“The birthday girl is a fine young woman now,” he said with a smirk, even though his eyes were still conflicted.
I loved his words.
I loved the way he called me a woman, even if my clit was desperate for him to call me his little girl from now until forever.
He carried on through to Lynn’s desk in the corner and asked her about some month end reports, and I struggled to get back into the conversation with Rachel. I tried to keep my eyes on her and my ears on her words, but I couldn’t help it – my entire body was screaming for his.
His suit was absolutely immaculate, fitted so well to his frame. His shoulders were huge and strong, just tense enough to see the outline right through his suit jacket, and his hair was just perfect. Styled so slick and dark to his scalp, just like always.
Well, unless he was just waking up with his head on a pillow, or I’d been grabbing it with needy fingers.
One thing was absolutely for sure. The weekend had certainly ruined any chance I’d ever had in a million years to get over Mr Lindon. There was no doubt about it. I was well and truly totally fucked on the move on front.
He took some papers from Lynn and I had to pull my gaze away as he headed on past. He was close enough for the scent to hit me, and my clit gave yet another little shout.
I must have been gawping like a fool in the aftermath, because Rachel’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in closer.
“Insane how gorgeous that man is, isn’t it?” she laughed. “How dare he wear the world’s most glorious aftershave on top to make him even more irresistible? This place should come with a health warning.”
I giggled along with her, but I felt so naughty. Like I’d committed some crime somehow to have had him inside me all over the weekend. Something forbidden and out of my depth and asking for trouble.
I guessed it was. Even if it felt like the most natural thing in creation to have him take me like that. Whatever the hole.
My laughter spat out a little louder at the thought.
“It should definitely come with a health warning,” I agreed, and she slapped me on the shoulder before heading on back through to reception.
I was staring at my screen working through this week’s auction listings when an email pinged through in a notification in the corner. His name caught my eye in a heartbeat.
Miles Lindon. Subject blank.
I clicked on it and my heart was straight back up to a freight train of thumping.
I want you in my office, it said. One little sentence that had me climbing up the walls.
I was straight on my feet, smoothing down my blouse and twisting my hair into a neat curl down around my shoulder and hoping this was going to be him confessing his undying love for all time. Marry me, Faith Martin, and have a whole nursery full of Miles Lindon babies while we’re both slamming down the auction hammer. I giggled again at my own stupid idiot romantic notions, and was still laughing as I passed by Erica on her way out to the saleroom.
It was a mistake to be giggling anywhere near Erica Tate. She pulled up to a standstill, hand on her hip as she hit me with the most bitchy scowl in the universe.
“And what the hell are you laughing at?” she asked, and her voice was nothing more than a nasty sneer. “You’re in the office you know. Be a damn fucking professional about it.”
She killed my giggle in two seconds flat. I stopped in my tracks, my cheeks flaming bad, hating how I’d made such a silly girl out of myself in front of her.
I really didn’t want to be a silly girl in front of her.
“Sorry,” I said. “I wasn’t really laughing, not seriously. I just had a good weekend and I guess the fun was still with me.”
“If you want to be a girl having fun and games while she giggles like a moron, then you can find yourself a little baby playground to go do it in. You’re not welcome here with that mentality.”
I knew her attack was completely overblown and overreacting, but I still felt so overpowered by her in this place.
She was so assured in her attacks on people. So aggressive in her condescension. So nasty in her lashings out at everyone she wanted to snap and bite at.
I’d had some pretty nasty teachers and professors in my time, but none of them came even slightly close to the way she wanted to stamp me under her boot.
I took a breath and forced myself to keep my composure, because this was my job, and this was my place, and I was determined to absolutely do my best at it.