Corporate A$$ (7 page)

Fiona

After shutting the door, I leaned my back against it and slowly slid to the floor. I let out a long sigh as I thought about what just happened. He was more than a god between the sheets. I knew he’d be good, but I didn’t think it was possible to be that good. The way he made my body feel was euphoric and something I would never forget. I was lost in him during sex. His hands, his tongue, his lips, and his body. My god, his body. Perfect. Hard. Toned in every possible way. Every muscle defined to perfection. He was strong and I’d never forget how his arms felt around me. He’d taken me places that I’d never been to before. My body and my mind, all to another world. A world without a care or worry. He made me forget who I was, who he was. I could still feel him inside of me. Weird, right? Sex was just sex, but tonight, this wasn’t just sex. I couldn’t explain it, for I was at a loss for words. I’d never believed in magic before, until now.

I shook my head and brought myself back to reality. I needed to remember whom I was dealing with. He was Nathan Carter and he was a man with an agenda. He wanted to help my company, but at what cost?

The next morning, I walked into the office with my coffee in hand. Josh, my assistant, followed me in. A few days before my father passed away, his secretary of twenty-five years, Rita, retired to take care of her ailing husband. Josh was a replacement the temp agency sent and when I started, I decided just to hire him full-time. I didn’t want the added stress of having to find someone. He was already here, I liked him, and he liked me. At least I thought he did.

“You have a board meeting in thirty minutes.”

“Today? Why am I just finding out about this now? And by the way, good morning, Josh.”

“Good morning, Fiona. It’s on your calendar. Have you not checked it?” he asked with a slight attitude.

“No. I guess I didn’t. Do I have to go?” I whined as I sat down in my chair.

“Yes.”

“Okay, Josh. Here’s how it’s going to go. You’re my assistant, right?”

“Yes.” He narrowed his eye.

“So we’re going to be stuck together like glue. Got it? No matter what I ask you to do, even if it’s out of the business realm, you are to do it. Me and you,” I pointed, “are going to become very close. I don’t let too many people into my life, but you, I’m letting you in because I need you. And what I ask you to do stays between us. Got it?”

“Yes. I got it.” His brow arched. “If there’s nothing else, I have to get back to my desk.”

“Okay. Go work away.” I smiled.

I needed to prepare myself to get chastised by the board members. I was up all night thinking about Nathan. Good call on my part kicking him out right after sex. He needed to know that I was in control. Sex with him never should have happened, but it did and I was prepared to face the consequences of my actions, whatever they might be. Only time would tell.

My phone started to ring and Lydia was calling.

“Good morning,” I answered.

“Morning. Hey, can we meet after work? There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Sure. I was going to call you later because there’s something I need to tell you too.”

“Okay. How about your house? I’ll stop on the way and grab some Chinese food for us.”

“Sounds good. Don’t forget the egg rolls and the fortune cookies.”

“I won’t,” she spoke in a low voice.

“Hey, are you okay?” I asked with concern.

“Yeah. I’m okay. I’ll see you later.”

Something was off with her. But I’d have to wait until later to find out what was going on. Right now, I had a board meeting to focus on.

****

Nathan

I was up all night thinking about Fiona, and I needed to know exactly whom I was dealing with.

“Thanks for meeting with me, Bryce,” I spoke as we shook hands and I took a seat across from his desk.

“Not a problem, Nathan. I will admit that I was surprised to get your call. What can I do for you?” He leaned back in his chair and interlaced his fingers.

“I’m inquiring about one of your ex-employees, Fiona Winslow.”

“What about her?”

“What kind of employee was she? And I want the truth. From what I’ve heard, she was in line for a big promotion.”

“She was and, unfortunately, the promotion went to someone else. But she was a damn good employee. Very smart. Probably one of the smartest and most creative people I’d ever had work for me.”

“Care to tell me how?”

“Well.” He removed his black-rimmed glasses from his face. “She brought on more accounts than anyone else had. One of my other employees screwed up with Nike and they were on the verge of leaving until Fiona stepped in and saved it. She made them promises and followed through with them. Made them happy.”

