“Okay, Red, let’s be real for a second,” Shay says, glancing at Jamie with amused affection. “What’s more likely, that Will’s been possessed by an otherworldly entity, or that he just decided to let loose for the night?”
“The possession thing. That’s definitely more likely,” Jamie says.
I just shake my head and return to my pancakes.
I was shocked out of my mind when Emily Cox’s assistant, Maya, called me on Sunday to let me know I actually got the job after all. I was on the subway, heading back to Brooklyn after my brunch with Jamie and Shay when I got the call, and I swear if I hadn’t been surrounded by a train full of strangers I’d have done a celebratory dance then and there.
I’ll be shadowing Maya for the next week while I learn the ropes, and if that goes smoothly I’ll then step into my role as personal assistant to the CEO, Spencer Cox.
I decide not to think about the whole harassment scandal; like I told Mac, I’ve been assured of his innocence by a reputable source…or, at least, a source. But even if that weren’t the case, I doubt I’d be able to bring myself to care that much right now; I have a job and will be bringing in a steady pay check—that pretty much trumps whatever moral high ground I’d like to be standing on. Besides, Emily was so unbelievably nice—surely her brother can’t be that bad?
When I arrive at CPG on Monday, I’m expecting to meet my new boss right away, but that doesn’t happen. First, I’m taken to HR to sign a whole heap of forms and pose for my employee ID. Then I spend the morning reading the employee manual and learning my way around the phones and email system.
Maya’s desk is right next to mine, directly outside the two corner offices that belong to each of the Cox siblings. Once again, Mr. Cox’s glass is set to opaque, while his sister’s is transparent.
“Can I ask a question?”
Maya glances up from her computer, offering a reassuring smile. “Of course.”
I glance at Mr. Cox’s office. “Is it always like that—with the privacy glass?”
Maya’s expression turns thoughtful. “Not always, but a lot of the time. It’s a feature they purposely designed when renovating the building because Emily likes to see out and Spence prefers privacy.” A bright grin crosses her face. “Em likes to tease him about what he actually does in there that he needs the opaque glass, but I think he just finds it easier to concentrate without the bustle of the office distracting him.”
* * *
At about eleven am, I hear Maya pick up a call and have a short conversation with my new boss.
“You’re ready now, Spence?” she asks into the phone, nodding at whatever he’s saying on the other end. “Okay, not a problem, we’ll be in in a moment.”
She pops her head around my desk and lets me know my boss would like to meet me now. I stand up, smooth out my pants and straighten my tie—yeah, I decided to wear a tie today.
I follow Maya as she knocks on the door, before pushing it open. “Spence, this is Will, your new PA.”
I step around Maya and get my first look at my new boss. And somehow manage to master my astonishment as I register his identity as Sexy Suit Guy from the other night. And damn, he’s even hotter than I remember—and trust me, I’ve been replaying that memory in my head all weekend.
His eyes flash in a moment of surprise as he recognizes me in turn, but he quickly masks it, turning to Maya. “Thanks Maya, you can leave us.”
Maya heads out the door, closing it behind her. I want to run after her, beg her not to leave me alone with him, but obviously that’s not an option. So now it’s just the two of us, me standing in the middle of the office and him standing behind his desk.
My eyes scan the room, determined to land anywhere except his face. His office is just as impressive as his sister’s was the other day, with a similar view of Manhattan from the giant picture windows. There’s a large desk to one side of the room and near the windows is a leather sofa set that I would so love to sink into right now because I seriously feel like my legs are about to give out from under me. As I eye the shelves that line one of the grey-painted walls, I notice something that makes me perk up a bit—a miniature TARDIS.
“Wow, you’re a Doctor Who fan? Who’s your favorite Doctor? Personally, I’m more of a Captain Jack fan, myself—I mean, John Barrowman, am I right? But, for the record, I’m talking about Doctor Who and Torchwood John Barrowman, not Arrow John Barrowman—he’s sort of let himself go a bit, hasn’t he?”
I finally stop talking and glance at my boss to find him staring at me in something like astonishment. “I’m sorry…I don’t know who that is.” He spares a brief glance for the TARDIS on his shelf before explaining, “That was a gift from my niece—I don’t actually watch that show.”
“Oh.” There’s no hiding my mortification, I can already feel my cheeks flaming bright red. “Well you should check it out. It’s pretty cool.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” The corner of his mouth turns up in the slightest of smirks before he draws a deep breath and gathers his composure. “So…Will? How are you settling in so far?”
I nod. “Fine. Maya’s been really helpful.”
He offers me a small smile. “Maya’s been here since we started, just follow her lead and you’ll be fine.”
I nod once again. An awkward silence descends on the room, thick with the tension from our sexcapade on Friday night.
And now I can’t stop thinking about the feel of my cock buried inside the tight heat of his ass, those hungry kisses, the way I made him come all over that hallway wall. For fuck’s sake, Will! Get a grip—now is really not the time to be springing a boner! I try to distract myself with Doctor Who again, but that just makes me think of Matt Smith and John Barrowman, which is no help…at all.
Spencer clears his throat and I look back from my perusal of his office to find his hazel eyes pinned on mine in a penetrating look I feel all the way down to my bones.
“I didn’t tell anyone about the other night!” I blurt out. “I mean, I did. I told two people. But I didn’t tell them it was you…I didn’t know it was you. I mean, I didn’t know you were Spencer Cox. I mean, I did, obviously, because I’ve come to work for Spencer Cox, but I didn’t know what Spencer Cox looked like until now…” I shake my head in frustration. “Fuck, I’m making no sense.”
I screw my face up, lifting a hand to pinch at the bridge of my nose. “Damnit, I just said the F-word in front of my boss…”
He lets out a loud bark of laughter and I feel my stomach flip flop at the way his entire face lights up with his smile. Damnit. “Will, I think the ship has pretty much sailed…in fact, it’s sailed, hit a storm, and capsized in terms of the things you’ve done in front of, behind, and to your boss.”
I let out a soft breath of laughter, feeling some of the tension leave my body. I can’t completely relax, though. Not until I know where I stand with this. “So…are you still my boss?”
He looses a soft sigh and resumes his seat in what is an expensive-looking leather swivel chair. Tapping his fingers against the glass top of his desk, he studies me thoughtfully. “You weren’t my employee at the time. And I had no idea who you were either. And I wasn’t involved in the hiring process, so…”