“You haven’t told me if you secured a venue yet for the launch next month.”

“I have. It’ll be at the Lincoln Center starting at seven o’clock. I’m in the process of getting the invitations printed and the envelopes addressed to the people on the guest list.”

He narrowed his eyes at me as he leaned back in his chair. My God, he was sexy, and every time I looked at him, it felt like I got lost in his eyes. What the hell was the matter with me? He might have been something special to look at, but his overall mannerisms definitely sucked.

“You did all that without telling me?”

“Yes. You asked me to do something, so I did. Did you want me to bother you with all the little details? Do you not trust my ability to complete something you asked me to do?”

“To be honest, no, I don’t. I’ve had bad experiences with my previous PAs.”

“I see. Well, I can assure you, Mr. Sutton, that I won’t disappoint you. If you ask me to do something, I will do it with perfection. If I have a question, I will come to you and speak to you about it.”

The corners of his mouth slightly curved upwards. “Until I can totally trust you and your abilities, I want everything run by me first. Do you understand?”

“Completely.” My lips gave way to a forced smile. “Is there anything else?” I asked.

“No. That’ll be all.”

****

Jack

There was something about Lorelei Flynn that was driving me to want to get to know her better. Maybe it was how beautiful she was. Maybe it was what I envisioned she had underneath those clothes she wore. Maybe it was her Joe Malone scent that filtered through the air whenever she was near. I will give her credit; she did know how to pick her perfume. My last PA, Amber, always smelled like some cheap drugstore body spray. I shuddered every time she walked into my office. Whatever it was that made me have this aching need to get to know her better was getting the best of me, and it was driving me crazy. I shouldn’t have felt this way. She was my personal assistant but all I could think about was a thousand ways for her to personally assist me other than at the office. See, it was that kind of thinking that had to stop.

Later that night, I took a friend of mine, Jamie Walters, to dinner and then back to my place to fuck her. I never took the women I brought home upstairs to my bed. I had a spare bedroom on the first floor that I used and I never allowed them to spend the night. I wasn’t interested in cuddling, holding, stroking their hair; none of that romantic bullshit. The only thing I wanted was good sex that left me satisfied and then I sent them on their way. Some left crying and some left as pissed as hell. That was their problem, not mine.

Chapter Nine

Lorelei

Thank God it was Friday. My last day of work for two days and then I would be able to spend the entire weekend with my daughter. Jack wasn’t in the office most of the morning because he was in back-to-back meetings. It was finally lunchtime, so I grabbed my sketchbook, which was bound in a leather zipped case, my lunch, and headed to Central Park. Sitting under the same tree I had been, I worked on my sketches and ate my lunch. It wasn’t too long before my business phone dinged with a text message from Jack.

“I know you’re at lunch, but when you’re done, I need you to go to Banana Republic and pick up the outfits I had them put together. Call Tony when you have them and he’ll pick you up. Also, stop at Starbucks and get my coffee.”

“Yes, Mr. Sutton.”

When my lunch break was over, I did as Jack asked. After collecting the outfits and stopping at Starbucks, I walked into his office and set the cup on his desk.

“Hang the clothes on that rack over there.” He pointed.

He got up from his desk and took the plastic off each of the outfits.

“What the fuck?! This isn’t what I asked for,” he shouted. “Who the fuck put these outfits together?” He paced around the room in anger.

I stood and looked at the outfits and then walked over to them and changed a few things around.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked.

“Rearranging a few things. I think it looks better this way.”

He stood back with his hands on his hips and stared at the outfits I put together and then looked at me.

“You think that looks better?”

“Yes,” I softly spoke.

“Well, I don’t.”

Coco walked into the office. “Oh, perfect. You got the outfits from Banana Republic. Looks good, Jack.” She smiled as she took the rack from his office.

I looked at him and shrugged. “Told you they looked good.”

He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Get out of my office.”

I didn’t know what the hell his problem was, but he didn’t need to take it out on me. It was finally five o’clock. I grabbed my sketchbook and my purse and walked out of the building. As I was trying to hail a cab, my business phone rang. It was Jack. I cringed.

“Hello.”

“I need you to meet me for dinner tonight. I have some things I want to go over with you regarding the launch party.”

“It can’t wait until Monday?”

“No, Miss Flynn. It can’t. Meet me at The Four Seasons at eight o’clock sharp.”

“But, Mr.—”

“No buts, Lorelei. Be there or else.” Click.

I couldn’t believe this and the nerve of him. I quickly dialed Stella.

“Hello, best friend. What’s up?”

“I am so sorry to ask this, but do you think you and Sebastian can come over and babysit Hope tonight? My asshole boss is making me meet him for dinner at The Four Seasons.”

“Nice place. But why is he making you meet him on a Friday night?”

“He said he needs to go over some things with me regarding the launch party.” I finally hailed a cab and climbed in.

“Hmm. Sounds to me like he’s using that as an excuse to see you.”

“Oh, please. I just threw up in my mouth, I want you to know.”

She laughed. “Of course we’ll come babysit Hope. I’ll bring some board games. It’ll be fun.”

“Thanks. I owe you.”

“No, you don’t. What time do you want us there?”

“I have to meet him at eight sharp. So be at my place at seven fifteen.”

“Okay, sweetie. We’ll see you later.”

I picked up Hope from my mom’s house and waited until we got home to tell her about my dinner plans.

“Baby, I have to meet my boss for dinner tonight, but Auntie Stella and Uncle Sebastian are going to come over and stay with you.”

“Okay.” She looked down in disappointment. “Why are you meeting him?”

“He wants to go over some planning for an event his magazine is hosting.” I ran the back of my hand down her cheek.

“He sounds mean.”

“He is. But don’t worry. We have the whole weekend to ourselves.”

“Okay.”

“You understand, right?”

“Yeah. I know it’s your job.”

“Thanks, baby. I’ll make it up to you.”

She went and sat on my bed while I got ready for dinner. The Four Seasons was a fancy place and I needed to dress appropriately. I went to the back of my closet and pulled out a short black dress I had made a few months ago but never had the occasion to wear.

“What do you think?” I asked Hope as I held it up to me.

“I like it.” She smiled.

After slipping into the dress, I twisted my hair up in a clip and freshened up my makeup. I heard the front door open and Hope leaped off the bed to run and see Stella and Sebastian.

“Look at you, fancy girl.” Stella smiled as she walked into the bedroom. “Looking all hot for the boss.”

“Oh, please. You know The Four Seasons is fancy.”

“I know, but somehow, I have a feeling Mr. Sutton’s jaw is going to drop when you walk in.”

“Oh, it will drop, and I’m sure some yelling will be coming out when it does.”

She laughed and I put on my heels.

“Thanks again for coming over.”

I walked into the living room and Sebastian whistled when he saw me. I smacked him on the chest with a smile, kissed Hope goodbye, and headed to The Four Seasons.