The Executive's Secretary, page 2
The small shop sat on a corner six blocks away. There were always three people on staff and they were fairly efficient. I opened the door and my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. The copy shop was packed.
”Are you serious? Why are there so many people?”
I bit my lip and tried to think of some way to get to the front of the line, or at least as close as I could. This is so wrong, but I need to get up there.
I dropped a few of the files on the floor in front of two guys ahead of me. “Oh, excuse me! I’m so sorry.”
Thank God for pencil skirts! I bent down to pick up the colorful pie charts hoping that my endless lunges and squats would pay off.
“Not a problem,” one of them said.
“The boss sends me down with all of these files to be copied and bound by one.” I shook my head and stood up. “Hold these for a sec?”
“Uh, sure.”
“Thanks a bunch.” I winked at him and bit my lip a bit as I straightened out my skirt. “Is it straight? Nothing worse than being sloppy for the boss. He hates sloppy employees.”
“You look great.”
“Good.”
“You can, um, go ahead of us. Your boss sounds like a hard-ass.”
“You have no idea. I’m Piper by the way.” I held out my hand to tall, black haired man.
“I’m Allen.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Allen.”
“Where do you work?”
“O’Connell Enterprises.”
“Oh really? What’s that like?” he asked, licking his lips getting close enough to me that I could smell his after shave.
“Very busy.”
“Want to get a drink after you get off work?” He put his hand on my shoulder as we stepped forward in line.
I shrugged it off and moved to the side a bit. “Thanks for the offer, but I already have plans.”
“Maybe after?”
“I have a very early day tomorrow.” I pulled my cellphone out from the pile of papers and put it up to my ear as though I had a call. I shrugged and mouthed a sorry.
I listened for a few long minutes until Allen and the guy he was next to had started chatting again. Once I was sure he no longer had me in his sights I put my cell phone away and made my move. I slowly made my way up the line. Within five minutes I was the front.
“Piper, you’re back.”
“Hi, Jack,” I said, dumping the papers on the counter.
“Same as usual?”
“Thirty by one?”
“For O’Connell?”
“Who else?” I asked.
“I’ll put it on the account and have everything couriered over to you.” The old man smiled warmly at me.
“I owe you, Jack!”
I scurried out of the copy place and made a bee line for Gloria’s. It had the best coffee in town and I wanted the asshole on my side. At least for the day. I grabbed the biggest cup of caramel macchiato that I could get and a large French vanilla for myself. Checking my watch, I freaked internally. It was already 11 and I still hadn’t called a caterer. I ran as fast as my high heeled feet would carry me. My shoes clicked on the pavement and the marble in the lobby of the building. I tapped my toe the entire elevator ride up to the tenth floor. I held the cups as steady as I could as I ran, quickly putting mine down as I prepared for him.
“Mr. O’Connell?” I knocked lightly on the door, pushing it open with my hip. “Everything will be delivered by noon. Here’s a proper cup of coffee. I’m going to make calls to Vincent’s for catering.”
“Mm,” he mumbled not even bothering to look up at me.
What the fuck? I rolled my eyes and headed back to my desk.
“Miss Troy?”
“Yes?” I responded, hoping I didn’t sound as exasperated as I was.
“Not bad.”
I stopped mid-stride and my eyes popped. Was that a compliment? Did Bryce O’Connell just compliment me? Not bad?
I nodded and kept walking.
I sat at my desk staring at the rolodex. I knew what I had to do, but I couldn’t do it. My brain had melted and felt as though it melted out my ears.
“What’s wrong?” Alyssa asked.
“I think Bryce just complimented me.”
Chapter Three
“He complimented you?” Her eyes bugged, and her mouth dropped open.
“Yeah. I think. I don’t know. Has that ever happened?” I sat at my desk puzzling over the events that just transpired.
“I don’t think so. I didn’t think he was capable of anything besides snark, criticism, and looking incredibly sexy,” she said.
I glanced up at her and rolled my eyes hard enough to send them rolling down the hallway. “He’s not that good looking.”
“Oh please.”
“He’s not.”
“He looks like he stepped out of a GQ magazine every morning.” She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and fanned herself dramatically.
“You are something else, Alyssa.”
“What? I’m simply telling the truth and before you got to know him you know you thought he was the hottest thing since sliced apple pie.”
“Then I found out what his personality was like. Now he’s not so hot.”
“Sure, whatever. So, what did he say? Exactly. Word. For. Word.”
“Not bad,” I replied.
“Not bad?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Not bad, Pipes.”
“Maybe he’s warming up to me.” I shook my head and dug through my rolodex.
“It’s possible. You have lasted longer than any of his other assistants.”
“Yeah. I know,” I said. “I need to get to work. You know how his majesty is if things aren’t perfect.”
I knocked on Bryce’s door as I opened it. There he stood in nothing but his dress shirt and boxer briefs.
“Troy! Don’t you wait till I say come in anymore? Christ.”
“Sorry, Sir. I, um, just needed the key to the board room.” I stood slack jawed for a few long seconds as he continued to remove his pants.
“Is there anything else, Miss Troy?”
“Oh, no.”
