Chapter 7 THE SECRETARY AND HER BOSS

THE SECRETARY AND HER BOSS

It had been two weeks since Rachel just disappeared without a word.

No text. No goodbye. No explanation.

One minute she was sitting at her desk like she owned the entire company and the next, poof... gone.

I told myself I hoped she was okay, but deep down... I was so glad she was gone. She was always mean, loud, and somehow always got away with skipping tasks. And the way she flaunted the fact that Collins, our boss, treated her like she was royalty? Please.

Now that she was gone... maybe even fired, who knew... I was hoping things would go back to normal. Equal treatment, a little fairness. Maybe the rest of us could finally breathe.

But speaking of the devil...

A sudden shift in the air pulled me out of my thoughts.

He was here. Mr. Collins.

Everyone instantly stood and bowed their heads slightly, like we always did when he walked in. His presence was that commanding... like a storm just entered the building in a suit.

But today, he didn't even blink at them.

His steps were fast, and headed... straight for me.

Wait. What?

My heart started pounding in confusion.

No... no way. He's probably going to walk past. Maybe going to HR. Or maybe...

But he didn't stop.

He stopped right at my desk.

Everyone turned. My chest tightened. My palms suddenly got clammy.

He looked down at me with those sexy brown eyes and said my name. "Amara."

What?

How the hell did he know my name? He's never spoken to me before. Ever.

"You're the new secretary," he said calmly. "Pack your things. Move to the secretary's office."

My mouth parted.

What...?

All eyes were on me now. I could hear the whispers start, the confusion spreading across the office.

"And after that," he added, already turning to leave, "come to my office."

And with that, he walked away, like he didn't just drop a bomb.

What. The. Hell.

I didn't even wait to catch my breath. With shaking hands, I gathered my things... my stapler, notebook, and that tiny desk plant I never remembered to water, and walked slowly to the secretary's office.

Rachel's office.

Correction: my office now.

My heels echoed softly as I stepped in. The door creaked open and there it was, clean, spacious. I closed the door behind me and just stood there.

This was really happening?

I walked to the desk and gently ran my fingers across the polished surface. Her perfume was still faint in the air, but the chair was mine now. I sat, exhaled, and gave a little spin.

"I just got promoted..." I muttered under my breath, then let out a breathy laugh. "To be the secretary of the hottest man I've ever seen..."

My heart hadn't stopped racing since he called my name. Still in a daze, I stood and adjusted my coat. Whatever this was, I needed to get a grip before walking into his office like a nervous intern.

I pushed the door open and stepped in.

He was there, leaning back in his chair, phone pressed to his ear. When he saw me, he stopped mid-sentence, locked eyes with mine... and hung up without a word.

Then, slowly, he said. "Lock the door behind you."

My heart skipped.

I turned, clicked the lock into place, then faced him.

"Come closer."

Each step I took felt heavy, like something big was about to happen.

He pointed to the chair in front of his desk. "Sit."

I reached for it... but before I could lower myself, his voice stopped me cold.

"No. Not there.' He stood slowly. "Sit here," he said, patting the edge of his desk.

My lips parted. "Excuse me?"

He didn't repeat it.

He walked toward me and stopped just inches away. He leaned in so close, I could feel his breath fan across my cheek. Then his large, warm hand slid softly along my thigh, up... slow enough to make me shiver.

His lips brushed against my ear as he whispered, "I said... sit on my desk."

My knees almost buckled, I swallowed hard and my entire body went still.

I didn't move... couldn't. His breath against my skin, his fingers grazing the inside of my thigh... it was like every nerve in my body had suddenly woken up.

But I wasn't going to make this too easy.

I tilted my head toward him. "Are all your new secretaries required to sit on your desk on the first day?"

He raised his brows and smirked. "Only the ones I plan to keep."

God.

He said it so effortlessly, like he already knew I'd give in. Like he was in control of everything, even the way my breath caught or how heat bloomed low in my stomach.

But I wasn't just going to melt into a puddle for him.

I took a slow, deliberate step back, watching his hand fall away from my thigh as I did. His eyes followed me, his lips curved in the faintest smirk.

I narrowed my eyes, even though my heart was doing somersaults. "Do you always test your secretaries like this?"

"No," he said, walking back behind his desk. "But you're not like the others."

I hated how warm that made me feel. I should've walked out. I should've said something bold, snappy, professional.

But instead, I just stood there... staring at him, trying to calm my racing heart, pretending like his words hadn't hit me somewhere dangerously deep.

"I hope you're good at your job," he added, his voice dipping slightly. "Because you've got a lot to learn... and I like things done exactly the way I want them."

His eyes held mine. "Can you handle that, Amara?"

I swallowed again and lifted my chin.

"Yes, sir."

"Good," he uttered. "Then do what I asked."

My pulse thudded in my ears. Slowly, I turned, walked to his desk, and sat right on the edge... exactly where he had pointed before.

The cold glass surface met the back of my thighs through my pants, grounding me just enough to keep from floating.

He watched me the entire time.

"Unbutton your pants."