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He looked for me and he wasn’t with that woman. All my good sense escapes me. I forget that he’s my boss, that I might well lose my scholarship for crossing ethical lines with this man. There is only how deliciously spicy he smells, and how impossibly perfect I remember he felt that night. I want to feel him now. I want him to kiss me. I want him to fuck me right here in this stairwell, but he doesn’t. He pushes off the wall and leaves.
Chapter twenty
Cole
After two hours of off-site meetings, I return to the offices, and I’ve just reached the entrance of the building when a phone call from Houston stops me in my tracks. I step to the side of the door and finish the conversation I need to have now and in private. Five minutes later, I enter the building with the understanding that the partner voted into control of Houston, meant to be an extension of both myself and Reese, has created chaos by shuffling clients, and there’s a mass exodus in effect.
I cross the lobby and step onto the elevator with regrets over the structure of the Houston office within our new operation, I intend to mend it and mend it immediately. What I don’t regret is following Lori into that stairwell, especially now, knowing I’m going to have to leave town. I’d seen the look in her eyes before she headed to the door, hatred of herself for wanting a man she felt could have substituted her for any other woman burning in her stare. A man who didn’t really feel she was different when I damn sure do. Add that to the fact that I’m now her boss, and I wasn’t going to let her spend another minute of this day feeling what I was certain she felt, what I’d seen in her eyes.
The elevator arrives on my floor and I waste no time exiting and making my way to the executive hallway. When I reach Lori’s office, her door is open and I stop, catch her attention and motion for her to follow me. I pause and wait for her at the glass doors.
“I have a crisis in Texas,” I say. “An uprising against the senior VP I left in charge.” I open the door for her.
She quickly enters, and I follow to find Maria behind her desk, her attention on us. “I need a private jet that can get me to Houston tonight and back by the party on Saturday night. And I need to talk to Reese the minute he’s out of court.”
“Got it,” she says. “On it all.”
I motion Lori to follow me to my office. “I need you to find me a secretary by Monday,” I say. “Interview. Make a hire. Just get them at the desk ready to work. Make sure they have a backbone and skills.”
She enters the office. I join her and shut the door. “You’re going to trust me to actually hire for you?” she asks.
“And a whole lot more,” I promise her as Maria blasts over the intercom. “Reese is on the line! He’s on break so he has about sixty seconds.”
“Thanks, Maria,” I say, walking around my desk, I sit down, and grab the line while Lori moves to sit in one of the two seats directly in front of me. “Reese,” I say, confirming I’m talking to him considering the sensitivity of the topic.
“Why do I know this is a problem?”
“There is a revolt against Newton.”
“Newton? Everyone voted him in. He’s good.”
“Apparently, he’s a secret Napoleon. You know how power goes to some people’s heads. Bottom line here: I need to go and stop a mass exodus, and then this plan we had to keep the offices divided for success needs to be trashed.”
He curses under his breath. “Where does this leave us? Do you want to pull all management into this office?”
“You have court right now,” I say. “Focus on your client. I’ve got this. Let’s talk once I evaluate.”
“How confident are you that you can fix this?” he asks.
“Completely. The way I see it Newton did us a favor. The sooner he fucked up the better. I’m still rooted in that world with those people.”
“Right. You’re right there. We have the open house Saturday night, though. Everyone who is anyone will be there.”
“I have a private plane booked,” I say. “I’ll fly back late tomorrow night. You just go win your case, even if it costs me that bet. I’ll call you.” I hang up and refocus on Lori.
“What can I do to help?” she asks.
“There’s an open house here Saturday night. In attendance will be clients and potential clients, political figures, a few judges, as well as a clusterfuck of press and then some. You’ll need to be at the party.”
“That didn’t tell me how I can help, but that aside—do you really think you can handle what sounds like a massive problem and be back here tomorrow night?”
“If I have to go back Monday I will, but if I do, I will not be pleased. I didn’t move here, to have to be there all the damn time.”
She straightens. “That brings me back to, what do you need me to do? Tell me how to help.”
Her.
I need her.
