Drew extended his hand toward me, the same one that was inside my panties, inside my body, just a few minutes ago. I shook his hand with the one that had been wrapped around his erection and almost laughed at the strangeness.
Then I remembered Mandy’s words.
“Did you say I’m his new assistant?” I asked her, claiming my hand back from Drew.
Mandy beamed at me. “You’ve been saying you wanted a new job for months, hell since we met you. Xander was complaining that he needed to find someone to work here and I recommended you. He was on board right away and said as long as tonight was a success they would hire you.”
Was she serious? I got a new job without even applying for it. How did Xander know I’d do a good job? He never even interviewed me. Was he nuts?
“Before you start to freak out, Xander knows you. He’s seen the way you do things and he wants someone in here that he can trust. Drew and Xander both said they’d rather work with someone they already know than hire a random person. Since things are going well tonight, Xander already told me he and Drew agreed to hire you, if you’re interested. If not, they’ll look for someone.”
My head was spinning. Mandy got me a job. She knew I was unhappy and wanted to help me out. I was free of Beth the Bitch. All I had to do was say yes.
Oh, and work with the man I’d almost screwed in the back office.
Fuck! That was his office. How did I not pick up on that earlier?
“Mandy, it sounds great. I’m absolutely honored you would do this,” I trailed off, not sure what to say or how to say it.
“It’s why I’ve been working so hard to make this party a success. Xander wasn’t sure they’d have enough cash up front to hire you, but they’re crowded and already have a few new clients so they not only can hire you, but they need to. What do you say?”
I wanted to jump up and down and scream my head off. Mandy worked her ass off to make this happen for me and I was insanely grateful. But before I could accept the job, I needed to talk to Xander. And Drew.
“Mandy, this is amazing. I’m absolutely interested, but I think I need to talk to Xander and Drew about it before I officially accept.”
“Of course. That’s why I’ve been wanting you guys to meet. Drew,” Mandy focused her attention on him, “Xander said he’d meet you guys back in your office if you want to talk to Carrie for a few minutes. Since you’ve never met you might have more questions. I’ll find Xander and send him your way.”
Oh shit.
Drew led me down the same hallway, not touching me as he directed me back to the room we’d just left. He left the door open this time and pointed to a chair as he went behind his desk.
“So, you’re Carrie,” he said without looking at me. “I had no idea. Honestly. This was certainly not how I intended to welcome you to the company.”
I snorted, unable to stop the nervous laughter that bubbled up to the surface. The whole situation was simply comical to me. I was the only person who could possibly screw her new boss minutes before getting a job she didn’t even know she’d applied for. Okay, so I didn’t screw him, but it was damn close. And I totally would have.
“I’m sorry. Honestly, the whole thing is just fucking odd to me. I had no idea Mandy was even talking to you and Xander about hiring me, and I sure as hell didn’t know who you were. I think the best thing would be for us to just start over and forget we met before Mandy introduced us.”
I couldn’t draw my eyes away from his desk, the desk he’d just laid me out over. The same one I’d leaned him up against as I wrapped my lips around him. Trying to force the thoughts away I moved my eyes toward him. They landed on his hands, strong hands, long fingers… fingers that reached deep inside my body and made me come harder than I ever had before. His forearm showed off the tattoos that attracted me to him in the first place, that little bit of an edge that hinted there was more to him than met the eye.
And oh, what eyes he had.
I finally looked up into his tequila eyes and saw disappointment, heat, and finally resignation in them. A swift nod sealed his agreement before he got down to business. “Okay, well, since we all sort of sprung this on you, I’ll tell you a little about the job. Mandy said you’ve been working as a personal assistant so this shouldn’t be a leap. We’ll ask you to keep up with all the files and client information. We might have you bring in breakfast or lunch for clients. Mostly though you’ll be helping us keep things straight. Since we’re just starting out, Xander and I have a lot of things going on at once. Having files in order and being able to find what we need quickly will make a huge difference. Mandy said you’re very organized?”
I nodded. It amazed me how easily he shifted from awkward hook up to boss. In a way it was totally hot, but I wasn’t allowed to think about him like that anymore. He was my boss, not a hot guy at a party.
“Yes, I’m organized. I won’t have any trouble with filing or any other office stuff. I’m fairly proficient in word processing and spreadsheets. I can also create presentations and manage client introductions if you need me to do anything like that. I know you’ll both be away a lot of the time on site so I’m open to dealing with clients and at least taking introductory information if you need it done. I can also entertain clients if you guys get held up and keep them from feeling like they’re not important.”
Drew looked at me intently, one eyebrow quirked up. He was trying to figure something out. “Entertain?” he asked, his gaze shifting to the desk where I’d just ‘entertained’ him.
My cheeks heated and I stumbled over my words, “I, um, not like that. I just meant—“
“Relax, Carrie. I know what you meant.” He cleared his throat, banishing the heated look that flashed through his eyes. “So, you’re a personal assistant?” I nodded. “Where?” I gave him Beth’s name. “Okay, makes sense now. You know what you’re doing and you’ll be good for us. You’re right, we’ll need someone to do all the things you mentioned, but Xander and I really haven’t talked about it. So far all our meetings with clients have been at their home, but if we take on some bigger projects it’ll require meetings here. I’m glad Mandy recommended you.”
