Page 7 of No Harm No Howl

She huffed. “You’re lucky I need this job,” she deadpanned before crossing the threshold and into the building.

FIVE

GIA

Gia should have known better. Hell, she had known better. The second Gerri had brought up the possible job, she knew it sounded fishy. But nooooo. She couldn’t listen to her gut. Her friend had set her up. Gerri could have given her a heads-up, but she hadn’t, and that chapped Gia’s ass. She’d asked her if it was a setup, and Gerri had lied right to her damn face.

Her breath hitched in her throat the second he opened the door, and his scent wrapped around her, enveloping her in a sensual fog. Her wolf screamed in her mind. She had no doubt whatsoever that her fated mate stood right in front of her. A myriad of feelings flashed through her mind. None of them were good.

It wasn’t that her mate was tragic to look at. In fact, he was the most handsome creature she had ever laid her eyes on. Well over six feet tall with thick, dark hair that she would love to run her fingers through. His sky-blue eyes were mesmerizing and made her want to drop her panties right there on the spot.

God knew it had been long enough since she’d so much as been touched by a man. Those lips of his. Jesus, those totally kissable lips nearly drew her in for that first kiss seconds after seeing him, but she held firm and kept her feet planted. She was proud of herself for not giving in to the overwhelming temptation running through her veins.

“Do you have your resume with you?” he asked with a deep timbre.

“I do.” Her words came out sultrier than she would have preferred. Clearing her throat and shaking the cobwebs from her brain, she tried to regulate her voice before speaking again. “Do you want to do this right here … or?”

“Right. Let’s go back to my office. Shall we?”

“Sure.” Gia followed him as he led the way.

The reception area was nice, modern, and clean. It was a place she could easily see herself working in, but she had to get over the fact that she would be working for her fated mate. That was a sobering thought. She knew nothing about the guy other than his name and the fact that he had built one of the most successful security companies in the state. Oh, and that he was friends with Gerri.

God, she had wanted to walk away. Still did, but he had offered her more than she had ever made in her damn life. She could at least hear him out. After that, she would make a decision. Mate or not, she wasn’t jumping into a damn thing.

“Please, have a seat,” he said, pulling a chair out for her once they had reached his office. His scent filled her nostrils once more, making her mind shoot straight to the gutter. Holding her breath, she tried like hell to keep her wits about her but failed miserably. Her nipples hardened under her blouse, and heat spread between her thighs.

His nostrils flared.

“Fuck!”she shouted in her mind, knowing exactly what he was picking up.

She fiddled with her pack, quickly withdrawing a folder with her resume. Handing it to him, she acted as if nothing was amiss. As if she wasn’t horny beyond belief. Like she wanted nothing to do with him whatsoever. And she hoped like hell that her plan was working.

He cleared his throat and began looking over her resume. “Why are you leaving your current job?”

“I got laid off. I guess the company is downsizing, and I was on the chopping block.” She sighed, still in disbelief that her position had been eliminated.

He asked several other questions, and she provided quick, truthful responses. He explained the job in detail and what her responsibilities would be. She felt completely comfortable with all of these as she had experience in all the areas he was asking about. The hours were on par with what her previous employer had expected.

The only thing she wasn’t sure about was the fact that this position would require travel. He expected her to travel with him to different sites as his executive assistant. Trips could take a day, or a week or more, depending on the length of the contract and the specifications of the client.

“Do you have any questions for me?” he asked.

“If you could explain the pay and benefits, that would be great.” Gia wanted to make sure she knew exactly what she was getting herself into before she agreed to anything.

“As I said, I’ll pay you double your normal salary. Here’s a list of the benefits we offer in addition to the pay.” He slid a packet of information across the desk.

Gia picked it up and began reading it over. This had to be too good to be true. What company would offer benefits like this? “Are you sure this is correct?” she asked skeptically.

“Of course. I believe in paying people what they’re worth. Not what some accountant tells me I should pay them. My board of directors agrees with the decision I’ve made. We employ the best. We pay the best to retain those with talent who make this business thrive and grow. It’s really as simple as that,” he explained matter-of-factly.

“I see,” she replied. Her brain ran freaking circles in her head. This was the company she had always wanted to work for. The pay … the benefits … were simply life-changing when it came down to it. She would go from having to watch every penny to having an actual savings account.

But that would mean she would have to work directly for the man who was her supposed true, fated mate … a serious conflict of interest.

What if things didn’t work out between them? Would she lose her job? What if things did work out between them? Could she handle being around her mate not only at home but at work as well?

“I can see the thoughts running through your mind. Tell me your concerns,” he asked softly.

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