“Marley,” he says huskily.
I’m stunned he didn’t call me Bob, but then again, that doesn’t seem to be his new MO.
“Mr. Morrison,” I reply.
His smile grows. “Eli, please. We have too much history for Mr. Morrison. Besides, that’s my grandfather.” He motions at the chairs in front of his desk. “Please have a seat.”
Taking small steps to hide the tremble in my knees, I make my way to the chair and sit, crossing my legs, with my notebook perched on my lap, pen ready to go. “Thank you for this opportunity,” I say. I feel as though I need to clear the air. My fear of losing my job is gutting me.
“You impressed Jane. That’s a feat in itself.” He leans his elbows on his desk, clasping his hands together. “How has your day been so far?”
That’s not what I was expecting. “Information overload.” I laugh nervously.
“Pace yourself,” he tells me. “It will all come in time. They say it takes a good year to be trained in any position.”
I nod. “I’ve heard that, but it won’t take me that long.” I’m confident in my statement. I know I’m a hard worker, and I’m determined to excel for me, and well, for him, I guess. Which is weird, but he is my boss.
“I’m sure you know that I’ve just taken the reins from my grandfather. While I’ve been around Morrison Hotels my entire life, it’s the first time that it’s only ever been me in charge. I don’t want the success of my grandfather to go down in flames now that I’m sitting in this chair, filling his shoes, so to speak.”
His confession is real. Honest and completely un-Eli-like. The Eli that I know and remember liked to goof off and torture me. Okay, torture is a strong word, but it wasn’t pleasant. “How can I help?” I ask, realizing I’m lost in my own thoughts.
“Communication. I want to know what’s going on in every department. I have relationships with many of the employees, but I’m the boss, and sometimes I know many don’t have the courage to approach the man in charge. I want you to be my eyes and ears. If there is something going on with the staff, I want to know about it. Their job satisfaction is what makes this place run like a well-oiled machine, and I want to keep it that way. You’re going to work closely with all of them.”
“Of course. I have to tell you, I’m not one to hold punches. If it’s negative toward you or the company, I’m going to be honest about it.”
“That’s what I want. That’s what I need. I’m actually glad it’s you,” he says. “I’m glad it’s someone that I know and trust.”
He trusts me? “You can count on me,” I tell him. I feel silly saying these things to him, but it’s what I would say to my boss that’s not my brother's sexy best friend.
“Anything else?” I ask. I need to put some space between us. I have to stop thinking of him as sexy. That’s not only unprofessional, but this is Eli.
“Yes, actually.” He reaches for a small stack of papers on his desk and then stands, stepping around the large piece of mahogany wood and taking the vacant seat next to me. He turns toward me, and our knees brush. Something that feels like a shock works its way through my system. His eyes dart to mine, which tells me he felt it too. He clears his throat but makes no move to alter his position, leaving his knees pressed against mine.
I don’t move either.
I’m not going to think about why.
“I have a list here of all the staff. It’s an HR file, but I wanted to work through it. I think we should implement some sort of merit system for years of service. I was thinking in five-year increments? Marketing is not just for our customers but our staff as well. I want happy employees which in turn will make this place run better, and we can better serve our customers.”
“That’s a great idea and will do great for employee morale.”
He nods, a small smile pulling at his lips. “I was also thinking that this needs to be displayed where guests can see it. Sure, many won’t pay much attention, but it’s important to showcase our staff.”
“I agree,” I say, making notes, my mind already racing with ideas.
“I’d like to work closely with you on this project. I’m giving you the lead, but I’d like for you to keep me in the loop every step of the way.”
“Absolutely.” This is a far cry from serving drinks at The Wine Cellar. I’m giddy with excitement that I get to keep this job, and Eli seems to be fine with us working together.
“Let’s have a standing meeting twice a week. Jane can set it up on my schedule. In the meantime, be thinking of gifts that we can award for each level of service. Every five years, the reward should be more desirable. Something for the staff to look forward to.”
“Got it,” I say, scribbling notes on my notepad.
“Great. I’m excited to have you here.” He stands, and I follow suit, only I’m too busy watching him and stumble over my heels and begin to fall. His strong arms reach out and grab me, pulling me into his chest. “I’ve got you,” he says, his voice gravelly.
I look up at him to say thank you, and my breath hitches. The gold flakes in his hazel eyes are vibrant today as he looks down at me. “S-Sorry,” I stumble over my words. I should pull away, but he’s not making a move to release me, and to be honest, it feels good to be pressed against him.
Wait!
This is Eli.
My boss.
What the hell am I doing?
Placing my palms flat against his chest, I push back, and although it appears to be reluctant, he releases me slowly.
“You good?” he asks.
“Y-Yeah. Sorry again. I’m not usually this clumsy.”
“You’re fine.” His heated eyes roam over my body. “I mean, it’s fine.” He clears his throat.
“I-I should go.” I point to the door. “Back to my office. To work,” I say like an idiot.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” He reaches his arm out as if he’s reaching for me but quickly drops it.
“Positive. I’m going to… um, go get on your calendar. And I’ll get right on you, Mr. Morrison. I’ll get right on this, Eli. This.” I can feel my face flame. “I’ll get right on this.” With that, I turn and stalk out of his office. I wave at Jane and give her a wide smile that I know she can tell is forced and fake as hell. Jane is a smart woman. I’ll call her later, or better yet, I’ll send her an email to get on his calendar. I’m not going to that side of the floor unless I have to. This meeting has proved that I can’t be trusted. Me, my mouth, or my traitorous body that suddenly thinks Eli is the best news it’s heard or seen all year.
Chapter 7
Eli
I’m hard.
So fucking hard, it hurts.
My skin still tingles where she placed her palm against my chest. My dick recognized and appreciated the contact immediately, even if it was felt through my shirt. Now, as much as I try to tell him it’s not appropriate, since she’s my new employee, he doesn’t seem to care. He’s anxious and ready, throbbing in my pants.