Page 14 of His Temptation
“Follow me,” Dave yells over the noise of the Boeing 757 engine in front of us.
We spend over an hour with him while he goes over all the parts of the plane. Kylie asks dozens of questions and seems genuinely interested in the answers. I stand back and watch as the two talk and laugh together. I try to ignore how much it grates on my nerves.
By the time we’re back at the office, it’s already after three, and I’m exhausted. I put my head down and go over some of marketing’s proposals.
When I realize I’m much further behind than I thought, I ring Kylie on the phone.
“Cancel my dinner tonight with Tonya or whatever her name is. I need to stay late and make sure I’m up-to-date on these proposals before the meeting tomorrow.”
“No problem, Mr. Monroe. Do you need me to stay late with you?”
The question annoys me.
“Well, you are my assistant. What do you think?”
“I think you would like me to stay,” she replies softly.
“That would be in your best interest.” I hang up the phone and rub my temples. I feel a headache coming on.
My guess is, she’s over there, cursing me out in her head for making her stay late. I don’t care if she has a date or someplace to be. I pay her to work when I work, and I pay her well. If she isn’t up to the task, there are thousands of others who are.
This is New York City. You don’t make it here by putting in the bare minimum.
7
KYLIE
Sometimes, I wonder if the man even wipes his own ass. It’s quite possible he hires someone to do that for him as well.
Here I am, canceling yet another date for him. Do these women have no self-respect? They are willing to go out with a man who has his assistant be the one communicating with them.
I thought he showed a morsel of decency when he took me to the airport to learn more about the industry. But he went right back to being a pain in the ass.
It’s been two weeks since we went to the airport.
I’ve come to notice some consistencies in his schedule. He never shows up late or leaves early. He is a total loony about his coffee. He treats his dates like employees. And he always has Thursday evenings blocked out on his calendar.
It’s the one thing he does on his own, and he never gives me a clue as to where he goes.
I’ll bet it’s one of those exclusive sex clubs where he can do some kinky shit to a complete stranger. Or maybe I’m just thinking that because of the book I’m reading.
I have one obsession in life, and that’s reading dirty romance books. My favorite bookstore is over in Brooklyn, called The Ripped Bodice. As soon as I turn the corner on 5th Avenue and see the pink storefront, my body explodes with excitement.
I’ve basically been a mother since I was sixteen, so dating has been out of the question. Even if I want to date, I don’t have family to watch my brother. Angela has been a huge help the last couple of years, but I only use her when I absolutely need to. Any other time feels like taking advantage of her generosity.
I suppose he’s old enough now to be on his own at home, but my main focus is just working nonstop to make ends meet. I don’t have time to find a date. That means, at the age of twenty-one, I’m still a virgin.
I’ve had one kiss in my life, and that was when I was sixteen and my parents were still alive. Before I needed to think about anything besides the cute boy who sat next to me in Algebra.
I look up from my computer and see Mr. Monroe through the door to his office. He’s glaring at me from his desk. He raises his hand and motions for me to come in with his finger. If it wasn’t terrifying, it would be kind of sexy. The man looks especially good today in his dark blue suit and brown belt. His dark hair, which was styled perfectly in the morning, is now slightly disheveled on top from all the times he ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
“What can I do for you?” I ask as I walk into his office.
He leans back in his chair and eyes me up and down. My body squirms under his intense inspection.
“You can explain to me how you managed to score a position as my assistant with no college degree and zero work experience.”
My chest tightens, making it hard for me to breathe. A lump forms in my throat, speech feeling impossible.
