Page 22 of Seducing the Billionaire

The urge to pick up the heavy tome and chuck it across the room flashes through me, but I ignore it, cursing the damn schedule under my breath.

Emma shows her out and shuts the door behind her before returning to me. She holds out her hand and I give her the packet to flip through.

“I’ll do some research on this benefit, find out who’ll be there, who you need to impress, all that stuff, okay?”

I nod, resting my forehead in my hands for a moment. It can’t be too long, though. I’m meeting with our production team in fifteen minutes. Something about their planned rollout of ThousandWords’ new features coming out soon. Can’t we sum these meetings up in an email?

The lightest brushing on my arm has me lifting my head, finding Emma directly next to me. She returns her hand to her side, and I bite my lip so I won’t ask her to do it again.

“You’ll get through this,” she says, so much confidence in her voice, I nearly believe her. I look away, not wanting her to see my doubt. “And I’m here to help in any way I can.”

“When’s the benefit?”

She looks down at the paper. “Tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow?” I tug at my tie. “No, that’s not enough time.”

She doesn’t censure me, asking instead, “How much time do you need?”

A week? A month? Forever? I loosen the top button of my shirt, needing more air.

She kneels next to me, resting a palm on the arm of my chair as she gazes up. “How about I come with you?” she offers. “For support.”

I shut my eyes, reveling in her nearness, wishing she’d move her hand the slightest bit closer. “You’d do that?”

“Of course. I’ll set everything up, help you keep it all straight, write up your talking points. You just have to smile and look pretty.”

I appreciate her levity, my mouth curving into a grin despite myself. “You think I’m pretty?”

A smirk flirts along her lips. “Prettier than all the other billionaires there.” She stands, making her way toward the door. “Do you already have a tux or should I get you one?”

A tuxedo? Is it that fancy? “I have one. What will you wear?”

She glances back over her shoulder coquettishly. “It’s a surprise.”

Her hips sashay as she exits the room, and I can’t help but watch her, imagining what kind of dress she’ll have on. Curve hugging? Dipped low in the front?

I shake my head, putting the image out of my mind. I need to prepare for my meeting with Richard, not imagine what my very helpful assistant will wear tomorrow. She’s coming to assist me, not for me to ogle her. This is a professional relationship.

And that’s how it’s going to stay.

* * *

“Meetingwith the big boss twice in one day? I must be a lucky guy.”

I motion for Richard to take a seat across from me, catching Emma’s eye as she closes my office door. She gives me a subtle thumbs up, but I keep my smile to myself. I need to be all business in front of Brigham.

“Well, I haven’t formally met you yet the way I have the other chiefs. Since you recently replaced my brother and all.”

The man stiffens slightly. “Hope there are no hard feelings about that. Your father was the one—”

“No. No issues there. And Archer doesn’t plan on coming back if you’re worried about that. But I did have a slight issue with you at the meeting today.”

“Oh?” He straightens in his seat, adjusting his tie.

I can understand why he’d be confused. He’d been on top of every question I’d asked about financials, even quoting reports from previous quarters when he wasn’t with the company. “I overheard you when you came into the conference room asking my assistant for coffee. Well, you didn’t ask, did you? You expected she’d do it.”

His brows knit together. “Isn’t it her job to, I don’t know, assist?”

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