Big & Beautiful 11: Curvaceous & Captivating

I found Timeless Timber Toys with little effort. The building had a great view of the back side of Winter Ridge, the closest thing we had to a mountain in Winterville. My friend, Addi, lived there with her husband, Joey. I’d been there many times over the winter to take the kids for ski lessons, but I hadn’t been to the back before.

Snowfall Street climbed the base of Winter Ridge, giving it a height advantage over the town. The rolling hills were one of the many things I loved about where I’d grown up. When it came time to settle down, I knew I wanted to raise my kids there.

Inside the massive building, which looked like an old barn, I found a modern reception area with a display of toys the company had made over the years. They hadn’t changed much about the way they made toys, or the toys they made, but they’d definitely gotten more detailed as time went by.

“Can I help you?” a woman asked from behind a desk.

“Yes. I’m Olivia Humphrey. I have an appointment with Mr. Norwood.”

The woman glanced at her computer, then picked up a phone. “Ms. Humphrey is here.” After a second, she hung up the phone and smiled up at me. “Mr. Norwood’s assistant will bring you back.”

Before I could answer, a door to my right opened. A woman in a low-cut green button-down top walked toward me. I could see the edge of her black lace bra and practically count her ribs; it was so tight. I tugged down my own oversized green tunic, immediately feeling inadequate next to a woman who was about half my size. Her short black skirt flounced in the air as she moved in my direction, aided by the stilted way she walked in heels that never would have supported me. They looked deadly with the spike that masqueraded as a heel.

“Ms. Humphrey?” she asked with a quick scan of my figure. A smirk slid onto her dark red lips as she extended her hand to me.

This woman worked for a children’s toy company? I would have believed an adult toy company without a thought, but children’s? I couldn’t help but question what kind of person her boss was if he hired someone who looked like a walking wet dream.

I shook her hand and smiled. “Please, call me Olivia.”

She nodded. “I’m Harley. Ethan’s personal assistant.”

Um, why did she emphasize personal? Like I cared what he did. As long as the man wasn’t screwing her at the Easter egg hunt, I couldn’t have cared less.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Mmm hmm,” she said as she led me back through the door she’d walked out of. We walked down a long hallway, me following behind her tiny skirt and praying it didn’t show off anything more than I’d already seen, and hoping she had panties on if it did. Her long blonde hair had that bottle-blonde appearance. Her long nails clicked against the door as she opened it, sending a shiver down my spine. I followed her into the room and gasped when I saw the workshop through floor to ceiling windows to my left.

“Wow.”

She smirked again. “It’s impressive, right?”

I nodded and she moved to the door.

“Ethan will be here shortly.”

I stared out at the workshop floor and ignored the room around me until I heard the click of the knob turning.

The moment I saw him, I knew I’d made a mistake. Wyatt asked if I wanted to bring someone else with me to the meeting, but I told him it wasn’t necessary.

I shouldn’t have been so silly.

Wyatt said his name was Ethan Norwood. It sounded normal enough. An average guy. Maybe a little boring with a name like Ethan. Holy spitballs, I was wrong in every sense.

Dark hair outlined his jaw and covered his top lip, cut close enough to appreciate the man beneath, but clearly intentional. It blended seamlessly into the close-cut hair on top of his head, at least as much of it as I could see. He wore a black button-down shirt, unbuttoned at the top with the sleeves rolled up. A tattoo teased me at his neck and more wrapped around his forearms. Black ink. Not a speck of color. To add to his darkness, black pants encased powerful legs and led to black dress shoes, the brightest thing about the man.

My gaze trailed back up over him and paused at the hand reaching toward me.

Oh, sweet Jesus, I wouldn’t survive if he touched me. My dry spell had a dry spell. I wasn’t sure I even remembered how to have sex.

Although a man like him would be a hell of a teacher.

My body swayed, leaning toward him. My eyes focused on that delicious patch of skin at his throat. I wanted to know what that tattoo was. Maybe he’d show me before he claimed my body.

“Ms. Humphrey? Are you alright?” a voice asked. It was so far away. Who knew my name there?

I looked up into his eyes. Dark eyebrows, neatly plucked or natural? I didn’t care. Why were they drawn together? Wait, that voice again. It was talking to me. My gaze dropped to his lips. They were moving.

“Ms. Humphrey? Can you hear me?”

Sugar bits! He was talking to me!

And he thought I was completely losing it.

