Authors: Jessica Miles
At 11.45, almost lunchtime on Wednesday, she received an urgent email in her inbox.
“Miss Green, would you join me for lunch please. I will be in reception at 12.”
Serena considered the request. She didn’t think she wanted to have lunch with him. She was still very angry. She didn’t want to talk to him as she couldn’t trust herself for a second. Also, she was not that hungry. She simply couldn’t eat in his presence…. She decided to ignore the email. That would annoy him. Serve him right! At five past she got another email sent via his phone.
“Serena, where are you?”
She began typing her reply.
“No thank you. Not hungry. I cannot think of a single reason why we would need to have lunch. SG, Social Media Consultant.”
She hit send knowing this was quite likely to make him very mad. It did. A few moments later, the door swung open behind her and he appeared at the side of her desk.
“Miss Green. Can I have a moment outside please? There is something I need to discuss with you.” He said coldly fuming. She turned and stared into his angry golden eyes.
“Please feel free to discuss it right here” She said sharply.
She was aware of the interest this was arousing in the office. Their obviously hostility was causing heads to rise silently around them, ears pricking up. Suddenly everything went silent in the open plan office. You could almost hear a pin drop.
“I really don’t think that would be wise. The corridor, right now please…?” he demanded and waited for her to rise.
“Are you actually ordering me to the corridor?” She asked aware that everyone was listening with acute interest to this.
“Yes I am!” He replied shortly.
“Alright then, Mr Karrigan. As you insist!”
She rose from her chair and walked slowly to the corridor with Ethan a few steps behind her. A half a dozen people were staring open mouthed at them as they took the few steps to the door. She kept a calm head. She knew exactly what she was doing. She was taunting and antagonising him. And she was enjoying it immensely! She was getting her own back on him in a small way. She pushed open the door and walked to the end of the corridor, turning to face him by the fire exit.
“What can I do to assist you today sir?” She asked in a sarcastic tone. “Any more imaginary JV meetings that you would like me to attend?”
He leant against the opposite wall clenching his fists and breathing heavily staring off into space.
“Serena. Do not EVER argue with me in front of the other staff again!”
He was obviously livid based on the tone of his voice right now. He moved a step towards her. She stood her ground and raised her head in defiance.
“Look, I really wanted to take you to lunch today to apologise for my behaviour on Friday night. I admit it was completely inexcusable. You have every right to be so very angry with me for that. I have been thinking for days how to approach you again and what to do about us. I have a real dilemma going on here. You see, it’s like this – I don’t want to have a professional relationship with you.” His golden eyes locked onto hers. He was at least being honest with her now.
“So, you’re firing me?” She asked with a tremor in her voice. “I don’t see how it could work otherwise!” She pointed out.
“No, not at all. I have a proposition for you. I would like you to spend the weekend at my house, as my guest. No strings attached, you can take the lead. If you feel anything for me and want to have a personal relationship with me, we can work something out about the job. I have other companies where I have less of a hands on role. So I could place you in one of those – your work has been an excellent quality so far and I would be happy to do that, with your approval, of course. But, If you do not feel enough for me over the weekend, then I won’t pursue you any further and I will do my best to leave you alone if you wish to continue to stay here as an employee. It will be hard, but I will respect your choice. It’s your call Serena. I think we need to spend time together away from the workplace and see how we get on? What do you say?”
His eyes were suddenly so soft and warm and drew her in like little magnets. She found his gaze to be extremely hypnotic and so very sensual. Her pulse was starting to rise and she started to think highly erotic things about him yet again, her insides churning with want. A whole weekend with him could mean entering the unexplored realm of her fantasies. There’s no doubt she had incredibly strong physical feelings for him. What else did she feel; she wasn’t sure at all…?
His eyes widened a little and a small smile of victory started to appear. How could he be so in tune with her, it was scary…?
Could he actually read her mind?
