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I would need her with me at all times. To truly help me, she’ll need to be where I am when I need her the most. It’s moments like now, at night and in the early morning hours, when I feel myself spiraling.
An assistant wouldn’t be tied to my hip. They wouldn’t share my space. That would bring about too many questions. It could stir up unwanted stories. The next thing I know, I’m mixing business and pleasure and taking advantage of my employees. It would reduce her to no less than an escort, and I won’t do that to her. Or me.
“Yes. But no.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I would hire you to be my assistant. You’d be responsible for all the typical things an assistant would do, but I’d also need you around all the time for moments like this.”
“You want your assistant to stay in a hotel with you?” She raises her brow.
She’s right. That won’t work either. People will talk.
They will ask questions.
They’ll find out my secrets.
Things I’ve avoided for years will come to the surface.
I can’t have that.
I love the game, but I hate the spotlight in any capacity. I’m private for a reason. Nobody would believe that Aiden Slate, the man who avoids getting too close to anyone, would allow an assistant, much less a woman, to live with him unless she means something to him.
“You make a valid point. I can’t exactly have people thinking I’m fucking you, which is exactly what they’d think. You can see how bad that would look. For both of us.”
Her eyes grow wide, and her mouth drops open. “That would be worse for me,” she says, swallowing. “I’d be labeled as a gold digger. Or worse.”
“You’re right, and it sucks. People have nothing better to do than pull others down.” I run my hand through my hair. “As my assistant, your name would be run through the mud. You’ll be with me at times that will make it appear as though I’m sleeping with you. There’s no way to avoid those misconceptions.”
“So what are you suggesting?” she asks, eyes mere slits.
What am I suggesting? I’m not even sure what other angle could be played. How can I have her with me at all times without the finger pointing and speculation? If she were my girlfriend, everything would be so easy.
I inhale sharply, having hit the nail on the head.
That’s it. That’s the answer.
“I’ll say that you’re my girlfriend.”
She barks out a humorless laugh. “How will that work? If we were dating, wouldn’t people, you know, like your friends, know?”
I rush ahead. “I’ll say that we’ve been flying under the radar for some time, but we’re ready to go public. It could work.”
“You don’t seem like the type of guy who goes public.” She uses air quotes on the last two words.
I smirk.
“And you know this how? Checking up on me?” I’m teasing her, and it’s baffling. I don’t flirt. I don’t tease.
But here I am, doing both.
“No,” she squawks. “I haven’t.”
“I’ll pay you to act as my girlfriend for the public, but in reality, you play the role of assistant behind the scenes.”
“Let me get this straight,” she says, leaning forward. “I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend in public, and you’ll pay me to help with your errands, rituals, and…” Her brows furrow as she drops her voice in confusion. “Have sex to calm you?”
“Fuck. No.” I shake my head. “Sex is off the table after tonight. This was a one-time thing that my agent thought I needed. I would never pay for sex.”
