Chapter 272

Jake walked to the minibar and found himself mixing up one of Leila’s cocktails as he looked down at
what he was doing, stupefied for a moment. Literally no idea how getting her a glass of water had
turned to this in his head. The only thing he could think was that he was subconsciously trying to
impress her, or on some deeper level had decided she simply wasn’t a girl you gave water to. She was
somehow much classier than ice water. Maybe it had been that heady, fruity, slightly sweet perfume
clinging around her that had made him move to start fixing one of Leila’s girly combos for her. He
literally had no idea what he was doing anymore.

Downing a quick gin to get his head straight, he took back the drink to the awaiting distraction. Margo
was regarding him with a really odd expression, probably wondering why the hell he was trying to get
his new PA drunk if the clinking of bottles was anything to go by.

Be damned if he had a fucking clue. He was acting all kinds of crazy.

“Here you go.” She looked completely lost in thought, and he felt completely out of his depth. He was a
guy who had no problems with being in the company of the fairer sex, yet he was acting like an idiot.
He decided to perch on his desk, put some distance between them and put all of this down to still being
half drunk and crazily horny from last night. He dated women twice her height; confident, boring
models, and women with their own money. Women who knew what causal sex and having a good time
was all about and he knew how to read women effortlessly—until this one.

She was tightly closed and completely unreadable, no hint of anything at all. No signs of interest, in
fact, the complete opposite and her mannerisms and movements were so precisely graceful and swan-
like, he felt he was the one being scrutinized for a job. He figured this was the problem right here. She
made him uncomfortable because he had no way of knowing how to play her at all. And playing woman
in all sorts of games was pretty much his forte.



“Thank you, Mr. … Jake.” She looked at him for a second and again he got that stomach jerk reaction
he was seriously starting to dislike. He needed to distract himself, maybe stop acting like a complete
moron and remember he was her boss. He was versed in the art of conversation, and he just needed
to get some sort of professional relationship set in his mind and push this nonsense out. She sipped
her drink, and he caught the slight hint of confusion about the fact it was loaded with alcohol. He could
only look at the floor, completely nonplussed about that too.

He had nothing.

“So, Emma? Margot tells me you’ve worked here for just over five years?” His mind gazed back to her
file, coming completely clear in his head. He could focus on what he had read and quiz her a little. His
photographic memory served some purpose anyway. It was better than undressing her mentally.

“Yes, I’ve worked on various floors, but mainly tenth.” She placed her glass on the table and Jake
immediately wondered if she disliked it, if maybe he should fix her something else, and then stopped
himself.

Seriously, what the fuck are you doing? This isn’t a date in which you need to please her … She’s here
to impress you as your next goddamn assistant.

He was seriously starting to get annoyed with himself.

“You were Jack Dawson’s assistant for a while?” He frowned trying so hard to focus on what he was
meant to be doing, business head being screwed on firmly and the calming of hormones with a
seriously stern hand.

“Yes, Mr. Dawson.” He watched her forced smile and got the strong impression she hated Dawson but
was too polite to say it. He wondered what the guy had done to deserve that kind of dislike and hoped
to hell he avoided doing the same thing. Maybe leering at her and thinking about bending her over his
desk wasn’t exactly going about warming her to him in the right way. If Dawson, the creep, had been



openly ogling her then he could pretty much assure he wouldn’t be caught doing the same, Dawson
was known for making women feel uncomfortable.

He felt a sense of confusion at the irritation thinking of Dawson openly eye raping her gave him. Girls
like Emma were classier than the intentions of some sleazy fuck who thought he had a given right to
heavy breathe over them.

“It was Miss Keith who recommended you for this position, I believe?” He tried to bring his head back
into the game, the sudden urge to find a reason to fire Dawson completely at odds with him today. He
was obviously grouchy from lack of sleep and should wrap this up, let her go, and get down on that
couch beside his annoyingly watchful brother until noon. He was acting all kinds of crazy in here right
now and he was sure some shut-eye would sort him right out.

“Yes. I loved working for her while her own assistant was on leave, she was very easy to attend to and I
learned a lot.” Jake felt the inability to breathe hit him hard when she smiled unexpectedly, a genuine
warmth at the mention of Kay. He had been watching her and waiting without even realizing he was
doing it, and it had been worth it. Her whole face lit up, and he had the urge to smile back. He had been
wrong about her smile being pretty, it was goddamn mesmerizing. He could watch her smile that way
all day and just get lost in how soft it made her whole face, or the way her palest blue eyes turned a
hint warmer.

You’re being incredibly fucking female right now … Next, you’ll be spouting goddamn poetry, Carrero.

“She spoke highly of your efficiency and professionalism. It’s rare for Kay to make an internal
recommendation for a position like this.” Good comeback, he almost patted himself on the back. He
had to just pull this off and go to sleep.

“Thank you.” He couldn’t tear his eyes off the smile that came out at him once more.



“Well, so far I’ve found her to be a joy. Efficient and capable with a good understanding of the business.
Don’t think it will take long to get her up to speed with her requirements,” Margo said, saving the odd
silence with a very weird look thrown his way, even she was picking up on his odd behavior and this
was not going well.

Jake suddenly saw the funny side to this whole scenario, being the one panting and getting heated
over a woman for a change, instead of vice versa. This is why he was falling to bits. This never
happened, and it was completely throwing him off kilter. He was having the tables turned and had most
likely met a female version of himself. It explained the indifference she was exuding, he just had to look
at her to know men fell at her feet effortlessly, and she was probably as bored of it as he was. They
were going to get along just fine if he could notch down the need to screw her a little.

“Glad to hear it. So, Emma? How has it been so far? Learning the ropes of life on the sixty-fifth floor?”
He felt better at figuring this out, this weirdness, and suddenly all his good humor was back on form.
Relaxing back and feeling more than a little amused at seeing how it felt from the other side for once.
Reassured that he wasn’t having some weird mental breakdown or had been put under some crazy
female spell.

“A breeze.” He couldn’t help but admire her coolness, and effortless grace. “Nothing I can’t handle so
far.”

“Has Margo warned you about the frequent traveling you might be required to undertake or the
unsociable hours we sometimes keep? This job can be really full on, Miss Anderson. It’s not for the
faint hearted.” The thought of spending many an hour locked in hotel suites with her suddenly had him
frowning at how hard that might prove to be. He would have to lay off the booze on trips and reel back
the charm a little to keep on top of this little debacle.



“Yes, I’m aware that this is not a nine-to-five job, Mr. Carrero. I’m fully committed to my career so it will
not be an issue.” That defiant little chin lift had him almost instantly snapping back to what she would
look like bent over his desk with that skirt pulled up and those shoes …

Enough!

“You’re young … What about a social life?” He frowned even harder, chastising himself, and giving the
inner third degree to that over-sexed, over-creative, mind of his.

“I haven’t much interest in many social activities … I left my home town to come to New York and I
don’t know many people outside of work.” She seemed to hesitate with her answer, a flicker of
something he couldn’t read. Damn, it annoyed him that he couldn’t read her at all. This was probably
another part of why he was feeling so frustrated. He was amazing at reading people and second-
guessing them. It was one of his most used and highly gifted skills.


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