AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Right now, anyone can steal a file from the offices. The risk stays the same.”
I thought about it for a moment, nodding slowly. “I see where you’re coming from. It might not be so easy to do at first—not everyone is comfortable with the cloud, and there are older people who prefer the old school.”
Erica turned her attention back to the file. “How often do you send employees out to the warehouses and factories?”
“Once a week,” I said.
“Why so often?”
“To update reports.”
Erica shook her head. “Why don’t you let them Skype? Then send out someone to check in, in person, once a month. Travel expenses can run you dry.”
“I love these ideas,” I said.
Erica smiled at me. “Just doing my job, boss.”
She was doing her job, but she was doing it very well. I was so glad I’d hired her. She had come across professionally, and her résumé had been impressive, but she was proving herself. Everything she had promised in her résumé was true. I was excited to take her to the meeting with me.
“You have a knack for business,” I said.
“I’m just doing what I learned. Applying my experience and all that.”
I shook my head. “This may stem from book knowledge, but you have a natural instinct that can’t be taught. I admire that.”
Erica stood and walked around her desk to hand the file back to me. It was almost time to go to the meeting. It was a mistake to be this close when I wanted her as badly as I suddenly did.
When she stood in front of me, the tension grew between us. Her breath hitched in her throat. She felt it too. My glance slid down to her lips. I wanted to kiss her so fucking badly.
Erica’s eyes slid to my lips too. She swayed a little, and I was about to dip my head and kiss her when Susan appeared in the doorway. We both turned our heads and looked at my secretary. Neither of us jumped back or acted like we’d been doing anything wrong. All Susan saw was me and Erica facing each other with a file between us. If either of us had reacted, we would have been in trouble.
But Erica was as cool as I was.
“The investors are taking their seats in the boardroom,” Susan said.
“Thank you. We’ll be right out.”
Susan left, and I turned my attention to Erica. “That was close.”
“What was?” she asked and then turned away from me. She looked so innocent I wondered for a second if she had felt what I had felt. But I thought about her breath hitching, and I knew she was only playing her game again. Erica was better at hiding her feelings than I would ever be.
I followed her toward the elevator, and she pressed the button. I wanted to put my hand on the small of her back. I craved the feel of her skin. But anyone could see us here. I had to get Erica alone again, somewhere safe from prying eyes, so I could spend time with her again and be who I wanted to be without worrying what it would mean for our reputations. I would think of something.
Erica and I walked into the boardroom where the investors were all together. Jeremy Brock and Rick Harper were there too. They were my biggest investors, and I wanted them happy above all the others.
“Thank you for joining us today,” I said when everyone was ready to begin. “Unfortunately, Shane is off sick, but Erica will step in for him.”
I handed the floor to Erica, and she stood up. She looked calm and controlled. If she was nervous, she didn’t show it. But I had learned by now that Erica had a flawless poker face. She could get anyone to believe she was calm no matter what she was feeling.
“I’m Erica Hudson,” she started and explained her role in the company. “Mr. Loomis asked me to have a look at the company expenses. It’s my understanding that we need to cut costs, and I have a few ideas how to go about that.”
I watched the men as Erica explained what her plans were. They were visibly impressed, smiling and nodding at one another as she talked about cutting paper and travel expenses.
“What do you suggest we do about our new employees?” Harper asked. “Right now, we’re spending money on new employees who don’t stick around for long, and we have to keep retraining new recruits. It’s costing us money, and we’re not moving forward.”
