Mr. Mitchell Billionaires' Club Book 2 - Raylin Marks Page 0,126
given her the right to do so since everything she’d ever witnessed from me was reckless and impulsive. This time, however, for the first time in my life, I was with a man who made me feel far from reckless.
I was the one who was forcing myself not to do what I really wanted, which was to spend every night at his house and move into that badass place, but I refused that for the sake of Addy. One might say I actually was learning from past mistakes and finally growing out of doing things impulsively.
It was ten in the morning, and I was intently going through the mundane tasks of my morning routine by answering calls and setting appointments for approval of the managers on my floor. The managers I’d only seen the day Jim had shown up.
“Momma.” I jerked when I heard Addison’s playful voice. “Mom!”
I swiveled on my chair, pulled off my headpiece, and my heart nearly stopped when Addy’s bright blue eyes met mine with a brilliant smile. Her hand was locked into Jim’s, who stood smiling at me. His green eyes were dazzling, and my heart forgot how much I loved and missed the man wearing the same mischievous grin as my daughter.
“Good morning, Mr. Mitchell,” Amir said, my eyes meeting his wide ones. I smiled, seemingly starstruck by the man myself.
“And to you as well, sir,” Jim said.
“That’s Amir, Mitch,” Addy said, running the floor like she owned the place, not Jim.
“Hey, Addy,” Amir said. He’d gotten to know her pretty well during the lunch breaks when I would steal her from the daycare to join us. “Will you be having lunch with us today? I brought too much hummus again, and I think I’m going to need your help to finish it.”
“I might be,” she answered him.
Jim and I probably looked like two complete idiots by now. Both lost in each other’s eyes. Addy and Amir were the only ones on the floor who said a word. I think time just slowed for me, though, because Jim couldn’t stand on this floor and lose that CEO composure.
“We’re here to ask a huge request of you,” Jim said after nodding to my manager, Stefanie, and another dude I’d only seen once before—both with looks of utter shock on their faces. The room slowly grew into whispers and murmurs, but my daughter was still the loudest, forcing Jim to hold back a smile.
“Go ahead.” I folded my arms and leaned back into my chair, wondering if Addy broke loose and found Jim in his office, and he was here to bring back my lost child to me. “You both look like you’re up to something.”
“We need to get beach stuff, Mom,” Addy said with her usual sass.
“Really?” I looked up at Jim. “Right now? I figured we had everything we needed.”
The entire company knew about Jim and me, and I’m sure there was plenty of gossip outside of my friends—Amir and Alyssa—but I didn’t give a damn. So long as Jim didn’t mind it, I’d dealt with worse shit before than rumors about fucking the boss, but this was the first time everyone on my floor saw it with their own eyes. I had a feeling Jim was working this in his own way. Maybe gossip had floated across his desk, and he came down to clear it up. Who the hell knew.
“Not quite,” Jim said. “Would you mind me stealing away Addison to have her sized for a wetsuit and a life vest?”
“The water is cooling,” I said, looking at Addy’s vibrant smile. “She doesn’t—”
“Nonsense,” Jim said. “We’re off to the beach this weekend to enjoy every ounce of it, Mom.” He winked down at Addy as she looked up at him, hoping I’d give in, and he’d convince me of this. “If you don’t mind, it will be easier for me to take your car with her seat in it than call for Blake—”
I pulled my keys out of my purse and smiled at him, “Here. Please don’t let her con you into getting extra things.”
Jim grinned. “I’ve got this. We’ll be back in time for lunch.”
“McDonald’s!” Addison nearly screeched.
“Addy. Shh,” I tried to calm her down. “Now, give me a hug,” I said. Addison did her choke hug of excitement while my eyes never left Jim’s.
I’d give anything to feel his lips on mine again. Tonight! I reminded myself.
“We’ll get you a wetting suit too, Mom,” she said, looking at Jim.