“So why didn’t she get the promotion?”

“It’s a little complicated. May I ask why you’re so interested in her? You do know that she’s taken over running her father’s company.”

“Yes, I know, and that company is in a lot of trouble. I’m thinking about becoming an investor, but I need to know whom I’m dealing with first.”

“If anyone can turn that company around, it’s Fiona. Not only is she business smart, but she’s street smart too. People adore her. She has a way of taking her most brutal enemy and making them her friend. She has a way with people. Like I said, she would have had that promotion without hesitation if—”

“If you were thinking with your head instead of your dick, right?” I smirked.

He looked down in embarrassment. “You know what it’s like, Nathan, in our world.”

Getting up from my seat, I spoke, “No, actually, I don’t, Bryce, because I don’t let my dick get in the way of business decisions. Business is business and pleasure is pleasure. You need to keep the two separate or else you’ll sink. Thanks again for meeting with me.” I walked out of his office.

****

Fiona

“Who the hell do they think they are?” I scowled as I stormed out of the boardroom.

“The board of directors,” Uncle Robbie replied.

“They’re giving me six months to turn this company around or they’re voting me out. Six months is absurd. I can’t do that in six months and they know it! This is their way of trying to force me out.”

“Calm down, Fiona.” Uncle Robbie clasped my shoulders. “Don’t let them get to you.”

“How can I not? This is my family’s company and I’ll be damned if I’m forced out of it.”

“There’s the fierce woman I’ve been waiting for.” He smiled as he kissed my forehead. “I have another meeting. I’ll fill you in later.”

Taking a seat behind my desk, I laid my head down.

“Are you okay, Fiona?” Josh asked.

“No.” I lifted my head up. “I want everything you can find on each of the board members.”

“Huh?”

“I want information on each of the board members. Anything you can dig up and dig deep, really deep. They’re corporate thugs and I’m sure they have skeletons in their closet.”

“Umm. Okay. Anything else?”

“Not right now.”

My phone rang, and when I looked over, I saw it was Nathan. Ugh. Now was not a good time.

“Hello.”

“Hello, beautiful. I’m thinking dinner tonight. What do you say?”

“I can’t. I’m having dinner with Lydia.”

“Can’t you have dinner with her another night?”

“No. I already made plans. I’m sure you have plenty of friends that would love to have dinner with you tonight.”

“That’s not the point. I wanted to have dinner with you to discuss a few things.”

“Well, you’re going to have to wait. I already have plans.”

“Don’t you think that business is a little more important?”

“Not in all cases. My best friend needs me and I’m going to be there for her.”

“Suit yourself. I might have to reconsider my offer to help your company.”

I removed my phone from my ear and looked at it. Was he serious? All because I wouldn’t have dinner with him?
Asshole.

“Do what you have to do then. I have to go.”
Click.
“JOSH!” I yelled.

“Yes, Fiona?” He walked into my office.

“Call the vineyard. I’m heading out there for a meeting tomorrow. Wait. No. Don’t call them. I’ll just make a surprise visit.”

“Okay.” He sighed as he walked out of my office.

Nathan

“Damn it!” I shouted as I threw my phone across my desk.

“Is everything okay, Nathan?” Kylie asked with concern as she stepped into my office.

“No. Everything is not okay.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“Yes. Get Miss Winslow to have dinner with me tonight.”

“I’ll call her right now, sir.”

I sighed. “Don’t bother. She already has plans with her friend. Apparently, her friends are more important than her company, which is the reason why she will fail at turning it around.”

“I agree, Nathan.” She nodded.

“Is the proposal ready yet?”

“Almost. The legal department is checking it over one last time to make sure everything is in place.”

“I need it tonight. Make sure it’s on my desk by seven o’clock.”

“Yes, sir. Is there anything else?”

“No.”

If she wouldn’t have dinner with me tonight, then she would have lunch with me tomorrow. Leaning back in my chair, I recalled our phone conversation. She sounded stressed out. There was no way she could bring that company back without me and my help.

“Hey, Nathan. You got a minute?” Will asked as he walked in.

