Page 41 of Beautiful Desire

“LM Investments. This is Becca. How may I direct your call?” she says cheerily into the receiver.

“Hi, Becca. It’s Dominic Lombardi. I was wondering if you could come to my office, please?”

“Right away, Mr. Lombardi,” she replies before hanging up the phone.

Not thirty seconds later, there’s a knock on my door.

“Come in,” I voice.

“Mr. Lombardi? You wanted to see me, sir?” Her voice is wavering, and she looks nervous as hell.

Her long red hair is pulled back, away from her pale face that is clean of any makeup. She’s dressed in a loose-fitting brown cardigan and a boxy khaki skirt that stops just below the knee, with white socks and black flat shoes that look like what little girls wear. She’s quirky and can’t be more than twenty-five.

“Dominic is fine. I called you in here because it dawned on me that I don’t know who Peter’s PA was. I have a lot of things I need to address, and I need someone who can give me the rundown.”

She visibly relaxes, and her entire demeanor changes. But it’s her next words that make me uneasy.

“Oh, that would be Elle Parker. Would you like me to tell her to come in here?”

Shit.

Panic rushes through my veins at the thought of working so closely with her every day. I mean, I assumed if Elle was still working here, I’d be working alongside her from time to time, but I didn’t know I was going to be workingthisclosely with her.

Trying to conceal my emotions, I answer her. “Yes, please. That would be great, thank you.”

“Anytime, sir,” she says before turning around and walking out of my office.

I try to prepare myself for whatever may come my way with Miss Parker. It doesn’t take long before another knock sounds at my door.

“Come in,” I call out.

Like the gates of Heaven have opened, this blonde angel comes walking into my office. All sense and reason leave my body. She’s dressed in a form-fitting blue dress that hugs her every curve, curves I haven’t seen in far too long. The dress looks like it was painted on and should be illegal to wear to the office. Elle is a beautiful woman, and I know I’m not the only one noticing. Her long blonde hair is down and curly, and she’s wearing minimal makeup.

Her lips are moving, but I don’t hear a single word she’s saying. I’m too busy taking in her incredible body. A body I’ve seen naked twice. And I wouldn’t mind making it a third.

“Mr. Lombardi?” she says, standing before me clutching an iPad to her chest.

“Hmm?” I say, looking up at her angelic face.

“I said, you wanted to see me, sir?”

Hearing her call me “sir” sends a bolt directly to my dick, making it twitch in my suit pants. Clearing my throat and trying to stay professional, I lift my right arm and indicate to the chairs in front of my desk.

“I did. Please take a seat, Miss Parker.”

She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes, before picking the furthest seat away from me and sitting on the edge of the chair. Crossing her legs, she places the iPad on top of her knee while holding a stylus in her hand, ever ready for whatever I’m about to throw her way.

“Becca informed me that you were Peter’s PA, so it looks like we’ll be spending more time together.” I try for lightheartedness, but she just sits there staring back at me, nodding her head in acknowledgment, because I’m sure she already came to that conclusion far sooner than I did.

“Right. Anyway, I know this sale and change of ownership came on rather quickly, and LM’s clients didn’t have the proper knowledge or time to process this. We need to send out a newsletter ASAP letting them know, but also informing them that nothing will be changing. Any meetings will still be taking place at the scheduled times.”

“Already done, sir. I did that this morning, and I also touched base with the clients you had scheduled for today and rescheduled the ones who I knew you’d need more time to look over. I’ve emailed you your updated schedule and the files on the clients who you will be meeting with this afternoon. Your first appointment is at two p.m. I hope that will give you enough time to look over the file, but if not, I can always stall Mr. Williams for you by asking about his grandchildren. He may look like a grumpy old man, but he’s a softie, really.”

Looking down at my watch, I see it’s only ten-fifteen in the morning. She was able to get all of that done without me even asking her in such a short amount of time? I’m both shocked and impressed she was able to anticipate my needs. And at the fact that she’s being so nice,too.

“Uh, yeah, that will work. Um, thank you, Miss Parker,” I say, completely stumbling over my own words.

“You seem surprised, Mr. Lombardi. Why is that?”

---