar—where he hits on me as if nothing happened years ago—but that he’s also my new boss?
My boss!
Like seriously…
What the fuck?
We don't cross paths for three years and now this? Oh, and let's not forget he's somehow best friends with an old client? Or how every time he walks into the room the temperature rises and the molten look in his chocolate eyes when he calls me Red is enough to make my panties melt.
The heat between us wasn’t even this intense the first time.
Again, I ask, what the fuck universe?
Now I'm faced with telling this handsome, powerful man, who has no memory of our night, he's the father of my child?
Yeah, I have a feeling that's going to go over well.
Why couldn't we just cross paths at an Applebee’s? Most of all why can't Thor remember this plain Jane?
I pop the cork on the bottle of wine and fill the glass a quarter of the way before looking at it and shaking my head. That's not enough. Not after the day I had. I should just drink it from the bottle, but I have a little bit of class left. I fill the wine glass to the rim, to almost overflowing.
I can't pick it up, so there's only one thing a girl can do. I lean down and slurp a sip from the top.
"What are you doing?" Terry laughs, placing her purse onto my kitchen counter.
I stand, letting the sweet cherry red run down my throat.
"It was a stressful first day," I groan. I sent Terry a text after I got Matty to bed begging her to come over. I need my best friend and the only person who will understand.
"Okay? And this led you to forget how to drink wine?"
"I wanted a lot…and only one glass. Don't judge me."
"No judgment." She laughs, raising her hands. "I think we've all done the one glass, one bottle, but what happened?"
"So much." I carefully pick up my glass of wine and chug it down like I’m some frat boy at a fraternity party.
"Damn girl, slow down." She places her hand on my arm, pushing the glass away from my lips.
"Ter, you don't understand," I cry.
"I don't because you haven't told me anything yet."
"Right." I place my now half-filled wine glass down and steady my hands on the counter. "You remember the guy we ran into outside the bar the other night." She nods. "He's my boss."
"You mean…" She points to me and then towards Matty’s room. “Na-uh.” Her eyes grow wide in disbelief.
"Yeah."
"Shit." She rushes around me and grabs another bottle of wine off my counter. "We're going to need this one too. Is Matty asleep?"
"Yep.”
“Good.” She gets another wine glass for herself, then pops the cork on the bottle.
We move to the couch, and I finish downing my wine. Terry eagerly pours me another glass. I grab one of the sofa pillows and place it on my lap. "I can't wrap my head around this. I don't know what to do."
"Well, wouldn’t it start with you telling him?”
“How? I told him we hooked up in the past, but he didn’t remember me. I was hoping to at least have that because I feel like if I tell him now, I look like the girl coming for an easy payout. For Christ's sakes, the man smells of money and power, and I…" I push my hand through my messy mom bun and look down at my attire and cringe. I'm dressed in sweats and an old t-shirt that Matty has rubbed his messy face all over. I'm a disaster and he's Mr. Hottie. "And I smell of grape juice and peanut butter."