She told him that she would think about it. She promised to give him an answer by tomorrow. She could tell he was more than a little put out that she didn’t cave in immediately, but why make it easy for him – he said it was her call. She didn’t want him to think he could manipulate her just like that. She wondered why on earth he was pursuing her so strongly. Surely he had the pick of lots of other women… a man like him? Why go after his newest employee?
As she walked back to her desk, she was sure everyone in this room would love to know what just went on in the corridor!
She sat down and dropped her head into her hands.
“Serena, my goodness…is everything all right?” Alistair asked her in a concerned tone as soon as she sat down. She looked up and smiled a tight little smile.
“Yes thank you!” She replied wearily. “Just a slight misunderstanding of a personal nature. Everything is fine with the great Chief now, don’t you worry!”
“Are you going to be okay for the meeting later on today?” he asked quietly.
“Oh yes…of course Alistair… I will be completely fine,” she lied.
The monthly marketing meeting. She had forgotten about that! She would be attending with Alistair this first time and he would be there.
She got on with her work with even more difficulty. A thousand thoughts, sensations and emotions were swirling around her body. She thought of someone else in the building who might be suffering similar problems and she smiled to herself.
They arrived in the smaller meeting room at 4.00pm. The two of them were the first in the room. The Business Development Manager, Charles followed them in and finally Ethan arrived and closed the door. He sat opposite her and looked so confident in this domain and completely at ease being in charge. She tried to concentrate on the topics of the meeting. She was able to follow along with the conversation flow but found certain aspects of it challenging as she was not experienced with the product terminology that they mentioned so frequently. Now and then she was called on to pass comment or to write down some notes when Alistair prompted her. Alistair and Charles did most of the talking. Ethan sat quietly listening and staring at her the whole time.
She wished he would stop staring quite so much as they were in company and this was work! Watching her made her senses heighten and her hand shook as she wrote. His eyes were bewitching when she caught his gaze. Her mouth was suddenly dry and she reached for the water. His hand got there before hers…
“Here let me, Miss Green” he offered, pouring her a glass.
“Thank you, sir” she mumbled
“So Serena, how are you finding things at our company?” he asked her finally as they concluded their business.
“Oh, I am finding things highly interesting so far. Far more goes on in the realms of the business world than you would believe, doesn’t it?” She said with a double meaning.
“It certainly does” he replied “There could be a lot more interesting things and some rather unusual challenges ahead too, I am sure of that.” He replied with his own double meaning, giving her a very deep searching look.
“I am certainly prepared for any unusual challenge, as long as it is a fair and honest one.” She added pointedly.
“Challenges come in all shapes and sizes. You may just have to take them as they come.” he replied with a warm white smile.
The other two were listening intently to this little exchange.
“Thank you for your time everyone.” He said suddenly, getting up to leave and nodding slightly in their direction. “Send my secretary the summary minutes please Alistair, any time next week will do. And Miss Green, do not forget to answer that urgent question of mine. I am waiting.”
He strode out of the door back to his office.
She left the room with Alistair and they got in the lift alone, the business development manager taking the stairs.
“Serena…” Alistair said clearing his throat noisily. “Unless I am much mistaken, our CEO has a very bad case of the hots for you. I’ve never seen him like this. He’s usually a razor sharp tough case to work with. He’s suddenly gone all soft and sweet. He has never asked for the minutes ‘any time’ next week before… it is usually tomorrow morning latest…! And I’m quite sure he didn’t listen to much we said today as he was rather preoccupied by you….! Look, I know it’s none of my business, but just be careful, okay?”
“Oh don’t worry Alistair, I can look after myself. I know exactly where I stand with our CEO.” She lied to him again, covering her embarrassment…… She really didn’t have a clue.
She made Ethan wait until nearly 5pm the next day for her answer. She was sure he was very, very annoyed by now and chomping at the bit to call her. She smiled to herself. She was certainly getting her own back quite nicely.
She wrote an email with the short message….
