Page 1 of Office Affairs

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SABRINA

What was I doing here? Good God. I was going to puke all over my spiked heels. “Keep it together, Sabrina.” The pep talk helped calm my nerves as I stepped through the glass door and into the lobby at Grady International. My heels clicked on the white marble floor, and I caught my reflection in the glass walls spreading out on either side of me. Damn. I looked good. The red dress was definitely the right choice. I lifted my chin and squared my shoulders as I approached the mahogany receptionist’s desk where a petite blonde sat with a headset dangling from one ear.

“Can I help you?” Her perfectly polite answer helped my nerves settle even more.

I could do this. No one knew me here except for my best friend, Miranda. “I’m Sabrina Roberts. I’m scheduled for an interview at ten.” I kept my hands loose by my sides, resisting the urge to fiddle with my dress and show how nervous I felt.

The woman’s nose scrunched a tiny bit, but she clicked onto the computer and scanned it. “Right. There it is. Take the elevator up to the tenth floor. Someone will be with you soon.”

Just like that, I’m dismissed.

I would be irritated, but this woman was not my problem. She’d done her job and directed me where I needed to go. With a clipped nod, I spun on my heel and marched to the bank of elevators tucked into a recess between two massive white pillars. The entire building was white marble and glass. And quiet. Other than the receptionist, I didn’t see a single other person on the open floor.

One elevator door stood open, and I stepped inside, pressing the button before the doors whooshed shut. One hurdle passed. My stomach dipped hollowly as the elevator ascended. I placed a hand over it to ease the bubbly feeling but dropped it at the ding announcing my arrival.

The doors opened to reveal a luxurious space with thick blue carpet that muffled my heels. A wall of windows overlooked the cityscape, the view partially blocked by a new skyrise that went up last year. A single door on my right opened, giving me a glimpse of what looked like a conference room as a tall man with salt and pepper hair and a thin smile buttoned his suit jacket before holding out his hand. “Sabrina?” He shook my hand when I nodded. “I’m Chase Grady. I understand you’re applying for the open position here at Grady International.”

Chase Grady? As in the Chase Grady? My father’s best friend and the owner of Grady International? Holy shit. I couldn’t talk. My words died in my throat the minute he touched me and sparks raced up my arm.

Bad Sabrina. I shouldn’t be attracted to Chase. For multiple reasons. But damn it all to hell and back, he was one fine specimen of a distinguished businessman.

“Everything okay?” Concern drew a line between his intense blue eyes.

I managed to yank my thoughts back to business and forced out a small smile. “Just surprised. I didn’t expect to meet the CEO during my interview.”

“Ah.” He slid his hands into his pockets, causing the jacket to tug tight over his shoulders. “You know a bit about the company?”

Only everything. I couldn’t tell him that he knew my father, Leon Adams. Or that I’d applied for this job to spy on him so I could find out if he was the one stealing technology from my dad’s app company.

“I like to know who I’m working with.” My smile widened just enough to flash the dimple on my cheek, and I tipped my head to the side to peer up at him. “Grady International made quite the splash in the app world when you revealed your latest AI firewall technology.”

Chase matched my smile, and I relaxed. If he realized who I was, he didn’t mention it. “Why do you want to work at Grady?” He motioned for me to follow him and stopped to open the door leading into the conference room.

I smelled his cologne as I walked past, a spicy mix that I didn’t recognize but one that caused my heart to flutter. “Grady International has been the leading innovator in new apps for the last fifteen years.”

The conference room housed six luxurious leather chairs spread evenly around the oval glass-top table. A TV hung on one wall, the screen blank. Pale gray walls contrasted the blue carpet, and a single landscape painting of the city at sunrise decorated the wall opposite the TV.

Chase closed the door, sealing us in together, though a window to my left looked out onto the lobby where I’d entered.

I settled into one of the large black leather chairs and crossed my legs in a move that sent my dress sliding up past my knees.

Chase followed the movement, and I swore I caught a heated look in his eyes before he blinked it away. “We have an excellent team here.” He unbuttoned his navy jacket and sat across from me. A tablet rested on the glass table in front of him, and he flicked it awake with his index finger. “Your application says you’re studying for your MBA. What do you plan to do once you obtain your degree?”

A perfectly legitimate question, and one I’d expected. Any good employer would want to know if I planned on running off the minute I graduated. Going after my degree was the first real thing I’d done for myself. Sabrina Roberts, the Adams screwup. The only child of Leon Adams that no one knows about because he’s ashamed of my birth. I didn’t help matters by getting into trouble my whole life. I shouldn’t have to keep paying for that, and I’ll be damned if my son has to pay for my mistakes too. The thought of Keith steadied me, and I returned to Chase’s question.

“The end goal is to work with a business like Grady. This place is all anyone in the tech world talks about.” I tested the waters, needing to see how he’d react to having his ego stroked. There’s something else I’d like to stroke. Not now. Stay focused.

Chase leaned back in his chair with a casual grace. “You don’t plan on starting your own company?”

“I’m not big into risks, Mr. Grady.” Not true. Like, at all. Coming here was a huge risk. If Chase found out that I’m Leon’s daughter, he’d want to know why I’d come here for a job instead of Dad’s company. Not that Dad would give me a real job. He doesn’t trust me enough for that. He’d figure I’d screw it up like I have everything else. This was a calculated risk that I found more than worthy of my time. Spending time with a man like Chase made it even more palatable. He had a presence, a confidence, that I found insanely attractive. The pictures I’d seen online didn’t do the man justice.

Chase’s firm lips turned up in a sardonic smile. “Isn’t all of life a risk?”

“That’s one way of approaching things.” I smirked at him. “I prefer to know what’s coming, within reason, of course.” Lies and more lies. They sounded good, though, and I enjoyed the way Chase’s eyes lit up when I challenged him.

“Tell me more about your work history and schooling. I’m looking for someone who can handle challenges and isn’t afraid to step up.” He sat in that same casual pose, a king in his domain. “I can’t say this job is risk-free. There may be times when you’re asked to do something you’re not familiar with. Are you willing to learn?”

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