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His wink settled my nerves, and I smiled, taking out the folder I’d secreted away every day since joining the company. I had no idea why I’d been so scared of leaving it out, considering no one ever came into the office.
“You inspire me with your designs, so I study them closely. I don’t ever steal your ideas,” I added, “so don’t worry about that.”
His chuckle put me at ease as he took the paper and started to study the digital images. There were a couple of kitchen layouts in my portfolio, but my speciality, my passion, was baby nurseries. I’d won accolades at University with my intricate and pretty designs.
As he flicked through them, Joseph remained stoic. His hands were steady, unlike mine. His concentration fierce, also unlike mine. Why was I so nervous about my boss seeing into my world? That had been the whole point of joining his company, surely?
“What drives you?” he asked, jolting me out of my thought diarrhoea.
The intimate question sucked the air from my lungs. So, one minute, I’d been on my own, left to my own devices. The next, I was up close and personal with the boss man, who I’d completely read wrong. I’d assumed he was lazy, someone who couldn’t be bothered to utilise his talent. Someone who sat at home most of the time, watching kinky cult classics and chugging on a beer. And yet… his energy was anything but sappy. His strong light eyes bore into mine, willing me to answer. And fuck me, I didn’t have the strength to refuse.
“I’m a box baby,” I blurted.
He lifted his head and tightened his jaw, nodding once to encourage me to continue.
What was I doing? Why was I spilling my life story to my middle-aged boss? His enigmatic energy almost forced the words out of my mouth.
“I was found in a box outside the hospital doors, almost dead. They managed to save me, but they never did find either of my parents.” Keeping my gaze on the desk, I bit my bottom lip. “I was placed into care and shared a rundown nursery with several other kids until I was put into a permanent foster home.”
He stayed quiet, not making a sound other than the shallow tone of his breath.
“I suppose…” Shrugging, I waved at the papers in his hands. “…I’m a sadistic person who wants to make gorgeous areas for babies and toddlers to enjoy.”
“That’s commendable,” he finally spoke, his voice low. “You’re a talented girl.”
“Girl?” I laughed, pleased that he’d given me an excuse to lighten the mood. “Sorry, I suppose… I am...”
Lifting my gaze, I froze. He stared at me, his jaw tight and his eyes intensely delving. The sound of my hilarity faded as we watched one another, somehow trapped in a strange staring contest. What the hell was going on?
“Sorry,” he said, handing back my designs. “You’re a beautiful woman.”
I scoffed and fumbled with my folder, taking my papers back and stuffing them in until he glared enough to make me stop. Before he’d walked into my office, I’d been confident and comfortable, knowing full well that I’d worked my arse off to get to where I was now. For some bizarre reason, his praise sent a thrill down my spine and my cheeks grew hot. He hadn’t ever shown any interest in my work before. In fact, he’d hardly spoken to me, too busy hiding away. It was as if my threat to leave had made him realise how important I was to his operation. Well, good, that had been the point.
“Take care of those.” He pointed at my work. “You might have need for them.”
Clearing my throat as he got to his feet, I nodded and placed them back in my hiding place. My insides were wobbly as he started to walk towards the door. Just before he reached it, he looked over his shoulder with a smouldering stare. “Please, reconsider your position here at Hunter Designs. I’ll show you exactly what you can achieve over the next week. What do you say?”
My throat went dry as my head nodded of its own accord. “Very well,” I replied, suddenly feeling bold. “Show me what you’ve got.”
Chapter Three
“So…” I started, sipping my wine and leaning closer to my friend, Elissa. “I finally met my boss after quitting.”
Slamming her hand on the bar, she gaped at me. “You did? What was he like? Was he pissed that you’re leaving?”
Her long brown hair swung behind her as she gestured for me to speak. The dark hazel of her eyes caught the glint of the overhead light. The tassels of the shade hung low, almost brushing our heads. The grouping of shades was effective, hovering over us like a cloud of brown and mustard jellyfish. I’d always admired the quirky design of the bar. The dark green wallpaper was adorned with a gold print reminiscent of an old English gentlemen’s club. I perched on a green barstool, leaning my arms on the dark wooden bar. It was actually perfectly clean, unlike a lot of other bars I’d been to in London.
Turning my attention back to my friend, I rolled my eyes and shrugged, chuckling as I imagined his face. “He’s actually really hot.”
“Hot? Is he younger than you predicted?” Elissa eyed up a guy who walked through the door, his leather jacket thrown over his arm.
I followed her gaze, melting at his warm smile as he threw it towards me. Oh, no, wait, he was looking at the woman behind me. Of course he was.
“Ugh,” I sighed, placing my head on the bar and groaning. “Why do I have to be so perpetually single? I’m going to die a spinster, just like Jane Eyre.”
Elissa tugged my arm and poked me in the armpit. Shooting up, I frowned at her, resenting her foul play. The handsome biker man slunk up behind me, smelling all gorgeous and shit. Sigh.
“Firstly,” she said, sliding my wine closer to me, “Jane Eyre ended up marrying a much older man. Secondly, tell me about your boss. Don’t keep me hanging.”