“Dear Ethan, I have considered your proposal at length. I would be delighted to be your guest for the weekend. Serena.”
That will do nicely, she thought, short, sweet and to the point. She pressed the send button. A moment later there was a reply.
“Dear Serena, I will pick you up at 8 tomorrow at your apartment. Ethan”
“That will be fine.” She wrote back…
Another reply popped up.
“Looking forward to it very much.”
“Please don’t get any more excited.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Yes, Alistair noticed too.”
“Sorry about that.”
He obviously liked to have the last word…. she let him have it.
She closed down her computer and left the building.
“He’s looking forward to it – Oh I am sure he is!” She said to herself smiling.
So was she. She would have to be a little careful here.
Chapter 15
She got home on Thursday night to find Adam canoodling with Emily on the sofa.
“Hi you guys.” She said through the living room door as she went off to the kitchen. Adam followed her in.
“Want a drink Serry?” he asked getting two beers out of the refrigerator.
“No, but I have some news I must tell you and I’m not sure you are going to like this Adam.
She finally got to explain to him about her CEO and who he was. Adam’s eyes were agog.
“Well fuck me sideways!” he exclaimed. “He’s your fucking boss… what a fucking dreadful coincidence!” Adam’s language could be a touch expletive heavy at times…
She then went on to explain the very latest developments and his proposal. She was right, he was not best pleased.
“Fuck… you’re not going, are you?” he asked her in a concerned tone. “I tell you he’s weird. You may be blinded by his charm and looks but I’m not! I think you should cancel. Don’t go Serry, please… I’ve got a bad feeling…”
She held her hand up.
“I’ll be absolutely fine” she assured him. “He’s okay… he’s quite nice!” She didn’t want to tell Adam just how much had gone on between them already and actually he hadn’t been that nice at all.
”Look kiddo, I can’t stop you. But if you do go, please be really careful. Text me his address and I’ll drive by – just to check up on you… what d’you say?” he offered with genuine concern.
“Well, okay, perhaps that’s a good idea. But I don’t know our plans. I’ll text you as soon as I do, okay?” Adam was partly consoled for now. Why does he have these objections, she wondered? It seemed to be more than simple brotherly concern. She didn’t understand. He had certainly been unethical in his approach to her, but she couldn’t see anything weird or strange about Ethan at all.
Chapter 16
After spending a whole hour in the bathroom on Friday evening, scrubbing herself with a multitude of concoctions from head to toe and making sure every part of her looked its best, she was finally fit and ready. She was sitting waiting on the chair by her full length bedroom windows at 8pm when a car drew up outside. It was not his driver this time. He was driving a silver Lexus himself. He got out and looked up and saw her wave at him from her window. She went downstairs with her bag. He took it from her and they got in the car sliding into the beautiful red leather interior and drove off.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Yes, I am a little…” She nodded.
“Let’s go for a quick dinner then” he said pulling out into the main road. She turned sideways to look at him for a moment.
“What?” he asked turning his face towards her briefly.
“You look different tonight.” She said.
“I do?” he replied “How?”
“You don’t look so angry. “ She said with a laugh. He smiled back at her.
Of course he looked just as gorgeous as ever. Angry or not. A shiver of anticipation shot up and down her insides. This man was most definitely going to be the one. It could even be as soon as tonight… She just couldn’t wait. In fact she wasn’t going to! She was already quite obsessed with him.
They pulled into a small local restaurant and the waiter took them to a table. Ethan ordered them both a small glass of Pinot Noir and they both opted for pasta. She ate hers enthusiastically, it was very tasty and she was rather more hungry than she had thought. Ethan just picked at his, eating less than half. Perhaps something was bothering him… she really hoped it was her!
So far they were making small talk about nothing in particular. There were lots of heated looks going on between them.
“Not hungry?” She finally asked looking at his half eaten meal.
“I had rather a heavy lunch today” he replied.
He leant across the table and picked up her hand.