Chapter 1
" Mommy, where you go?", Ethan asked, looking up at his mother, Claire, who was curling her hair in the bathroom mirror of their little two bedroom apartment.
Claire glanced down at her 2 year old son, " Mommy is starting a new job today, honey"
" I go too?", Ethan asked, his blonde eyebrows raised in question.
Claire smiled softly, " No sweetie, you're gonna stay with PopPop"
" Yay! PopPop!", Ethan squealed and ran out of the bathroom.
Claire chuckled and continued to curl her long strawberry blonde hair with the curling iron. She had just finished when there was a knock on the apartment door. Ethan's pudgy legs went running while he screamed " PopPop!" at the top of his lungs. Claire shook her head and smiled. The kid was crazy about her father.
Claire opened the door for her father, Frank, who had come to babysit Ethan while she was at work. Claire gave her father a hug and kiss then moved away so that he could pick up Ethan who was jumping up and down with his arms up. Frank hauled Ethan up into his arms, where he was promptly given a hug. Claire smiled fondly at the two. Her father was the only man in Ethan's life.
Ethan's father, Teddy, wanted nothing to do with her once he found out that Claire was pregnant. Claire had been crushed. Her and Teddy had been together for three years, had even talked about getting married. But when Claire found out she was pregnant, Teddy said that he wasn't ready to give up his life and be a father. He split on her and never looked back. Claire had thought about giving Ethan up, she had been only 23 at the time, but she just couldn't do it. She loved him from the moment she found out that she was gonna have a baby. And Ethan has been the light of her life ever since.
Claire's father Frank, has been a huge part of Ethan's life. Claire's mother had passed away just months before Ethan was born. A horrible car accident took her life before she even got to meet her grandson. Both Claire and her father had been devastated. But it brought them closer together and now they were a solid loving family, just the three of them.
" Hi Ethan", Frank said, patting Ethan lightly on the back.
" PopPop, you play wit me?", Ethan asked hopefully.
Frank smiled warmly, " Sure buddy", he said as he put Ethan down. Ethan grabbed his hand and started dragging him through the living room towards his bedroom.
" I guess I'll see you guys later", Claire chuckled.
Ethan came running back, throwing himself in her arms. Claire gave him a hug and a kiss. She said goodbye to her dad then headed out. She had to catch the train to get to the office building down town that she will be working in. She had taken a job in downtown Philadelphia after she got laid off from her previous one. Somehow, she got this job, which was a huge step up from her previous one, not only in money but in importance too. She has been hired as the CEO's personal assistant. Never in a million years would she have thought that she'd go from ho-hum secretary to a personal assistant to a CEO of a major advertising company.
Claire walked the two blocks to her new job after getting off the train. She stopped outside the double doors and looked up. The building seemed to go on forever. Claire took a deep breath, hoping to calm her nerves before walking into the building. Claire took the elevator up to the 40th floor.
Claire was shown into the CEO's office by the receptionist. The office was empty, which gave her the opportunity to glance around to get a feel for this man she has yet to meet. She was hired by the HR lady without even meeting the big man. She wondered if he was going to have a comb over. She smiled to herself. He was most definitely an older man who was probably overweight and had grey hair. And going by the name plate on the desk, Mr. Henry Beck, he was probably uptight and old fashioned.
Claire sat in the chair in front of the big oak desk for maybe about 15 minutes before the door opened behind her. Claire stood, smoothing out her black pencil skirt before turning. Her breath caught at the sight before her. The most gorgeous man she's ever laid eyes on, entered the office, shutting the door behind him.
His charcoal gray suit was tailored to fit him to perfection. His blonde hair was short and styled in a professional looking cut. His face was clean shaven, showing off his square jaw. His emerald green eyes were shrewd as they looked her over. And the man had the most sinful mouth Claire has ever seen. He was just breathtaking.