Unfortunately, none of those things quelled the tension between us. They only made it worse.
With every day that passed and every minute we spent together, my attraction to her became more unbearable. Everything from the shape of her mouth, to the curve of her hips was enough to make my cock hard whenever she entered a room, and I’d given up on trying to stop it.
Despite the fact that I’d never been so sexually frustrated in my life and my cold showers were now at a record four a day, I considered Tara to be the closest thing I had to a real friend. My first real friend. And on a professional level, I honestly felt like she was more like a partner in my company than an executive assistant.
“Mr. Parker?” A waiter stepped in front of me with a notepad. “Would you like me to get you an appetizer while you wait for your companion or would you like to order?”
I looked outside the window again, finding the beach completely empty. “I’ll go ahead and order.”
“Marvelous. What will you have this afternoon?”
“For myself, I’ll have the chef’s special with your best red wine.”
He nodded. “Excellent choice, sir. And your companion?”
“She’ll want to try your scallops, but ask the chef not to use any butter,” I said. “She’ll also want a small grilled chicken salad with balsamic vinaigrette and extra tomatoes. Also, for her allergies’ sake, could you make sure to leave out the garlic and chives?”
“As you wish, sir.” He was still scribbling. “Do you know what she’d like to drink?”
“Vodka.” I smiled. “Your strongest. Pour it in a wine glass with a strawberry garnish, so no one else knows.”
“I’ll have that right out, sir.” He walked away, and I picked up my phone.
I scrolled to Tara’s name, hesitating to call her, because I already knew what she was going to say.
“Yes, I’m still recording every single word you say, and for the record, this business trip was totally last minute, so I’ll get to all the meetings when I feel like it. Right now, I don’t feel like it.”
I smiled at the thought, and just as I was pressing call, she walked into the restaurant wearing a stunning black and grey dress with towering red stilettos. She put away her umbrella at the door and shook hands with the manager.
As always, her raspy, sexy laugh drew looks from everyone who heard it, and the second she stepped onto the dining room floor, every man in her radius stopped and stared.
Shivering, she made her way to our table and I stood up, taking off my blazer and wrapping it around her shoulders.
I waited for her to sit down before returning to my seat. “Are you still giving me the silent treatment?”
“Depends. Are you going to apologize for insisting that I attend this private lunch and the executive meeting right after, when I specifically asked you if I could have today off?”
“I’m not sure it’s ever appropriate for a boss to apologize to his employee for asking her to do her job.”
“Figures.” She slipped her arms into my jacket and scowled, looking sexier than ever. “When will the executives be here?”
“They won’t be here at all. I pushed the meeting to tonight when I realized how late you were going to be.”
“How thoughtful of you. Next time I’ll make you wait for two hours instead of one.”
“We both know you’ll never do that.”
“Because I love my job so much?”
“Because you’re a workaholic, just like I am,” I said. “You hate being idle in the daytime.”
“I hate working for you in the daytime.”
“Miss?” The waiter returned to the table before I could respond to that. “Is there anything else you’d like to add to your order?”
“Add?” She looked at me and rolled her eyes. “Can I please place my own order? I highly doubt my dining companion ordered anything I like, and I would hate to waste the chef’s time by sending it back.”
“Of course, Miss.” He pulled out his pad as she opened a menu. “What would you like to have this afternoon?”
“Hmmm.” She paused. “I want to try your scallops, but can you tell the chef not to use any butter with those? I’d also like to have the small grilled chicken salad with balsamic vinaigrette and extra tomatoes.”
He stopped writing, looking at me in confusion as Tara continued to talk.
“I have allergies,” she said. “So, can you ask the chef to leave the garlic and chives out of the salad?”
“As you wish.” The waiter nodded. “What would you like to drink with your meal?”
“Your strongest brand of vodka, please. But please pour it into a wine glass with a strawberry garnish, so no one else will know what it is.”
“I’ll be right back with that, Miss.” He stepped away from the table, and she glared at me.
“That’s exactly why I prefer to order my own food,” she said. “I’m very picky.”
“I had no idea. Anyway, would you like to finally act like an adult and help me with the meeting preparation? Where do you think we should start?”
She didn’t answer. She just pulled out her phone and tapped the screen.
Seconds later, my phone buzzed with an email.
* * *
Subject: Your Suit & Tie.
I’ve told you repeatedly that whenever you wear a navy-blue suit and tie, you come off far more condescending than you actually are. (Which is actually quite shocking.) You need to wear a grey suit and a pinstripe tie to tonight’s meeting.
Tara Lauren,
Executive Assistant to Preston Parker,
CEO of Parker International
* * *
“You’re sitting right across from me and you’d rather send emails than talk?” I asked.
My phone buzzed again.
* * *
Subject: Your Rhetorical Question.
YES.
Tara Lauren,
Executive Assistant to Preston Parker,
CEO of Parker International
* * *
Subject: Re: Your Rhetorical Question
I don’t recall asking if you would finally let me fuck you, but if your answer to that “rhetorical question” is still the same …
Preston Parker,
CEO & Owner of Parker International
* * *
“Okay, fine.” She set her phone down as soon as she read my message. “We can go through all the meeting preparations after we eat.”
“I thought so.”
The waiter set down our food and drinks minutes later, and she immediately moved the pepper shaker away from my side of the table. I moved the bread basket away from hers.
“In the meantime,” she said, “You need a date to the Mister New York awards gala at the end of next month. Would you like me to find you a plus-one?”
“I would like for you stop bullshitting and go with me.”
“I’ve told you on numerous occasions that it’s not appropriate for me to attend social events as your date. You’re my boss.”
“I’ve told you that doesn’t matter and no one will dare to say a goddamn thing, since I own the company.”