I know men don't like rejection and can often get an attitude, especially once their ego is involved. I keep my head down, rinsing the wash cloth under cool water and wringing it out while I take my time thinking. "King, I-" I turn, smoothing my hands up his chest before placing a hand against his cheek. I bite my lip, swallowing the words back.
I don't think I'm ready to say them, no matter how I feel. My eyes rise to his.
Peeking through my lashes I hesitate.
"What is it, baby?" His eyes flicker between mine as his thumb strokes my neck softly where he holds me, always holding me cradled in his hands like I'm precious to him.
"Thank you so much for the office space. It means so much to me," I whisper, feeling ashamed.
Because what I want to say is:I love you,youand mean so much to me.But apparently, I'm a coward. And to make matters worse, King gets a look of disappointment on his face that he tries to quickly mask. It'sgone so quick that I tell myself maybe I imagined it. But no, I know what I saw.
"You're welcome. I'm glad that I could finally do something to make you happy."
My eyes flit up to him and I scrunch my nose on a frown, slapping his forearm lightly. "Youmake me happy!" I admonish, seeing him tilt his head and arch a brow at me.
"Do I?"
"Yes!" I gasp, my head recoiling as he just stares at me. "Stop it, King!Yes, you do!"
"Hm,"King says, stepping away from me and then leading the way out the bathroom. He grabs my outfit and proceeds to help me step in it.
"What do you mean 'hm?'"I bite out,"What's hm?"
I don't like it.That one sound just ramped up my insecurity to uncomfortable heights.
"Nothing,baby, it's just an acknowledgment is all." My eyes flicker back and forth as he stands behind me, does up my bow, and kisses me on the back of my head.
"I don't like it," I whisper, feeling hurt.
"What was that?" King's voice is distracted sounding.
I look over my shoulder. "I said I don't like it." I turn to face him, seeing him take a deep breath. His color is going down, his flushed skin going back to normal after what we just shared. Ironically that pisses me off, too. I want him to walk out of here with everyone being able to know that I just had King's dick in my mouth.
"Okay…" he says slowly. "What can I do to fix it?"
Well, I can't very much say"take me outside and fuck me in the street for everyone to see that we belong together,"can I? So I say the nextbest thing. "I want us to go to dinner with my girlfriends. They were asking to see me, and were curious about you."
He gives me a wicked smile. "Now, what on God's green Earth is so interesting about little old me?" He chuckles, putting his arm around my shoulders and leading me through my office doors and down the hallway. The entire office is a blank slate, just waiting for me to put my touch on it.
"Shut up!" I tease him, rounding the hallway that dumps out into the reception area next to the boardroom. Blair stands up from her seat at the receptionist desk and hands me a folder.
"Here you go, ma'am. Here's a list of potential candidates for receptionists. I compiled a list of twenty-five based on their resume and experience. I just need your approval on which interviews to schedule."
Taking the folder I smile and open it up right there at the desk flicking through for a minute. "Blair," I say, spreading out a few of the papers. I feel King looking over my shoulder next to me. "These are all…extremelywell qualified people who have been in the business for like…" I flip through more of the papers. "Twenty years?"
She nods with a sober expression gracing her features."Yes ma'am. We want the best of the best."
"Okay I mean…Iget thatbut…" Tucking the folder under my arm I look up at her. "Do me a solid and find one receptionist who knows her shit, and let's hire a second one that needs to learn the ropes who can benefit from the experience and tutelage of a well seasoned receptionist. Can you go back to the drawing board tomorrow and find some applicants who are maybe needing help, someone to take a chance on them? We're not that big yet that we need two fully experienced staff like that."
Blair flits her eyes to King before looking back at me with a slow smile. "That sounds like a wonderfully thoughtful idea, ma'am. I sure can. I'll have more names for you tomorrow."
"Thanks, Blair. I appreciate all your help." She nods her head before going back to her screen. I tap my fingernails on the desk, getting her attention back. "Uhm…Blair, go home. You're done for the day."
"Oh, I just assumed because you and Mr. King were here late that you…" Her voice trails off as I try my damndest to bite back the smile taking over my face.
"No, Blair, there's no reason to be here past five-thirty at the latest, unless we have clients here or I say otherwise. Go on and get some dinner. I'll see you tomorrow, nine okay? We're just getting started so, no reason to be here at the crack of dawn."
"Yes ma'am, see you at nine." Blair laughs and then begins packing her bag.