Justin (2 page)

“
I don’t either, because it’s against company policy to share your log-in just as it’s against company policy to hire an illegal alien.” He worked hard to keep his voice light even though he knew she was lying to him. There was no point in getting angry when he had absolute control over the situation.

“
I wouldn’t ever share my log-in information.”

“
Were you aware we have video surveillance of every office in this building? I found someone stealing from us when we first started the company, so I’ve had some trust issues with employees since. Why don’t we look at who was at your computer this morning at ten? That’ll be our answer, won’t it?” He turned to his computer and moved the monitor so they could both see it. He’d already watched the tape expecting this sort of lie from her, and wanting to have all the bases covered. He tapped a few keys, and there she was as plain as day. He zoomed in, and it was even possible to see one of the incriminating files on her computer. “Do you have an identical twin, Melanie?”

She stood. “You’ll have my resignation on your desk in ten minutes. I assume you don’t want me to work out my two weeks’ notice?” Her voice was shaking, but she held her head high.

“
You assume correctly. Send Angela in here, won’t you?” Angela was the assistant manager in HR and was the logical choice to be her replacement if she hadn’t been involved. From the research he’d done since he’d arrived at five, he was fairly certain she hadn’t been involved.

Melanie left the room silently, not bothering to close the door. Angela was there within three minutes. “Yes sir? You wanted to see me?” She stood just inside the door, not bothering to sit. Melanie must have already told her she was leaving the company.

“
Were you aware of the illegal alien problem?”

Angela’s face registered shock. “What illegal alien problem, sir?”

He believed her. He’d seen nothing to indicate she’d had anything to do with hiring any of the illegals or in the cover-up. “How would you like a promotion?”

*****

It was late that night before he’d gotten the mess straightened out. He’d spent hours on the phone with Steven and Cody, apprising them of the situation and how it was being handled.

He rubbed his neck on the way out, wishing it wasn’t so late. He’d been hoping he’d be able to call Sarah and ask her out for dinner, but tomorrow was a work day, and he was sure she’d eaten long ago. Tomorrow morning, he’d call her into his office and have a little chat with her. He smiled to himself as he locked his door. She was worth breaking his rules about not dating at the office.

As he walked toward the elevator, he thumbed a Life Saver out of the roll in his pocket and popped it into his mouth. He always had a roll in his pocket, several in his desk at work and even kept some in his glove box.

When he got to his car, he saw Sarah standing there. She was obviously waiting for him, but didn’t want anyone to know about it. He used his remote to unlock the doors, and told her to get in. “Why are you hanging out in the parking garage?”

She was wringing her hands in her lap. “I want a transfer. I don’t care where, but I need it fast. Melanie assumed it was me who talked to you, and she’s talked to everyone. They’re treating me like a pariah. Angela won’t let me do anything but make copies and staple. She told me she can’t trust a whistle-blower.”

He sighed. He should have seen this coming, but all he could think about was wanting to see her again. Soon.

He didn’t hesitate. “My personal assistant is about to go on maternity leave. Take her place.” Leslie wasn’t actually scheduled to leave for another month, but he’d pay her a nice healthy bonus to put her feet up for an extra month. Out of his pocket if necessary. “This is her last week, so she’ll need to start training you tomorrow.”

He drove automatically to one of his favorite restaurants. She couldn’t have known he’d be working late, so it stood to reason, she’d spent time she should have been eating waiting beside his car in the parking garage. She didn’t say anything when he pulled in front of the expensive steak house. She was still trying to process his offer.

How could she work for him? She had an entry level HR position. There was no way she could jump from there to executive assistant to the CEO. Everyone would assume she was sleeping with the boss.

He got out of the car and walked around to open her door for her. “Where are we?”

“
I’m hungry. I worked through lunch, and haven’t eaten anything but a bagel all day. I want a steak.” He put his hand under her elbow to steer her inside. “Have you been here before?”

Sarah shook her head. Her parents had been solidly in the middle class. For them, a dinner out at a fancy steak house was something you did for special anniversaries. And you didn’t take your children. Since she’d been on her own, there was no way she could have afforded something like this. Her salary was good, for entry level, but it was still an entry level salary.

The maître d greeted him by name and led them to a small table off in the corner of the restaurant. Sarah followed along behind him wondering just why she was going along with this. He hadn’t even asked her to dinner or told her either. He’d just taken her. She was usually a lot stronger of a woman than this. There was just something about this man that reduced her to feeling like a junior high girl with her first crush.

After they were seated, she picked up the menu. He was right, she was hungry, and going home to eat more ramen wasn’t going to cut it. She was doing her best to throw as much money as possible on her student loans and get them out of the way, but that meant taking the bus and eating inexpensive food.

There were no prices next to anything on her menu. She hated to assume he was buying, but she was sure she couldn’t afford to eat somewhere like this. Maybe she’d just have a salad and water. Surely she could afford that.

She sat staring at her menu, unsure what to say to him, until the waiter came back. Justin smoothly ordered for both of them, getting her a filet with lobster tail, baked potato and a salad. He was kind enough to let her choose her own toppings for the potato and dressing for the salad. She didn’t say anything, just calmly closed her menu and handed it back to the waiter.

She had a glass of sweet tea in front of her and took a big drink. He was going to have to learn he couldn’t keep acting as if she didn’t have a brain of her own. It would drive her crazy.

“
I can order for myself.”

He smiled squeezing her hand across the table. “You’d have ordered what? A salad and a glass of water? I know the last time you could possibly have eaten was around noon. It’s after nine. You need a real meal whether you think you do or not.”

