Page 2 of Office Affairs

“Absolutely.” I’d let this man teach me anything. I dragged my mind back out of the gutter and gave him the speech I’d prepared for this exact moment. I listed my qualifications, glossing over my lack of a work history by blaming it on my intense studies. I left my eight-year-old son out of the conversation, not willing to risk losing my advantage by mentioning I had a kid. I knew the statistics. Women my age with a young child were easily passed over in favor of childless women … or more often, less qualified men.

My having Keith held no bearing on my ability to do this job, and I refused to let that become an obstacle I had to leap over.

Chase listened and nodded along, asking a few questions here and there, but the look in his eyes told me I’d made an impression.

Good or bad remained to be seen.

After I exhausted my list of accomplishments and accolades, he waved a hand and tapped the tablet again. “The position is a standard eight-to-five, Monday through Friday. There’s the occasional work retreat, but those are scheduled in advance to help compensate for any weekend plans you might have. I think you’ll find the pay rate more than adequate.”

He spun the tablet around and pushed it across the table with one finger.

I couldn’t look away from that single digit. He had gorgeous hands. Long fingers with thick knuckles and clean, blunted nails. They were a real man’s hands, and I bet if I flipped them over, I’d find them strong but smooth. A man could do wonders with fingers like that. What was going on with my libido?

Chase was twice my age. My body didn’t give a damn. He was sexy as hell in that suit, and the slight graying at his temples made me want to dig my hands into the wavy strands threatening to flop over his forehead.

I forced air into my lungs and leaned over the table to eye the tablet. The numbers staring back at me wavered. I blinked to make sure they were real. I’d never been offered that much.

Dad paid my bills—much to his wife’s dismay—but I knew it wouldn’t last forever. My stepmother had been making my life a living hell this last year, to the point that I knew I’d have to figure out how to make my own money. I tapped my fingers on the table. Should I ask for more, just to test him?

No. I pushed that idea aside. The offer was more than fair. It would keep me and Keith going for a long time if things went sideways between me and dear old Dad. This was the first thing I’d truly done on my own.

Chase watched me, his eyes hooded and his hands clasped on top of the table. Sun streamed in through the windows behind me, warming my spine and casting my shadow across Chase’s face.

“I think this will do.” I slid the tablet back and relaxed in my chair. We’d passed the worst part of the negotiations. I wouldn’t let myself think I had the job in the bag, but things looked good.

“Great.” Chase stood. “I’ve seen all I need to see. You’re hired.” He stretched out his hand and I slid my palm over his.

Warm fingers engulfed mine, his handshake firm as it sent those delicious tingles up my arm and throughout my body. I definitely had to get some quiet time with my vibrator tonight, and I knew whose face I’d be imagining as I got myself off. I couldn’t wait. “I appreciate the opportunity, Mr. Grady.”

“Please, call me Chase.” He released my hand and paced toward the door, giving me the chance to eye his back and shoulders all the way down to his tight ass encased in that slick suit. “You’ll start tomorrow. I expect to see you in my office by 8:00 a.m.”

“Yes, sir.” I quipped automatically and heat rose to my cheeks. I fanned it away before he turned to face me with the door held open. “I appreciate you taking a risk on me.” My voice was flirty, and it took effort to keep from winking. He’d never take me seriously if I came off acting like a hooker trying to score a ride into his wallet. Horny Sabrina needed to take a hike and let me keep this job.

“I don’t see a risk.” He tucked his hand into his pocket and leaned his shoulder on the door, his other hand still wrapped around the handle. It was a power pose if I’d ever seen one. “I see a sure thing.”

I walked past him, holding my breath this time so I didn’t sink into the smell of his cologne.

“Oh, Sabrina?” He waited until I’d almost reached the elevator.

I spun slowly on my heels and met his gaze.

“It wasn’t posted what the exact position was. But you should know, you’ll be my administrative assistant.” He pushed off from the door and straightened his tie. “You’ll be working directly under me. You think you can handle that?”

2

SABRINA

Could I handle that? I managed to keep it together while I nodded and stepped into the elevator. “It’ll be my pleasure.” Damn the huskiness in my voice.

He didn’t mean it sexually. Chase was my boss. The last thing he’d do was solicit me for sex during my interview. Right? Not that I’d say no when I wanted him this bad. What was wrong with me that I’d fall so easily into his bed at the slightest provocation? This was why Dad called me the family screwup. I didn’t think things through. Even my plan to come here and get a job to find out if Chase was stealing from Dad hadn’t been thought out. I’d applied for the job and let Miranda give my application a nudge. Now I was here, working under Chase. Starting tomorrow. He technically wasn’t my boss until I signed the paperwork.

I leaned into the cold wall and crossed my arms over my fluttering stomach. The interview had gone better than I hoped. I tugged my phone free from the tiny pocket at my ribs and thumbed off a text to Miranda.

My phone pinged her response as the doors opened back downstairs. I grinned at her rapid reply.

OMG! Congratulations. Meet me in the coffee lounge. You can’t miss it. Turn right once you leave the elevators and follow the signs around to the back corner. You’ll smell the coffee before you see it.

I had enough adrenaline in my veins to fuel half the city, but I wouldn’t dream of passing up a chance to sit and talk to Miranda. It would give me more time to scope out the building and the other employees. If anyone here was stealing tech from my dad’s company, I had to find them. Now that I’d talked to him, I didn’t think it was Chase like my brother suspected. He and Dad had been friends for years. He talked about Chase all the time. He obviously never mentioned me to Chase or today’s interview would have been very different.

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