“I apologize. I, um.” I stopped. I had no excuse. I was ogling the sex-god before me.

A slow, sexy smirk turned his lips up as he realized what just happened. And damn if he wasn’t even hotter when he grinned.

Jerk-face.

“Mr. Norwood, I assume,” I forced out, extending my hand to meet his.

His palm cupped mine, and he brought his other hand up to close my small hand inside his two large ones. My nipples stood up and my panties dampened from just shaking his hand.

What in the world was going on with me?

“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Humphrey,” he said, his voice as smooth as butter.

“You as well, Mr. Norwood. Mayor Ramsey said you’re interested in being the lead sponsor for the Easter Egg Hunt we have planned next month.”

He gestured to the table and we both sat, him opposite me with a view of the door, my back to it. At least I could get out in a hurry, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t ever want to leave the man across from me.

“I am. As I’m sure you know, I just recently bought this company. I want to get Timeless Timber Toys more involved in the community. We should be working together, not existing on opposite sides of the same small town.”

I nodded in agreement, hoping I didn’t look like a bobblehead. “I agree. Your sponsorship would be a huge asset to the event. The additional money we could donate to the children’s center will be significant to them, but we could make the event bigger and better also.”

“What did you have in mind, Ms. Humphrey?”

I wanted to tell him to call me Olivia, but only because I ached to hear the way my name rolled off his tongue. Ms. Humphrey was more professional, though. And would make it easier for me to survive the meeting without getting scorched.

“With the additional funding, we will set up a second egg hunt, for the smaller kids. Our original intention was to have eggs hidden for the older kids, up to age twelve, throughout town square. The concern we had was that the younger kids, the ones who won’t be able to see the eggs in trees or think to look under bushes, will end up left out. We were hoping to do a second hunt for the younger kids in a location just a little bit away and have a helicopter drop the eggs from the sky. It would give the little kids a thrill but not make it too difficult for them.”

Ethan, I meant Mr. Norwood, scrubbed a hand over his jaw. The scrape of his fingers over his stubble nearly had me groaning. Who the hell was I? I didn’t go all gaga over some random guy. Especially one who could have any woman he wanted and an assistant who made it perfectly clear she was already sleeping with him.

“I think it would be a great idea. A helicopter can be expensive, though. I’d like to personally match my company’s donation to increase the funds available to donate to the children’s center. And I’d like to donate a collection of toys from Timeless Timber Toys to them as well.”

I was stunned. That was huge. Not only the money that he was willing to put into the event, but an added donation to the children’s center.

“Do you think it would be possible for me to get a tour of the children’s center at some point?”

I nodded. “I’m sure they’d be more than happy to give you a tour. They welcome visitors. I haven’t been in a while, but it’s a wonderful place.”

“Let me know when you arrange it, and I’ll make sure I’m free.”

“Excuse me?” I choked. “I don’t work for you.”

He smirked. “Maybe not, but I’d like you to take care of it. If you’ve been there, I’m guessing you have a relationship with the people there.”

It sounded logical. Or was he just trying to find a way to see me again?

He lifted a phone and spoke into it. “Please bring in the paperwork.”

Before I could ask who he was talking to, the door opened, and Harley walked back in. She only had eyes for Mr. Norwood this time, giving him a leering grin that left me rolling my eyes in disgust. Nothing like reminding me what kind of women he liked to drag my head back in line. He wasn’t flirting with me. He wouldn’t look twice at a woman like me. I was simply someone he had to kiss up to because I worked for the mayor.

“Thanks, sweetheart,” he said to her, dragging out his speech. She winked at him then headed for the door. His eyes followed her ass until the door closed behind her.

I almost threw up in my mouth.

“I’ve already filled out the paperwork, Ms. Humphrey. And I’m including my check for the sponsorship as well as my personal check for the matching donation.” He slid everything across the table toward me.

I flipped through the pages and saw everything was in line. “Mayor Ramsey has to approve everything before I say yes, but I’m sure he’ll agree. I’ll be in touch this afternoon.” I tried to rein in the distaste in my voice, but it was clear I’d done a poor job when his eyebrows lifted. I refused to back down and make him feel like flaunting his personal assistant in my face was appropriate for any business meeting. I wasn’t a buddy of his who would drool over the woman he kept on hand when his hand wouldn’t do. I was a business associate. And I didn’t need to know about his personal tastes.

