Page 26 of Saved By Mr. Tempting

I came back from my lunch at the gym. There was a fitness club right down the block and since I spent more time in the office than I did at home, I purchased a membership. When I was really feeling antsy, it helped to go for a quick run, or even a swim, before heading off to my next meeting.

That day, I pounded out a few miles, showered and redressed before walking back to the office. I swung by IT instead of sending an email. Since I was up anyway, it never hurt to show my face. That was one thing I didn’t learn from my father. He kept himself hidden away, only interacting with the rest of the staff through Lauren. I was determined not to make the same mistake, and I put it on my calendar to go wandering around the office every few days.

It was a good plan. I would take an hour, stop in and chat with the VPs, and take a look at the designs that were on the slate for the next season. Next, I would show up in the break room to see who was there, make myself a conspicuous cup of coffee and stay to chat. Lastly, I would swing through the accounting department and check in with the accounts receivable folks to see if they were having any problems.

I was able to stay on top of things that way. An issue with a distributor might not rise to the level of an email, but if I was right there, someone might open up. I read all about the technique in some of the many leadership books I purchased. I wanted to make sure that I was doing a good job and that I could hit the ground running. One of the techniques that nearly all the books recommended was to walk the floor and spend time with the employees.

So, I figured I could kill two birds with one stone. I could put in an appearance at IT and make sure that everything was running smoothly from their end. I could also get them started working on a phone for Ava.

By the time I arrived back at my office, there was an email waiting for me. I forwarded it to her and assumed that she would be all over it. At about three that afternoon, she popped into my office to show off her new tech.

It was a sleek black phone with a data plan and a bevy of apps already installed. It had all the office stuff so that she could work on spreadsheets and things from home. It also had voicemail so she could screen out unwanted calls. Of course, the ex-boyfriend wasn’t going to get his hands on this number, I was sure of that.

It bothered me that he was stalking her. I didn’t know much about him other than a general sense that he was the cause of her recent homelessness. I didn’t know how any man could throw a woman out onto the streets. Even someone I didn’t like wouldn’t deserve that kind of treatment.

If Ava was not destitute when we met, I wouldn’t have felt so protective. But seeing as how I had to swoop in and rescue her, I felt some measure of responsibility. The guy was a complete trash can. If it was up to me, I would counsel her to report him to the police, but I didn’t know if that suggestion would be appreciated.

Knowing my mother’s nonprofit like I did, I understood that they were on the lookout for such things. Ava presented herself originally as a single woman, someone unencumbered by previous relationships. That wasn’t exactly true. A business cell phone was the least I could do. In all honesty, I had considered ordering one for her a week ago, it had just slipped my mind.

“Ava,” I said seriously, breaking through her excited chit chat about the phone.

“Yes?”

“You would tell me if something else was wrong.” I meant it as a question, but it came out more like a command.

She pressed her lips together, considering my request. “Of course.”

“If you see him…” I warned.

“I’ll let you know,” she promised.

“Okay.” I let the matter drop.

Silence fell, heavy and awkward between us. I had overstepped a boundary and I knew it. My demand wasn’t exactly professional. It wasn’t romantic either, but lay somewhere along the lines of concern. I wanted to impress upon her the seriousness of her situation. I heard too many stories from my mother about women who underestimated the fury of their domestic partners.

Yes, I wanted her around to work for me, but I also wanted to make sure she was safe. It wasn’t completely selfish and she knew it. She gave me a small smile before walking back to her desk and shutting the door behind her.

I cursed out loud, throwing my pen across the room. I was getting way too involved in her business. She was just an employee and I needed to remain unemotional. Giving her a phone, a new wardrobe and an apartment was fine, as long as I knew where to draw the line. I couldn’t let myself get carried away. I reminded myself that she was off limits.

I had plenty of women that I could call up to satisfy my craving for sex. Jill, for starters, was always available and interested. There were also Cherry and Amanda. They were each fun in their own way. I would have to give one of them a call tonight if I was going to maintain my distance from Ava. She was fast becoming the first person I thought of when I woke up in the morning and the last face I imagined before calling it a night.

The clock was ticking away toward five when Ava knocked on the door again.

“Come in!” I called.

She pushed the door open and I saw my father in the foyer just behind her. I couldn’t stop my head from dropping back in frustration. It was a small movement, but it didn’t go unnoticed. If I was playing a high stakes game of poker, I would have just announced my losing hand. Luckily, my dad didn’t care.

He barged right in as if he owned the place, nearly shoving Ava out of the way. I made eye contact with my Ava, apologizing to her. She was distracted and didn’t notice the subtle communication. Then the door slammed shut and Dad was walking toward the window.

He paused to look out on the city, surveying the domain that had once belonged to him. “Hot secretary,” he said offhandedly.

“Stay away from her,” I commanded, searching for the force necessary to back up the request.

It almost seemed like a futile gesture. Either my father was going to hit on Ava or he wasn’t. He wouldn’t listen to me. And unfortunately, this was one chauvinistic bastard that I couldn’t protect her from. Short of getting into a fistfight with the old man, nothing else would work. I had never hit him, although I had come close. After what he did to Mom, not to mention the bevy of women he slept with over the years, I couldn’t summon any more outrage.

“Nice desk,” Dad looked down at the substandard pine that served as my workstation. “What happened to the old one?”

“I burned it,” I said.

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