I force a smile, making both Reed and Remy smile too. I don’t know it when I sign the papers, but I’m in for a whole lot more than just intern work.
Chapter Six
Ryker
Why does she have to wear those tight-ass pencil skirts and blouses that make me want to pop the buttons and take a peek inside? I growl to myself, waiting for my assistant, Ava—the assistant I didn’t want or ask for—to enter my office.
Since meeting her the other day, my body has been more than fully aware of her presence. Her sweet floral scent is maddening, and even when I don’t want to look at her, I find my gaze slipping from the task I’m working on to where she is standing in the office.
Her blonde hair reminds me of sunshine, and her smile radiates warmth, though it’s never geared toward me. I’m an asshole. To her, to my brothers… hell, even to myself.
But, when I look at her, when I watch her, I have this strange feeling in my gut. This intuition that says we’ve met before. I know it’s ludicrous to think something like that, and it’s probably the reason I’m more of an ass to her than I should be.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Winston.” Her voice is like silk, and I want to ask her to keep talking, so I can wrap myself up in her softness. That would be weird, right?
Forcing my thoughts back to the boring shit in front of me, I crack my knuckles and look up at her over my computer screen. God. Why does she have to be so fucking beautiful. Sometimes I think God hates me. I’m lusting after a woman I don’t even know the name of in my dreams, and unable to ignore a woman I want nothing to do with in my present life.
“I’d say good afternoon as well, but it isn’t. Ya see…” I watch as her face falls, a sadness lingering in her eyes as she waits for me to deliver some shitty blow. “My coffee cup is empty.” I point to the mug, one Fallon got me that says “World’s greatest Uncle.”
“I can fix that,” she says confidently. “Is there anything else I can do to help make your day better?” Her eyes remind me of whiskey, so deep and intoxicating I could get lost in their depths. I should hate myself for what I’m about to say.
“Well, since you asked…” I trail off, smiling like an asshole. I wonder if she’s asked people in the office about me. I’m sure she’s wondering if I’ve always been this way. If anyone knows how close I am to falling off the bandwagon.
I miss him. I miss him so fucking much, and it kills me. I blink away the pitiful thought and blink back to reality.
Ava smiles, really smiles, and walks farther into the office, waiting to be told what to do. She wants to make me happy, which, unfortunately for her, only makes me more irritated. The thought of anyone trying to make me happy only angers me more.
“Yes? What can I do for you?” She’s so soft, so perfect, so… Suddenly, my thoughts shift from shoving her out of the office to wanting to fuck her hard against the desk.
I lick my lips before moving away from my desk so I’m closer to her. “That depends on what you’re willing to do.” Her throat bobs up and down as she swallows.
Is she nervous? Afraid of me? I can’t tell. Her body seems to shake as I get closer.
“Close the door, and the blinds.” I rest against the desk, undoing my dress shirt as I watch her eyes go wide. Fear trickles into them, and I feel just a tiny bit bad. I’ll never take a woman against her will—that’s below me—but even I know when a woman’s attracted to me. And Ava, well, she’s just like any other hot-blooded female in this office.
“I’m not...I wasn’t offering to…” she stammers.
“You asked what you could to do for me that would make me feel better. I’m about to show you.” My voice rises a smidge higher than it should, but I get my point across, watching as she scurries across the floor in her heels, stopping when she gets to the door.
Ava turns back to face me, and I can see the conflict on her face. She’s attracted to me, but I know she thinks doing this is wrong…and she’s probably right. Hell, I fucking know