“Thanks,” I blushed. “I’m looking forward to this.”
We talked a few more minutes, working out details about my salary and benefits. I was relieved to hear they were going to be paying me a bit more than Beth. Xander had also worked out something with Western New York Health for insurance, and they were setting up a retirement program. It was more than I expected, but it made leaping from something steady, even though I hated it, to something new a whole lot easier. Drew and I agreed on a start date two weeks out right before Xander joined us. He hugged me and leaned against the edge of Drew’s desk, right where Drew had been when I wrapped my mouth around him less than an hour earlier. I glanced at Drew and his face betrayed the same dirty thoughts I was having. Heat flooded my cheeks, but I pushed it aside and focused on Xander.
“Are you sure about this? I know Mandy sort of sprung the whole idea on you. Drew and I have talked about it and would love to have you on board. I know you’ll be great for us, but I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable working for me.”
I almost laughed out loud. Xander was too wonderful. He worried I’d feel uncomfortable working for him since we were friends and had known each other outside work for a year. Ordinarily I would agree with his concerns, but after having his partner give me the best orgasm of my life and giving him a blow job for his trouble… well, working for Xander was the least of my worries.
With a look at Drew, who was looking nervous, I told Xander, “It’s fine, really. I know there’s the potential that things can get weird between us, but I’m hoping it won’t happen. I still don’t really know what I want to do, but I know I’ll enjoy this a whole lot more than working for Beth the Bitch.”
Drew snorted, and Xander simply nodded his head. Xander heard me complain enough about my boss to understand the challenges I faced. I knew working for two men at a home restoration company would be very different, but I was looking forward to it.
“Xander, I really appreciate this. Honestly. I know it’s going to be great. I was telling Drew what I can do. Even though I hate Beth, I would like to give her two weeks’ notice. I’ll start after that if you guys can handle things for that long.”
Xander nodded. “We’ll be fine. Thanks, Carrie. It’s going to be great to have you on board. Drew, you’ll come to see how amazing this woman is in a hurry. We won’t regret hiring her.”
“I can already tell,” Drew said, eyeing me in a less than professional way. My body heated up. My girly parts were jumping up and down, trying to get his attention, and ready for round two, and three, maybe even four. Working for Drew and not attacking him on a daily basis was going to be tough, but at least I knew I’d enjoy my job.
“You ready to thank everyone?” Xander asked Drew, pulling his attention away from me and my needy parts.
“Yeah,” Drew said, getting to his feet. I followed suit then followed the men back to the party.
Riley saw me as soon as I was back in the main room and dragged me to the side. “Did you seriously just get a job with Xander?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I nodded. “Mandy has been working on him and Drew for a while to hire me and I guess things are going well enough for them to actually do it. I start in two weeks.”
“Wow, that’s great. It might not be what you really want to do, but it’s a whole lot better than working for Beth. Plus, now you don’t have to move,” Riley cheered.
“Yeah, plus—”
Xander stood up in front of the crowd, and Drew whistled loudly enough for everyone to stop talking. I clamped my mouth shut just like everyone else, silently thinking maybe it was better I didn’t tell Riley I nearly slept with my new boss minutes before I found out he was my boss.
“We want to thank everyone for being here,” Xander began. “This is a great night for Drew and me, and it wouldn’t be possible without every single one of you. Whether you’re a former client, a current client, or a potential client, we appreciate you being here. Uh, I want to share one thing with everyone tonight. Since we feel like you are all an extended sort of family, my wife and I want to share some news. Mandy made me the happiest man around… again. She’s three months pregnant.”
Surprised and excited cheers filled the room. I caught sight of Mandy across the room beaming. She looked like she was going to cry, and she was glowing. I was thrilled for my friends, jealous too, but thrilled.
“We’re also welcoming Carrie Taylor to the XD family. She’s agreed to join Drew and me as our executive assistant. When you call to schedule an appointment with us or have anything else going on, Carrie will be the one you speak to. She’s a wonderful addition to our team, and we’re lucky to have her.”
I blushed and somehow managed to catch Drew’s eye. My breath slipped from my lungs when I saw the heated expression in his eyes. Holy fuck. I wanted him again, and I hadn’t really even had him.
Someone bumped into me, breaking my connection with Drew. The man congratulated me then continued on. I smiled and accepted words of encouragement from others as they passed me to get to Xander and Drew.
I found my way back to the bar and asked for a glass of wine. I sipped it slowly, watching people filter out the door. Before long, I was done. My week, and then my night, had worn me completely out. I was ready to go home and decompress.
I said my goodbyes to everyone and was almost out the door when Drew caught up to me.
“Carrie!” he called as I stepped outside.
The night air was cool and felt amazing on my neck and legs after being in a room full of people for hours. I didn’t go back inside, hoping Drew would follow me out into the fresh air.