“Then stop standing there and be useful. Toss me my clean pants.”
“Yes of course. If I may ask, Mr. O’Connell, why are you changing your pants in the middle of the day?” I asked.
“That sludge you gave me this morning was too hot. I burnt my tongue and dumped it in my lap moving it to drink the new stuff. I can’t go to a meeting in stained pants, now can I?”
“I suppose not.”
“Did you find the key?” he asked.
He knew I didn’t. I hadn’t moved from my spot. I continued watching as he pulled the trousers over his perfectly sculpted ass.
“Oh. Yeah. Right here.” I pulled open the top drawer of his desk and grabbed the key ring.
I stumbled toward the door, dropping the keys once or twice along the way, and hurried out. My face flushed as I slammed the door.
“Oh god.”
“What?” Alyssa asked.
“He was changing his pants.”
“Wait. You saw him without his pants? Seriously?”
“Yeah. He was only wearing a shirt and boxer briefs,” I said.
“What did you do?”
I smacked myself in the face and sank to the floor. “I stared like an idiot.”
She tossed her head back and laughed. I stood and walked down the hall. “I need to get to the boardroom. I need to forget today ever happened. Oh, fuck me.”
The boardroom overlooked Point State Park. It had the best view on the entire view and it was the room that Bryce used when he wanted to impress someone. I arranged the colored binders around the table as the waitress and two waiters from Vincent are set up the buffet.
“Please make sure everything is hot. Mr. O’Connell hates cold pasta. His vinaigrette dressing must be kept chilled. The red wine needs to be decanted and room temperature and the whites need to be chilled. Red wine glasses are in the cabinets to your left and the white to your right. The china to serve everyone on is below the buffet. Please use the silver forks, knives, and spoons with the ivy pattern. Those are Mr. O’Connell’s favorites,” I instructed, peeking out the window as the massive hoard of people descended upon the board room.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Thank you and smile. As long as you smile it’ll be fine. Just smile. Don’t talk to them. Just smile. If they say anything just reply with yes sir or no sir.
Walking up and down the line of servers, I inspected each of them for any imperfection. “Button your top button. Your shoe is scuffed. Straighten your apron. That’s the wrong knot for your tie, redo it.”
“Miss Troy, is everything ready?” Bryce asked, bursting through the doors like a tornado.
“Of course. Lunch is ready. The red wine is airing out, the white wine is chilling, and your slides are loaded. Would you like the shades drawn now? Or later?”
“After lunch.”
I waited with baited breath as he walked about the room, hands behind his back. “Uh, Miss Troy.”
“Yes, Mr. O’Connell?”
“What is this?” He held up the bound files that he had asked for this morning.
“Your files, sir.”
He dropped what he was holding and glared up at me. “What is wrong with them?”
I glanced at them then back up at him shaking my head. “I don’t know?”
“Why are they bound with this cheesy plastic cover like it’s a high school English class?” he questioned.
“Oh, uh, that’s what they sent over. They must have mixed up my order with someone else’s when they were binding.”
“You didn’t stay while the job was being done?” he asked.
“Well, no, Mr. O’Connell. I didn’t have time. I had to get back to contact the caterer and have everything set up.”
He tusked and continued walking along. He began inspecting the servers and shook his head as he went along.
“I suppose that will be all for now, Miss Troy.”
“Yes, Mr. O’Connell.” I quickly left the room. “Oh God.”
“Lunch?” Alyssa asked, walking down the hall toward me.
“Yes! I’m starving.”
“How is dreamy-eyes?”
“An impossible monster.” I groaned.
“You like him.” She teased, nudging me as we walked toward the elevator.
“Yeah right. I swear that man is going to be the death of me. Or I’ll be the death of him. I haven’t decided yet.”
“There is some serious sexual tension going on. What you two need to do is fuck, get it over with, and go on with work life.”
“Alyssa, I’m not going to fuck my boss. Especially not Bryce O’Connell.”
“You should fuck him because he’s Bryce O’Connell. He’s gorgeous and he’s rich.”
“He’s also pig-headed, obnoxious, rude, and arrogant. Exactly what I want.”
“You don’t need his personality. Just his dick.”
I let my head fall back as I laughed. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. We stepped out of Bryce’s castle and into Market Square. I wanted a sandwich and beer. Who would notice if I had a few on my lunch break? I glanced up the building to the twentieth floor. As ridiculous as it seemed I could feel his eyes on me. No matter where I went or what I did he was always watching.
Creepy bastard.
“Where are we going?” Alyssa asked, shielding her eyes from the sun.
“Anywhere that’s not right here,” I said, looking around. A woman with a small, yappy dog bumped into me, while a woman pushing a stroller and dragging two more small children behind her yacked on her cell phone.
“How about Johnny’s?” She suggested.
“I love that place. They have great pickles. Let’s go!”
“Pickles?”
“Mmhmm. Pickles.”
We both sat, ready to put our phones on away when mine started beeping. I picked it up and groaned.
What now?
“He can’t even let me enjoy my lunch in peace!”
“What?”
“It’s him,” I explained
“What does he want?”