He rose to his feet, towering over me before I had a chance to stand. I looked up and up and up, enjoying the view one last time. Hey, just because he was a jerk who was sleeping with his assistant didn’t mean I couldn’t look.

“I look forward to hearing from you, Ms. Humphrey,” he said with an equal measure of ice in his tone. “I’ll be sure to tell Harley you enjoyed meeting her.”

“I’m sure you will,” I muttered, low enough that I hoped he didn’t understand.

“Excuse me?”

I forced a grin. “Thank you. Please do that.”

He nodded once, as though he knew I was lying but wasn’t willing to call me on it.

I left the factory and drove back to my office stewing. It figured a wealthy, attractive man would have an assistant who looked like that. I was such an idiot for thinking any man wouldn’t be a dog. I had a whole group of close friends with uber sweet men. So sweet that I’d forgotten how most men worked.

Ethan Norwood was a heck of a reminder.

When I got to my desk, an email was waiting for me from Ethan Norwood. I clicked on it and read it.

Ms. Humphrey,

It was a pleasure meeting you today. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to come out to Timeless Timber Toys and see me. I do hope you and Mayor Ramsey find everything in order and decide to take me on as a partner in this event. I believe we can make a difference together. I eagerly anticipate speaking to you later today. Harley said it was nice to meet you as well.

Regards,

Ethan Norwood

Jerk. Face. Right up until the last sentence I thought it was sweet that he sent me an email. But he had to throw his assistant into it. To rub it in that she was his type and I wasn’t good enough. I knew he was aware I was staring at him, practically drooling over him, when he walked into the room. So why say anything about Harley if he wasn’t trying to reinforce that he wasn’t interested?

Jerk.

“Hey. How was the meeting?” Wyatt said, coming out of his office. “I didn’t realize you were back.”

“I was just checking my email to make sure I hadn’t missed anything too big. Then I was going to come in and talk to you.”

Wyatt nodded. “So, what do you think? Is he a good fit?”

I sighed. “Yeah, I’m sure he is. The company is great.”

“But?”

“I didn’t say but. Why do you think there’s a but?”

He gave me a look that said he wasn’t buying my stuff and I huffed.

“Fine. There’s a but. He has this assistant who looks like she should be working for a sex toy shop instead of a children’s toy place. Tight shirt, cut so low I could see her bra. Tiny little skirt that I worried would show off whatever was underneath. And heels that belonged on a stripper pole. It was borderline obscene, Wyatt.”

He took a breath and hitched his hip onto the side of my desk. “First, I should have taken the meeting.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I knew he was joking because Wyatt was the one person I knew who dated even less than me. Which was saying something because I hadn’t had a date in almost two years.

“Second, why do you care what she wears?”

I opened my mouth to explain, but he held up a third finger.

“And third, we’re working with the owner, not the assistant. What does she have to do with anything?”

I waited until he lifted his eyebrows at me then said, “Can I speak now?”

He waved his hand for me to continue.

“First, it was inappropriate for any workplace. I shouldn’t be able to see her underwear. Second, the owner leered at her when she came in. And that was after she made it very clear they were sleeping together. And third, if she’s his assistant, she’ll likely be at the event. Do we really want someone who looks like that running around a bunch of kids?”

Wyatt sighed. “We can’t control how other people dress. You know, as well as I do, that there will be moms dressed like that, or other women. There always are at any event. If he’s okay with her dressing like that, and he owns the company, I’m not going to argue. What was your impression of him?”

“He’s a pig,” I blurted without thinking.

Wyatt paused for a second then burst out laughing. “Now we’re getting somewhere. It sounds to me like you were a little jealous.”

“Not even slightly,” I argued, a burning in my gut reminding me that I shouldn’t lie to my boss. Jealousy wasn’t worth it. Not for a man like Ethan Norwood. Not for any man. If she was the kind of woman he wanted, he’d never look twice at me. That didn’t mean I had to like it, or respect either of them.

“Okay,” he said in a tone that told me he didn’t believe a word I said. “Do you think you can work with him?”

“It’ll be fine. He’s matching the sponsorship money with a personal donation to the children’s center.”

“Damn. Really?”

I nodded.

Wyatt flipped through the application and set it back down on my desk. “Sorry, Liv. I think it’s perfect. Call him.”

“Me?” I squeaked. “Why?”

“Because you’re going to be his contact. You always handle the sponsors.”

I huffed but didn’t argue. Wyatt left, and I faced my computer. I’d call him later.