He slammed through the door as I leaned against the oversized boulder. When he saw me, he stopped and grinned, a sexy, panty-melting smile. “I thought I’d missed you.”
“Sorry. I heard you calling, but it felt too good outside for me to go back in there.”
Drew nodded and leaned against the boulder next to me. “Yeah, it’s getting pretty hot in there.”
I wondered if he meant all the people or the heat between us. What was going on between us was definitely hotter than a room full of people for me. Drew fidgeted for a second, and I grew anxious. Had he already changed his mind about giving me the job?
“Did you need something?” I finally asked.
He blew out a deep breath and stared off into the parking lot in front of us and the darkened mountain beyond. He looked like he was working up the courage to tell me something, or ask me something, and I started to get nervous. Obviously I hadn’t quit my other job yet, but I’d been dreaming about it since Mandy said Drew was my new boss.
Finding out Drew was firing me before I even started would be the perfect shitty icing on a perfectly shitty week.
“Are you sure we’re okay?” he asked.
Really? That was why he chased me out of his launch party. To ask about my feelings?
“We’re fine, boss. No worries.”
“Aw, shit, really? Boss? I know that means we’re not okay.”
I laughed because he was right. Calling him boss meant I didn’t want to say his actual name. His name had power, and that power was of the panty-melting variety. I could distance myself from him and his insane hotness if I thought of him only as my boss. Not as Drew Montgomery, Orgasm Expert.
“Okay, you’re right. It’s odd. I mean, I had your cock in my mouth. Your fingers were inside me. And now you’re my boss? It’s hard to jump from one to the other without worrying that you think I was doing it because of the job.”
“No. I don’t think that at all. I assure you. You didn’t know who I was any more than I knew who you were. I don’t want you to worry about sexual harassment. If I’d had any idea who you were I never would have touched you.”
Yeah, I knew that. It was a little disappointing because he was so good at it. If he wasn’t my new boss and I’d found out he was Xander’s best friend, I might have considered a friends with benefits arrangement with him. Being my boss, he was strictly off limits.
Of course that was why I called him ‘boss.’
“Look, boss…” He sucked in a breath. “Sorry, Drew.” He grinned. “I’m not ashamed of what happened. Yes, it’s going to be awkward working for you, but I can’t say that I regret anything because I don’t live my life that way. I know things will be professional between us from now on.”
Drew nodded in agreement but didn’t look any happier about it than I felt. Hell, just sitting next to him on a fucking rock and I was getting hornier by the second. He smelled a little spicy, and it reminded me of the scent I got when I had him in my mouth. His shoulders were big enough that they brushed mine every time either of us moved. His deep, rough voice was like a violin with the other end of the string tied around my womanly parts, vibrating with every word.
Working for him was going to be tough. If I had to see him every day, I was going to have to keep my horniness in check. Like at that moment… I refused to look down at his tattoos, even though I was dying to examine them closer. Getting closer to Drew would only make it harder to resist him.
He promised I was safe from sexual harassment. I never made that promise, but I wouldn’t hit on my boss. No matter how badly I wanted him.
The door opened behind us, and a woman said, “Oh, there you are. Honey, you need to get back in here, people are asking to speak to you.”
The woman’s eyes slid over to me and she shot me a not-so-friendly look. I had no idea who she was, but she looked old enough to be his mother so I was really hopeful she wasn’t his ex-girlfriend.
“I’ll be right there,” Drew told her calmly.
She glared at me then went back inside looking particularly unhappy, and a little constipated.
“That’s my mom,” Drew explained. “She’s been a big supporter for Xander and me. You’ll probably meet her when you start. She’ll be around somewhat regularly.”
“Is she going to be working here too?” I asked, praying the answer was no.
Drew shook his head. “No, but she and I are really close. I know that probably drops my cool points, but my mom’s awesome. You’ll get along well with her, everyone does.”
I nodded and kept my mouth shut. There was no way in hell that woman was ever going to like me. She took one look at me and judged me. Whatever the reason, she hated me. And if Drew was a mama’s boy, well, I needed to keep my resume polished.
“I guess I should get back in there. Oh, I wanted to get your number,” Drew said as he stood, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
“Why?” I blurted. We’d spent the last few minutes assuring each other nothing would happen. Why the hell did he need my number?
“Well, you are going to be my employee in a few weeks, I figure I should have a way to get in touch with you, you know, in case we need you to sign some paperwork or come in for a meeting before then.”
“Oh, yeah, that makes sense,” I mumbled, feeling silly for assuming anything else. I rambled off my number and watched as Drew put it into his phone. He dialed the phone, and I heard it ring in my purse.
“Now you’ve got my number too. Just in case you need me.”
Fuck, really? In about an hour when I was going to bed alone, I was pretty certain I would need him.
But I wouldn’t call. I wouldn’t ever call.
“Okay, thanks,” I said. He hesitated, like he had something else to say, or wanted to hug me, or kiss me. Finally, he took a deep breath and nodded.
“Good night, Carrie.”
“Good night, Drew.” Then he was gone.