Bryce O’Connell, CEO of bitching: Um, Miss Troy, where are you?
“Possessive much?” She shook her head and riffled through the menus in her desk drawer.
Me: Mr. O’Connell, I am about to order my lunch. Aren’t you supposed to be in a meeting?
Bryce O’Connell, CEO of bitching: I am in my meeting. I already know how it’s going to end.
Me: Then why did you schedule it, Mr. O’Connell?
Bryce O’Connell, CEO of Bitching: For show, Miss Troy. For show. You have to keep everyone happy. How else do you keep everyone happy then meeting with them?
Me: Pay attention to the presentation I ran around to set up for you.
Bryce O’Connell, CEO of Bitching: My vinaigrette was warm.
Me: I told them to chill it.
Bryce O’Connell, CEO of bitching: They didn’t.
Me: Is there something you need right now, sir?
Bryce O’Connell, CEO of bitching: I wanted to inform you of the inadequate dressing.
Me: Yes, sir. I will speak with the caterer regarding their inadequate dressing.
Bryce O’Connell, CEO of Bitching: Be back in my office by three.
Me: Yes, Mr. O’Connell.
“I don’t get him.”
“I’m telling you, Pipes, fuck the man. Once the two of you fuck the air will be clear. Work will be less stressful for you, perhaps he’ll get the stick out of his ass, and all will be well in the office.”
“Alyssa, I am not fucking my boss.” I picked up my menu and pretended to read it.
“I don’t think it’s such an awful idea plus you have to be the only woman in the world who doesn’t want to fuck him.”
“I’m sure there are others out there who don’t want to.”
“Yeah, and they’re called lesbians.”
“Come on, Alyssa. You’re so dramatic. He’s not that good looking plus you don’t work for him.” I rolled my eyes.
“He was voted world’s sexiest man alive last year, Piper.”
“So?”
“That has to mean something.”
I shrugged my shoulders. Yeah, the man was gorgeous. His personality sucked though. That had to count for something didn’t it? Or were we expected to just drop our panties for Bryce O’Connell because he was a genius, billionaire, playboy, who looked like a God?
I crossed and uncrossed my legs at the unexpected dampness that developed between my legs. I had never been turned on thinking about him before. I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to think of him in such a way. He was the evil jerk who loved to make my life hell. Not the gorgeous CEO philanthropist everyone thought he was.
Anyway, I didn’t want to fuck my boss.
Chapter Four
When we returned the office appeared normal. Nothing was out of sorts. Not until I walked into the boardroom. It was a mess as I expected it to be. I dug through the bottom of the buffet and pulled out a few trash bags prepared to do what the janitors should have done while I was at lunch.
“Of course I have to do this,” I said to myself.
“Talking to yourself, Miss Troy?” a rather rough voice asked from behind me.
I turned quickly as Bryce shut the door and staggered in. “Mr. O’Connell? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
He stumbled to his usual seat at the head of the table, holding onto the arm of the chair and deposited an empty bottle of Screaming Eagle Cabernet Napa on the table.
“How much wine did you have with lunch, Mr. O’Connell?” I sighed, dropping the trash bags when he missed the chair and tumbled to the ground in a drunken heap.
“Do you really think wine would have me staggering around the board room? I closed that fucking deal, Piper Troy. I broke out my bottle of whiskey.”
“You had a bottle of Screaming Eagle, Mr. O’Connell. Not to mention you close multiple deals a month. How many times are you going to keep doing this?” I rubbed my eyes and stood up, leaving him on the ground. “Come on. Let’s get a company car to take you home.”
“I don’t need a company car. I am the company.”
“Please, just let me get you home.” I helped him stand, but all he did was face plant into my chest. “Um, Mr. O’Connell?”
“Yes, Miss Troy?”
“Your face is in my breasts.”
“Oh, is it?”
“Yes, it is, Mr. O’Connell. Do you think you can pry yourself out of them?”
“Yeah,” he mumbled. “But they’re so soft.”
He moaned a bit while rubbing his face between my tits. I could feel my face growing hot and an ache between my legs.
Piper, he’s a drunk mess.
“Alright. Let’s go.” I stood him up straight and buttoned his jacket. “I swear I don’t know what you would do without me.”
“I don’t know either.”
I was taken aback when he said that. He’d never even hinted that I was remotely useful and wanted around here.
“Alright. Let’s just go.”
I led the slightly less disheveled man down the hall to his private elevator, keeping him from falling over.
“You’re so nice.” He draped his arm over my shoulder, leaning all of his weight on me.
“Uh huh. And you’re surprisingly heavy.”
Bryce leaned his arm against the elevator doors, attempting to steady himself.
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Those doors open,” I said.
The elevator dinged as the doors moved and he fell forward onto his face.
“What happened to him this time?” the driver asked, bending to pick up his boss.
“He closed another acquisition.”
“Whiskey again?” The man asked, helping heave Bryce’s increasingly limp body into the backseat.
“And wine,” I replied, sliding in beside him.
“You’re going?”
“He’s never going to make it all the way inside without help. I can least make sure he passes out in bed and not the foyer again. He nearly frightened Mary to death last time.”
“Oh?”
