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4
Kerenza
I always strived to look my best. Not just because I was a model and worked with gorgeous women on a daily basis, but because it made me feel good to be put together. Today, though, as I got dressed for work, I wanted to look my best for a different reason: my intense, but insanely hot new boss.
As was custom in today’s internet-age, after our first meeting yesterday, I decided to do some online recon on Oden Elijah Matthews. He was a successful campaign director—wildly successful, actually—which made me wonder what the heck he was doing working with a small fish like Underthingz. But I wasn’t interested in his professional accolades. I was more interested in his personal pursuits.
A Google search revealed that Oden had Facebook and Twitter accounts that he used for work-related purposes only. If I had to guess, an assistant managed them.
I started a new search and typed in ‘Oden Matthews’ girlfriend.’ To my surprise, quite a few images of him popped up, with various women, all of whom were African American and in varying shades and sizes.I smiled to myself. So, Oden was down with the swirl, huh?
Well, so was I. So was I.
Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to get to work tomorrow.
I arrived at ULC twenty minutes early, a first for me, but hey, I wanted to make a good impression with our new campaign director.
Isobel, Adhira and Maya were already in the second-floor meeting space when I got there. The four of us made up the team of lingerie models for ULC. We also had a social media director, three interns, and two administrative assistants in the marketing department as well.
“Good morning, Isobel, Addy, and Maya,” I said, taking an empty chair at the table.
“Hey, hey!” Addy replied, energetic as always.
Isobel’s greeting, like her personality, was a little more tempered. “Good morning, Kerenza.”
“What’s uuuup,” Maya said, drawing the words out.
The four of us dove into conversation, touching on Wendell’s firing, the state of the company, and of course, the new campaign director.
Isobel, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and fully aware of her good looks, leaned forward and said in a hushed tone, “Just to let you all know, I call dibs on Oden. Give me a week and I’ll have him wrapped around my pinky finger—”
As if on cue, the door swung open, and in waltzed a small group of people, which consisted of the rest of our department staff, as well as the new kid on the block.Like yesterday, Oden was dressed in a perfectly tailored dark suit, with a crisp white shirt, sans tie. His hair still looked wet from a shower, and I swear I could smell the faint scent of some expensive aftershave.I inhaled deeply, breathing the tantalizing fragrance in.
He looked otherworldly and so out of place in this room—hell, in this company. I planned on enjoying the view for as long as I could.
Oden came to a stop in the center of the meeting space. Leisurely, he buried his hands in his pockets and scanned the room. When our gazes connected, I quickly averted my eyes, cheeks heating at being caught ogling him. Who wouldn’t want to ogle Oden, though?
“Good morning, everyone,” he said. Most people would project their voice to be heard over the din, or some would even outright scream. But he didn’t do either of those things. Instead, he spoke in a normal tone, seeming confident that the sound of his voice alone would be enough to bring silence and order to a room currently in a chaotic state.
It sure as hell did.
“As I said yesterday when I first met you all, I’m elated to be here to spearhead the next few Underthingz campaigns. I’m confident we can pull together something spectacular and help turn things around for the company.”
I was the first person to start clapping. His genuine concern for a company he was new to touched me. I got the sense that Oden Matthews poured his heart into any cause he championed.
Isobel joined in, clapping louder and harder than any of us. I bit my cheek to keep from smiling. The determined gleam in her eye was unmistakable. She was going to do her best to get our new boss into her bed. I wasn’t saying she didn’t have a chance, but it wouldn’t hurt her to do a quick Google search and see that Mr. Matthews had a type, of the melanin, sun-kissed, kinky-haired variety.
Then again, a dog would accept a bone from anyone who threw it. I didn’t know if Oden was that kind of man, the kind of man I’d unfortunately had many experiences with in the past.
Sighing, I pushed those depressing thoughts away and tuned back into my new boss’ speech.
“Today’s our first official day of work together, but unfortunately, I’ll be off-site, paying the Underthingz warehouse a visit, and taking a close look at where and how our pieces are manufactured. This will help me put together a concept for the upcoming campaigns.” Pausing, he removed a hand from his pocket and pointed a finger, to my utter surprise, right at me.
“Kerenza, I’d like you to accompany me to the warehouse and show me around.”
I sat up straighter in my chair, attempting to keep the surprise coursing through me from showing on my face.
“M-me?”