“What’s up?”

“My contact said that there was a board meeting at Winslow Wines this afternoon and they gave Fiona six months to turn it around or else she was out.”

“Interesting.” I cocked my head. “Six months is not a lot of time. It sounds like to me they aren’t happy with her taking over.”

“They aren’t.”

“Then all she has to do is sign the contracts and her problems will be solved.”

“I’m not too sure she’s going to sign them once she sees the terms.”

“Then she’s cutting her own throat. But don’t worry; I’ll get her to sign them. Trust me.” I smiled.

“I have no doubt you will, but at what price?” His brow arched.

“Don’t you worry about that. I’ll take care of Miss Winslow.”

****

Fiona

Long-ass day. Pounding headache. Grumbling belly from the lack of food it got today. Sighing, I set down my purse in the hallway before heading into the kitchen, only to find Lydia standing over the island, gripping the edge of the black-specked marble countertop.

“Hey. Are you okay?”

She looked up at me with a small smile. “I’m okay. Just tired. Long day.”

“I hear you. My day sucked too,” I spoke as I grabbed two plates from the upper cabinet.

As I stared at her, I knew something wasn’t right. But I wasn’t going to force the issue until she was ready to tell me. She took the plates over to the table and I grabbed two wine glasses and a bottle of wine.

“Oh. None for me.” She held up her hand.

“What? Why? Are you pregnant or something?” I laughed as I filled both glasses.

“Yeah. I am,” she spoke in a low voice.

“What?” I set the wine bottle on the counter and stared at her in disbelief.

Tears began to fill her eyes as she pursed her lips together and nodded her head.

“Aw, sweetie.” I walked over and wrapped my arms around her, which sent her into a total crying mess.

“I just found out last night. I wanted to call you, but I knew you were with Nathan. I took four pregnancy tests and they all came back positive. Every single one of them.” She sniffled.

“Who’s the father?” I broke our embrace.

“Jeremy.”

“Which one was he?” I asked with a twisted face.

“The one I met on Tinder. You remember. The one who said he lived in L.A. but really he was only here on business for the weekend and then he gave me a fake phone number and deleted his profile.”

“Oh yeah. Are you sure it’s him? I mean, you’ve had a lot of one-night stands.”

“He was the only one I didn’t use a condom with.”

“But you’re on birth control,” I spoke as I took the cartons of food over to the table.

“I was in between birth control when I was with him.”

“Whatever decision you make; I’ll stand by you.”

“I’m going to keep it. I have a job, make good money, have a nice home, and there’s no reason I shouldn’t. There are a lot of women who are single moms. Look at Jessica from finance. She used a sperm donor. And I’m not getting any younger.”

“You’re only twenty-eight.” I smiled as I bit into my egg roll.

“Exactly, and with all the douchebags out there, I may never find someone. This could be my only chance to have a kid.”

“Then I’m happy for you. Oh my God, we’re having a baby.” I smiled as I grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed it tight.

After Lydia left, I finished cleaning up the kitchen and headed upstairs. After changing into my pajamas, I climbed into bed. Just as I snuggled in for the night, after a day of longing for my fluffy pillow, my phone beeped. Rolling over, I picked it up from the nightstand and saw a text message from Nathan. Why was he texting me so late?

“I just wanted to say that I was extremely disappointed that you said no to having dinner with me tonight.”

“My friend needed me.”

“Maybe I needed you.”

A small smile crossed my lips as I read his message.

“I highly doubt that, Mr. Carter.”

“Believe what you will. We’ll talk tomorrow. Good night.”

“Good night.”

Setting my phone on the nightstand, I sank back down into my bed and pulled the covers over me. It still smelled like him. Outdoorsy, crisp, clean, and like the open water. Damn him for his lingering scent. Damn him for being right there while I was in a vulnerable state and damn him for wanting to kiss me. If he wanted to kiss me again, I’d let him because I knew damn well what that kiss would lead to, and now that I’d experienced him, my body wanted more and possibly needed more. I took in a deep breath as I closed my eyes.