Fortunately, she’d chosen to wear business attire. She’d done so because it put her in the proper frame of mind for the interview, but now she wondered if she’d subconsciously known—hoped—they might reach this point.
After a brief hesitation she typed into the keyboard. “Certainly.”
She still might not accept the job, and even if she did, she might not end up being the “best fit” there—though this time, for reasons of her own. But she connected the video. Ros’s smile broadened, as the others looked amused.
“I win the bet,” the CEO declared. “Vera said you’d be wearing pajamas, but I knew you’d be dressed for work, no matter where it happens.”
Skye glanced down at her blouse and slacks, her tastefully chosen jewelry. “Thesearemy pajamas,” she said, deadpan, which set them all to laughing and had her offering a genuine smile of her own.
“If there are no other questions…” Ros looked at each of them, then to Skye. Skye shook her head. “We’ll give you the time to consider our offer. But we would like you to be a part of Thomas Rose Associates, Ms. Sumner. And if you decide against it, I hope you’ll share with me those reasons so I can have the opportunity to resolve them.”
If that scenario came to pass, Skye had no doubt Rosalinda Thomas would address every issue she had.
“If you don’t have plans,” Ros continued, “you’re welcome to join us for dinner. No talk of the job, unless you have questions. I expect you’d like to see what chemistry we have. As well as what other common interests we might share.” The blue eyes gleamed.
“I’d love to join you for dinner,” Skye responded. “And please call me Skye.”
Back then, Skye hadn’t known what Ros meant by “common interests.” But Ros’s selection process for her executive team had included an intuition for who each of them was in their personal lives.
Several months after accepting the job, she’d joined the women at Club Progeny, at Ros’s invitation. A CEO who hadn’t considered her muteness “a factor,” had also seen the Domme in Skye, opening up another path for her, this time in relationships. That path was one she’d never considered, but only because she hadn’t been part of the Dom/sub world before. As soon as she was, her definition of where she could find a home expanded once again.
“You made a mistake.”
Skye came back to the present to see Ros, her friend, her boss, the captain of their ship, standing in her doorway.
When Skye made the sign for “Pardon?” Ros held up the folder for the RNF account. “You printed the social media platform screenshots for Victoria’s Vintage instead of theirs. While I’m sure there is some kind of connection between shabby chic and travel services, you’ll have to clarify that.”
Skye was already opening the right files, fingers skimming over her screens, swiping the images over to the proper page in the presentation file. She reloaded it, then printed one for Ros to have in hand. “Sorry about that,” she signed. “Needed more caffeine this morning.”
“Hmm.” Ros leaned in the doorway. “You never make mistakes.”
“Everyone makes mistakes.”
“Yes. But we never see yours, because you catch them first.”
“An off day.”
Ros glanced at the new print out, her tone casual. “The art show went well the other weekend. I understand Tiger and his artist received some of the biggest tip donations.”
“He was beautiful. He deserved them.”
“Athena said his responsiveness to you added to that considerably. It’s rare to see that level of synergy between a Mistress and sub who aren’t in a committed relationship. But you have done scenes for a while. And the dynamic has changed since Abby has mostly stepped out of the picture.”
Skye frowned. Signed. “Tiger and Abby were never in that kind of relationship.”
“No. But they were close. Close enough that he probably had some regrets after it was clear the opportunity for more with her was gone. No matter that he didn’t see himself as looking for that at the time.”
Skye triggered her frosty Helen Mirren voice. “Are you making a point or just trying to annoy me?”
Ros lifted a brow. “I’m seeing if itcanannoy you, and what that might tell me. You’re being awfully tight-lipped about him. Cyn told me to use the Abby angle to get you to spill.”
Skye’s fingers flew. “Sounds like something the Queen Bitch Sadist in Charge of Annoying the Shit Out of Everyone would say.”
“She’d have that as her job title if it would fit on a business card.” Ros gave Skye a faint smile. “I’m not trying to piss you off. Just tease you a little, because we like seeing what’s going on between you two. Whatever it is, it looks right, feels right.”
She lifted the printouts, her expression becoming more serious. “As for this, I’m making an educated guess it’s becauseyour mind might be on him. What he’s going through is tough. We all care about him, and you.”
A reminder that Skye had no need to be defensive. She paused, then signed again. “Our relationship is becoming something different. I don’t know what yet.”