She glared at him, finally finding her voice. “Did it ever occur to you that I can’t afford anything more in a place like this than a glass of water and a salad?” She hated admitting it, but he was the boss. He could look up her salary anytime he felt like it.

“
I brought you. That means I pay for your meal and you eat a decent meal. End of subject.”

He took a sip of his iced tea watching her over the top of the glass. He found himself mesmerized by her eyes and simply unable to look away.

“
I can take care of my own meals if we go somewhere reasonably priced!” she protested, feeling annoyance way beyond what the situation called for. She’d had a crush on him for so long it was very disillusioning to see the way he thought he could order her around.

He shrugged. “I didn’t want to go anywhere else. I was hungry for a good steak, and they serve the best steak in Dallas here. Why would I go somewhere else?”

“
Why would you just take me anywhere without asking me first? I’m not a child, and I’m not some puppet for you to order around. I’m a woman. You have the right to order me around in the office, but not outside it!”

He nodded. “You’re right. I didn’t have any right to take you somewhere without your permission. I’ll make it up to you by buying your dinner.” He leaned back in his chair and winked at her.

Sarah laughed. She couldn’t help herself. “You’re not always going to get your way.”

“
I know. So are you going to take the job as my assistant?”

She sighed. “I have no idea what else to do. I have a feeling if I stay where I am, they’ll find a way to fire me within the week. If I work for you, at least I don’t have to worry about being treated unfairly.”

“
I’ll work your butt off, but I won’t treat you unfairly.” He paused staring down at his glass. “I hate to talk business at dinner, but we need to work out a few of the details. Let’s start with money.” He named a figure that had her eyes widening. “There’s a lot more responsibility with this job than your previous one. You’ll be on salary instead of being hourly, and there will be a lot of late nights. Any business trips I take will include you. I’m an exacting man to work for, and you’ll need to carry your weight. Any questions?”

She shook her head, her mind still trying to wrap itself around her new salary. She wouldn’t be worried about student loans for much longer.

Their food came then, and her eyes widened at the amount of food on his plate. Could one person really eat that much? Justin was a trim, handsome man. He couldn’t possibly eat that way every day.

She cut off a small piece of her steak and popped it into her mouth. She tended to only get red meat when she showed up on her parents’ doorstep on Sunday afternoons. The rest of the time it was bologna sandwiches and ramen noodles. She chewed it slowly to savor the taste. Maybe just this once, it was okay he’d forced her into dinner with him.

During the meal they made small talk about the office and what she’d be doing as his assistant. The job sounded like more of a challenge than the one she had in HR, and she was ready for a new challenge.

When they were back in his car, she gave him careful directions to her apartment. Once he’d parked, she grabbed the door handle to let herself out, but he was too quick with the lock. “There’s something else we haven’t taken the time to discuss.”

She looked at him with a puzzled expression. They’d talked about what was happening in HR. They’d talked about her new job and what her responsibilities would be. What else could there be? “What’s that?”

In a quick move, he pulled her into his arms, and lowered his head to hers. “This,” he whispered just as his lips took hers.

The kiss was so unexpected Sarah had no time to think about how it wasn’t the right thing to do. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back for all she was worth. His tongue ventured into her mouth, and she met it with her own. The butterscotch taste was there in his mouth again, just as strong. Her hands roamed up and down his back, trying to pull him in closer. She moaned the sound like a gunshot in the quiet of the car.

She jerked away from him, breathless and stunned. “You have to stop doing that.”

His fingers stroked her cheek, hot with a blush. “I can’t.” His eyes bore deep into hers. “I don’t ever want to stop touching you.”

She sucked in a breath. “Maybe I should find another job. I don’t want to spend the next few months being chased around my desk.”

“
Would you run?”

Sarah thought about that for a moment. “You know, I honestly don’t know. And that scares me a lot.” She’d always prided herself on her morals, and sleeping with the boss just wasn’t something she had ever done or was ever willing to do.

He dropped his forehead against hers. “I’ve never had an office affair, or even dated anyone I worked with. It was never worth it for me to deal with the hassle of a relationship that could lead to having to see her every day at the office after a break-up. With you, I’m ready to throw caution to the wind.” He paused, his hand tangling in her hair. “Will you go to dinner with me tomorrow night?”

Everything inside her was screaming yes. This was the man she’d fantasized about every day for over five years. This was the man she dreamed she would spend the rest of her life with. But how could she date her boss? It would be the dumbest career mistake she could possibly make. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She could hear the reluctance in her voice.

He sighed. “I’m not going to stop trying.”

I’d hate it if you did,
she thought. “Goodnight, Mr. Owens.”

He unlocked the door waiting as she got out of the car. He rolled down the window after she shut the door. “Sarah?”

She turned. “Yes?”

“
My tongue’s been in your mouth. You’d better make it Justin.”

She blushed but turned away, dashing up the flight of stairs to her second story apartment. She noticed that he sat in his car watching as she unlocked the door and went inside. She sank down onto her couch, shocked at the way the day had turned out. Her fingers touched her lips. She had to stop letting him kiss her, but she found she was liking butterscotch more and more.

Chapter Three

Sarah was at work early the following morning, hoping she could get her desk cleared out before anyone else from HR showed up. The new boss, Angela, was already at her desk. Sarah didn’t say a word, simply went to her desk and began packing it up. “What are you doing? Do you really think you’ll get a decent reference from me if you leave without giving notice?”

“
I’m not leaving. I’ve been transferred.”

“
I didn’t sign off on any transfer. And I’m putting you on a written warning right now for poor work performance and you won’t be able to transfer.”