Page 20 of Mid-Thirties Slightly Hot Mess Female Seeking Billionaire

"Um, okay," she says, nodding as if she knows what I’m talking about. I see the blonde looking at me furtively and then looking at Sarah and wondering what’s going on. I press my lips together and tap my foot. I don’t even know what’s going on. The elevator beeps again, and Sarah moves toward the door. We’re on the seventeenth floor. "Have a good day, Mr. Rosser," she says as she exits.

I don’t respond. I know that’s rude, but I don’t really know what to say. I can hardly say, "I’m going to see you in my office in an hour and then it will be much better." That sounds like too much of a proposition. Plus, why would seeing Sarah Kahan again today improve my mood?

"Mr. Rosser, I was wondering if…" The blonde touches me on the arm, and I stare at her bright red fingernails.

"Yes?" I’m irritated.

"It’s so good to see you, sir," she starts again, and I look down at her big blue eyes gazing up at me. Pretty, but not the same violet-blue as Sarah’s. Sarah’s eyes are perhaps the most mesmerizing I’ve ever seen.

"What’s your name?" I need to see if I can have her transferred to another office.

"Chantelle," she says, "But you can call me C-Money."

"Sorry, what?"

"C-Money." She giggles. "I used to be a little bit of a rapper when I was younger and the name stuck."

"You were a rapper." I look over the petite blonde girl and frown. "Really?"

"Well, I was in a dance group, and we had one rap song, and my name became C-Money. You know how it is, right?"

"No, I really don’t." I shake my head. I don’t want to continue this conversation any longer. The elevator dings yet again, and I decide to get out.

"But this isn’t the executive level," she points out the obvious with a pout.

"I know, I needed to speak to someone on this level," I lie as I exit the elevator. I don’t want to deal with her this morning. I don’t want to deal with any more women trying to hit on me, especially those that work for me. "Just so you know, Chantelle," I say because I refuse to call her C-Money. "There is a no-fraternization policy here at Rosser International."

"A no what?" she asks. "Don’t worry, I wasn’t in a fraternity. I was in a sorority."

"What department are you in?" I ask. If she tells me accounting, I will call HR to my office right away.

"Oh, I’m in sales. I’m working on the new lingerie line for the Macy’s and Dillard’s collection."

"Oh, okay." That makes more sense. I can see people buying from her, people who aren’t me, of course. I would not buy anything from her, but I’m smart and CEO for a reason. I know when to spend my money and when not to, and I’m not won over by a pair of big blue eyes with an empty brain. "You have a good day, Chantelle."

"Thank you. You too, Ethan." She says my first name like we are old friends, and I walk away. I’m not going to tell her off, but I’m not going to acknowledge it, either. She doesn’t get to call me Ethan. No way. I’m her boss, and I don’t want her to think she has a shot with me. I don’t want it going around the cafeteria at lunchtime that she and Ethan, the CEO, are now a thing. I sigh as I head to the emergency exit and make my way up the steps. I’ve got twenty floors to go. It’s not like it will kill me. I’m in great shape, and sometimes, I even take the steps just for fun because I like to see how quickly I can get up several flights. Though, initially, today had not been one of those days.

Today, I just want to go to my office, sit in my chair, and think. Think about the previous evening and think about Sarah. I need to process what I’m going to do with an employee I’m attracted to who used to be a first-class stripper.

Right now, all I can seem to think about is ripping her clothes off. I can imagine her arriving at my office and asking why I’d called the meeting and me saying, "Oh, I want to see you dance for me, baby." I groan at my thought. It’s not that I would ever use those words. I don’t saybaby. I’m not ababysort of man. No woman has ever heard me use the term baby, honey, sugar, sugar plum, or… I pause my thoughts. This is not the time for me to be thinking about random pet names I will not be calling Sarah. I have actual work to focus on.

I set the timer on my watch and start running up the stairs. I am going to try to make it up within five minutes. I know Edith will wonder why I am sweaty when I reach the office, but she’ll just have to wonder. It’s not like I answer to her. She’s not a great secretary. She doesn’t actually do anything. So, it’s not like she can call me out, even though she does, indeed, call me out on stuff all the time, because she seems to think she’s my second grandma. To be fair, in some ways, she is my work grandma. Not that I would tell her that, even though she knows how much the Rosser family loves her.

An hour later, I’m sitting in my office when I hear a knock at the door. I already know that it has to be Sarah, but I’m going to pretend I forgot because I’m already regretting my impulsive decision to tell her to meet me in my office. "Who is it?" I call out in a husky tone. "I’m quite busy."

"Mr. Rosser, you have a visitor," Edith says as she opens the door slightly. "There’s a girl from copywriting here to see you. I told her that you’re full for the morning, but she says that you have an appointment, though I don’t see it on the calendar, so—"

"Send her in, Edith." I shrug and sit back. Of course, this is the one time Edith pays attention to my calendar and who comes in and out of my office.

"Yes, sir." She shrugs nonchalantly, as if to say,if she tries to hit on you and marry you, it’s not my fault. I did my due diligence. The door opens wider, and Sarah walks in, looking slightly bemused and confused.

"Hello, Mr. Rosser. I’m here for the appointment," she says, standing there uncomfortably.

"Yes, close the door behind you and have a seat," I say, standing up. "Would you like some tea, coffee, water?"

"How’s about a gin and tonic?" She grins widely as she closes the door. I raise a single eyebrow, and she turns to me with a nervous giggle. "That was a joke. I don’t really drink in the morning, and I don’t drink gin and tonic anyway. It was just…"

"It’s fine. Have a seat," I say, keeping my face even-tempered. She really is an odd one. She heads toward me and takes a seat in the chair on the left. I can see she’s playing with her fingers. I don’t know if it’s because she’s nervous or something she does. I remind myself that I don’t know anything about her, really. I didn’t even know she existed before yesterday, but for some reason, I want to know more about her. I want to take her glasses off. I want to reach up and take her hair ties out of her bun and let her hair down. I want to bring her closer so I can give her a morning kiss. I want to stare into her big blue eyes and tell her she’s beautiful, but of course, I’m not going to do any of those things because it’s temporary insanity that I’m even thinking them.

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