Page 14 of Cupid Loves Curves

That last part is a lie, but I need this job more than I need to tell Mr. Bryant off for what this record label did to my mom.

“Interesting. It’ll sound cliché, but somehow it’s familiar. I pride myself on remembering everything I’ve heard, so this is unusual for me.”

“Is there something you need me to do, back in the office?” It hurts to smile this much, but I’m scared I’d look murderous if I don’t. He arches his eyebrow at me as I so blatantly change the subject, but…I just can’t talk about my mom with him.

“You can follow Cheyenne’s lead for now. It’s all hands on deck as we get ready for both the Rockin’ Hearts Ball and for the next Pink Tango launch. They have a silly name, but they sell a sinful number of downloads.”

I look away from him, resentment brewing in me. It’s my mom that should have been getting a launch like I’ve seen Pink Tango is getting. The elevator dings as we reach the top floor of the skyscraper. Assuming there’s nothing else, I start to walk backto my cube and the inevitable long list of menial tasks that Cheyenne has been throwing at me.

“You’re available for two months, Abby, correct?”

I freeze, then turn to see Mr. Bryant’s crystal green eyes staring at me, leaving me both a little frightened at his intensity and more than a little turned on. As a temp, I’ve never met an executive who unsettles me as much as this man does. Anger and lust churn inside my heart, and it takes all of my willpower to both not tell him off and to erase a fantasy of what his tall, muscular body would feel like between my legs.

“Of course, Mr. Bryant.” I have no idea how I’ll make it through two months here, but I don’t have the luxury of not needing the job. “That’s what the agency said when they sent me. Do you need to change that?”

“No. It’ll take that long to hire someone full-time. My last assistant eloped. Highly unprofessional to leave me high and dry. Cheyenne is filling in until I find someone new.”

“Oh. I thought shewasyour assistant.”

Mr. Bryant looks more than a little amused as he smiles. He genuinely looks nice and approachable, which is completely not how I imagined him. In pictures, he always looks severe, his mouth closed tightly as he glares at the photographer.

“She’d like to be,” he mutters. “Do you have experience as an executive assistant?”

I catch my breath as I look at Mr. Bryant. It’s true I’m looking for a full-time job, but it’d be a lie to say that I particularly want to work here. Being a permanent employee here would be a knife through my heart, each and every day.

“A little,” I finally say. “I’ve done a lot of admin. Can I can speak frankly?”

Mr. Bryant nods.

“Admin work is admin work. It’s not much different just because of a title. Someone needs an assistant so they can do their job better and not deal with certain details. I have tons of experience like that.”

Throughout all this, Mr. Bryant hasn’t taken his eyes off of me. A wave of awkwardness comes over me as I stand in front of him, unsure if I should say something more or if I should just slink off to the dusty cubicle I’ve been assigned to.

“Fair point. We’ll see how you do here, then maybe you can interview for the job.”

“I’d really appreciate that.” I feel ashamed that I’m trying to sell myself – even a little – for this job. What the hell is happening to me? But the prospect of a full-time job is exciting. As much as it’d be weird as hell to work here, full-time jobs with benefits are scarce these days and I’d be a fool to decline a job here if I was offered one.

I’d figure out a way to make it work.

“Good.” I stare at Mr. Bryant’s ass as he turns back to his office. He’s wearing a tailored suit that fits his body like a glove and, despite loathing him, I want him more than I’ve ever wanted a man in my life.

CHAPTER 2

AARON

There’s something about Abby. She’s the first woman to come through this office who isn’t willing to do anything to be close to me. Cheyenne and the other girls throw themselves at me daily, every word out of their mouth simpering or a crude double entendre. They’re the kind of girls who are interested only in how rich and famous a man is. Me? I prefer a woman with more substance than that – a lot more substance.

Abby has a fire to her. She looks at me like she hates me, but she doesn’t even know me. Her attitude makes her more deeply compelling than any other woman I’ve met. Doesn’t hurt that she has the curves of a banging pinup model.

“Where’s Abby?” I ask Cheyenne in my outer office. For once, she actually seems to be working.That’s a change.

“Mr. Bryant! What can I do for you? I’m more than happy to help you with whatever you need…” Cheyenne bats her eyelashes at me, for maybe the millionth time this year.

“I’m sure you could, Cheyenne. However, I specifically want to talk to Abby. Where can I find her?”

“She’s in the copy room. I have her making copies of the contracts for the Rocco Vincent deal.”

I turn and leave a pouting Cheyenne behind me. More than once I’ve longed for the days when we hired people for skill instead of looks, but this business is what it is. When she works, Cheyenne does a good job and she sure as fuck knows how to work a room and convince men to follow her – or my – agenda.

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