“Are you cold, Chastity?”
I tip my chin, trying to meet his gaze bravely. “Yes.” It emerges as a squeak.
He grins, and it’s obvious he knows I’m lying. My attempted flirting may have fizzled, but he’s still clearly reading the signals I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t be sending.
“Stick with me, and I’ll find a way to warm you up.” His eyes flash, and I feel it straight through my body, like a cool drink on a hot, parched afternoon. My knees go weak for a moment and he takes my elbow, and we walk down the hall.
Chapter 6
Blair
I can’t fight it. I can’t ignore it. I want her. The mousy little intern. I tried to follow Liam’s advice and forget about her, knowing that that stupid idiot is always right, but every day, thoughts of her take me over. It’s gotten so bad that I am calling up security footage from the accounting department just to stare at her as she sits at her desk for hours on end. She’s clearly bored and miserable.
Last night I had the brilliant idea of inviting her to be my personal assistant. I open the camera link, wanting my secret morning glimpse of her sweet face, full lips, curvy body, before sending Madeleine to get her. My heart skips a beat when I see the desk is missing from its usual spot, and there’s no sight of Chastity anywhere. My hand fumbles as I reach for the phone, and I sound slightly panicked even to myself when Madeleine answers a moment later.
“What happened to the intern in accounting?” I bark.
Madeleine, the consummate professional, immediately knows who I’m talking about. “Miss Mitchell is shadowing your brother today, sir.”
I scowl. “Why is she doing that?”
Madeleine’s tone reveals nothing, not even curiosity. “I don’t know, Mr. Hayden, but he asked me to escort her to his office, so I did.”
I let out a frustrated sigh, and struggle not to snap at Madeleine. “Make sure you pencil in Miss Mitchell to my schedule tomorrow. She will be shadowing me all day.” I growl.
“Of course, Mr. Hayden.”
Hanging up a moment later, I lean back in my chair and imagine Chastity shadowing me all day tomorrow. If things go as I’m planning, she’ll be shadowing me all night too. Sure, I shouldn’t cross that line. I never have before. I don’t sleep with the employees, and neither does Liam. Besides the fact that it’s a one-way ticket to scandal, sexual harassment allegations, and a huge financial settlement, we’ve always had our share of gorgeous women throwing themselves at us. And the potential trouble was just not worth it. We agreed early on that no matter how attractive an employee, neither of us would fuck her.
“Ah! But we aren’t paying her,” I say aloud with a small chuckle. She’s an intern! She’s not an employee. Besides, she’s only going to be here a few more weeks. So fuck it. I’m done trying to fight my desire. I’ll spend some time with her, maybe fuck her once or twice, show her a good time, and she’ll be out of my system.
I just have to make it clear to her that I offer nothing beyond that. No marriage, no kids. No walks in the park on a Sunday.
But back to the matter at hand. What the fuck is Liam doing having her shadow him? Is that bastard trying to torture me? That’s not really like him, but it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had the same taste in women. But, I never cared enough before to compete with him for a woman. Neither of us fought. Business before pleasure after all. Besides, I have no intention to piss my brother off, but.. truth be told, I saw her first. If it’s a contest, I am determined to win it.
Ugh. I’m in no mood to work. Pushing away from the desk I find myself heading out of my office to the elevator. I press the button for the top floor, and, as I exit to the penthouse a few minutes later, I realize I have no plan. Part of me just wants to kick his stupid identical ass.
I walk toward Liam’s office, but freeze when I catch sight of a familiar and shapely behind from the corner of my eye -- Chastity stretching to reach a box of papers in the supply room. I step into the room with her and close the door behind me.
She looks briefly startled as she glances over her shoulder at me, and then she blushes.
“You’re right, reorganizing the supply room is keeping me warm.” She says it with a hint of teasing, and also some shyness. Oh my God, she thinks I’m Liam. She bites her lip and looks away from me, over my shoulder.
I open my mouth to correct her, but before I get a chance, she adds, “I kind of thought you meant something else, Liam.”
It pisses me off to hear my brother’s name on her lips, especially since she thinks I’m him, and my conscience twinges too. I should correct her right away, but I now I’m intrigued. “What did you think I meant?”
Her face goes redder than a radish. It’s obvious she can’t say it. She seems to be physically unable to speak, but from the sparkle in her brown eyes and the flush in her cheeks it’s obvious her thoughts are as dirty as mine.
Moving closer, smoothing my thumb over her lower lip to get her to release it from her teeth holds her captive. Her lips are so soft, so plump. “I can’t believe I have you rearranging the supply closet. I should’ve asked for something else instead.” I drop my hand and she immediately runs her finger over her lips before regaining her composure.
“I guess it’s the kind of job an intern does. Like making coffee, right, Liam?” She stutters for a moment on the name. It’s obvious she’s not used to being on a first name basis with my brother yet. Good.
“Chastity. What do you call Blair?”
She blinks at the question, looking confused. “I don’t call him anything.”
“I thought you knew him pretty well.”