Her eyes watered up again as her vulnerabilities began to peek through again. She attempted to smile but held on to him and rested her head on his chest instead. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, the carols drifting up through the open window.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “For not giving up on me.”
“Let’s go home. We have an early start tomorrow.”
She wasn’t going to argue anymore or tell him she couldn’t face the people at the office again. It was time for her to stop caring about what everyone thought about her and focus on her own happiness.
****
Alora had been quiet all morning. They ate in silence. Dressed in silence. And drove to the office in silence.
“Have a good day. I’ll see you at lunch,” he said.
She visibly cringed but nodded and got off on her floor while he proceeded to his office on the penthouse floor. It was cute how she worried about Nelson Industries, but he didn’t get to the top by being a pushover. He was ruthless in business and not afraid to throw his weight around.
He grabbed his stack of mail from reception on the way to his office. His PA rushed behind him.
Without turning around, he spoke to him. “What’s the damage?”
“Everyone’s talking. Obviously. A lot of people like Alora, but they want to climb up in the company more.”
“Of course, they do. It’s a cutthroat world, isn’t it?”
“Did you want me to put out any feelers? Maybe a memo?”
“Nope. I’ve got it handled. My employees need to understand they can climb over each other all they want, but that can never include Alora.”
Adam entered his office and closed the door behind him. He dropped his mail on the console table and paced back and forth as he weighed all the pros and cons of what he planned to say. Mostly he had Alora’s feelings at heart.
He sat down in his leather chair and spun to face his phone. After clicking on the communication system for the entire building, he brought the phone to his ear and leaned back.
“If I could have a moment of everyone’s time, please. There seemed to be some excitement yesterday after Marvin was fired for not being a team player. I consider everyone in this office building a well-oiled machine, a work family. We are only as strong as our weakest link, so we’re all better off without an asshole like Marvin pulling us down. If any of you have a problem with my decision, you keep that shit to yourselves.
“Now, onto another matter. When Marvin left, he spewed quite of bit of vitriol. He was bitter and jealous and decided Miss Alora Harris would be his target. Because she has more accounts, referrals, and requests, he chose to try to tarnish her reputation. He doesn’t realize how loyal her customers are. Most people can see through all his lies. I’m an equal-opportunity employer, and I certainly don’t think a male employee is automatically better than a female. He didn’t feel the same way, and that kind of backward thinking isn’t where I want to take this company.
“Finally, I’ve heard the whispers. Don’t worry, they aren’t rumors. I’m dating Miss Alora Harris. Not just dating, no, that sounds too casual. I’m in love with her, madly in love with her, and committed to our relationship. Her work ethic is exemplary, but our relationship is separate from business. I didn’t get this far by confusing business and pleasure. I don’t need advice, and I certainly don’t want to hear any comments about our private lives, because they’re just that—private.
“It’s less than a week until Christmas and only a few days until I close down this hunk of concrete and metal so you can all stay home and enjoy the holidays with your families. Thank you for your time in this matter.”
He set the phone back on the cradle and turned off the message system. Adam leaned back and exhaled. It needed to be said, and he wouldn’t rehash this issue again with anyone. He wasn’t known as a hardass for nothing.
Adam got back to business as usual. He was going through his appointment book when the door to his office burst open. Alora slammed the door shut, leaning her back against it and staring at him.
“I’m guessing you heard the announcement.”
“Everyone heard. A little warning would have been nice.” She began to walk forward.
“You know me, as impulsive as ever.”
She looked at his desk where he’d fucked her a few days earlier.
“I’m surprised you told thousands of people that we were an item. That’s a huge commitment, don’t you think?”
“That was the point. You need to understand I’m in this for the long haul. I know you’re vulnerable. I know you have trust issues. But do you know what? I’m no different than you. I’ve hid from real relationships for over forty years to avoid getting hurt, to keep from being disappointed. Being with you is what I need, what I want.”
“I want to try, too.”
He rounded his desk and cupped her face, staring into her blue eyes. “I know it sounds crazy, but we can be a family. You, me, and Burt.”
She giggled but melted into his kiss a moment later. It was slow, sensual, and full of promises. Alora wasn’t just about sex, she was everything.
How had this slip of a woman captured his heart so quickly? He blamed fate, something much bigger than both of them. Maybe all the suffering he’d endured in his childhood was to help him appreciate the woman in front of him now.
When they broke from their kiss, he took both her hands. “Do you think you’ll be able to finish my commission tonight? Christmas is just around the corner, and we still don’t have that tree you talked about.”
“If you let me work without distracting me, I may be able to finish.”
“Good. The condo should be all settled before the big day. Are we going with an artificial or real tree?”
A childlike excitement lit up her eyes. “Real. I want to smell the pine, feel the needles when I put up the ornaments. Can we go to cut one this weekend?”
“We can’t just go to the store?”
She shook her head. “I want it all, Adam. All the things I missed. All the experiences I only lived in my head.”
He kissed her forehead. “I’ll make all your dreams come true.”
Chapter Seven
“I want to be the first one to apologize to you.”
Alora glanced up from her workstation to see Trudy, one of Marvin’s old assistants. She was a budding artist. Alora had gotten the chance to work with her a few times after she was handed Marvin’s disastrous accounts. She couldn’t believe Marvin assumed he was better than her just because he was a man. It did piss her off. Talent didn’t choose between the sexes.
“It’s okay, Trudy,” she said with a smile.
Trudy wasn’t the first one to apologize to her. In the last few days, most in the building had taken the time to say a comment here or there. She’d been surprised actually by how many people couldn’t stand Marvin. He’d created a toxic work environment.
Most of them had been women, and it seemed he had a reputation that even Adam was pissed off about. The last thing Adam had wanted to do before the holidays started was have a team meeting about employment rules and conduct, which stated any employee who harassed, blackmailed, or made sexual overtures needed to be reported.