Only You (A Sweet Torment Novel) (14 page)

Chapter Thirteen

I
walked into Leo’s office, which was bustling with people. There was a busy, almost frantic, air in the room. It was Monday morning and here I thought I’d have to come up with ways to avoid talking about the other night. Thankfully, Leo looked busy. People were chattering and asking multiple questions at once, and Leo was going over papers on his desk and looking at his computer simultaneously. From the bits and pieces of multiple conversations flying around, it sounded like an important investor came through.

“Paige,” he said, not looking up at me.

Kyros stood with his arms crossed looking at the same thing Leo was while the accountant typed away on a laptop.

“Good morning.” I went to set his coffee down when I realized he already had some. My stomach instantly dropped. Getting him coffee was my job. If someone else already did my job then . . .

“Forgive me, sir, I didn’t realize you started early today.”

It was seven in the morning here, but in Greece, it was the middle of the day. He was talking back and forth with Kyros, half in Greek, half in English so I only caught bits about something going on with the sale of the slip in London.

Everyone looked to have been in full swing for at least an hour or more and yet, Leo didn’t call. Didn’t text. Like he normally would have if he needed me or was starting early.

“What’s with the
sir
shit?” he said, sparing me a glance that time. I hadn’t realized I’d called him that, but Leo obviously caught it. No one seemed to pause at the way he spoke. Though he did have a point. I didn’t call him
sir
. Sure he was my boss, but
sir
just took that notion to a whole new level.

When Leo had left the other night, I thought my job was secure. But was I wrong? Things felt like they had shifted. And that had me nervous. Taking a deep breath, I powered up my tablet and ran through the docket for today while everyone else effectively ignored me.

My mouth ran over details of his schedule but my mind churned with reasons why today felt different. I hadn’t spoken to Leo since Friday night when he left my bed.

Oh God . . . had Kyros spoken to him? After he realized what I’d done in driving off potential spouse number one? Was Leo super pissed? I didn’t relish the fact that I was thinking like a girl, and I definitely didn’t want to discuss my feelings, but something was off. And if I just fucked myself with this job because I fucked the boss—again—then I was going to have a breakdown.

“Sir?” I said a bit more sternly than I’d meant, and all eyes, including Leo’s, snapped to me.

“Yes, Miss Levine?” His blue gaze zeroed in on me. Like it did the other night. Watching. Waiting to see what I’d do. How I’d follow up my stupid notion of asserting power.

“May I have a word with you when you have a moment?”

He looked from my toes to my lips, making everything in between tingle.

“Gentlemen, will you excuse us for a moment?” Leo said.

Kyros and the accountant nodded and headed out with everyone else, shutting the door behind them.

“What can I do for you, Red?” he said.

I couldn’t tell if he was irritated with me or amused. But I was too worried I was on the ass end of losing my job. He already wasn’t calling when something happened. I felt these upcoming weeks, and that letter of recommendation, slipping from my fingertips.

“You have coffee,” I said.

He looked at the cup, then at the one I’d brought him. “Yes?”

“That’s my job.”

He stood to his full height and crossed his arms. “I’ve decided to change your job description.”

“Because of the other night?”

“Yes.”

Fear and unease ran fast through my veins. It was tough to control. To steady. My first instinct was to fight. To reach out and hold on to what I could. To keep this glimmer of hope for a fresh start. And that glimmer was centered around the man before me.

“Just because we slept together doesn’t mean I can’t handle my job. I thought we left things just fine the other night. If you’re upset because of the way I . . . I took control, we can discuss that but you seemed to like it, and frankly I don’t see why you are demoting me or keeping me out of the loop unless it is your intention to drive me insane or fire me. In which case, I would regret what happened between us.”

He frowned, but I kept babbling, because all I could see was everything slipping from my hands and I had to stop the gaping wound that punctured my chest. What was even more disturbing was that this job and letter of recommendation weren’t the first thoughts in my mind. Leo was. Yes, losing my job now would be awful and it terrified me. But losing Leo? Having our time cut off, not getting to see him every day, it weighed down like a heavy boulder of sadness.

But he just stared. Not saying a word.

“And if you’re upset because of the flower stunt, I apologize again. You were right, I was jealous, and it won’t happen again. I didn’t realize you were looking for a wife and I assure you that I won’t—”

“Okay, let me stop you there,” he said. “While I’d love to watch you run your mouth and dig yourself a pretty little hole, I’m going to once again clarify a few things to you.”

He walked around his desk and faced me. “The other night, you did take control and I did like it.” He picked up his coffee, the one I’d brought him. “But that wasn’t the night I was referring to. I’m changing your job description based on what I saw the night at the gala.”

I frowned in confusion and my stomach hummed. No man, no boss, had ever made me feel so on edge. Maybe it was because while I had felt what it was like to have something to lose, it was never on this scale. Somehow, this job and Leo had morphed into something I wanted to hang on to. Not that I would admit that out loud.

He took a sip of the coffee and winced. “You make a terrible cup of coffee, Miss Levine. You know what that tells me?”

Fear lit my face. I opened my mouth to reply, attempt to save my ass and fire off reasons I was good at my job, but he beat me to it.

“It tells me you’re not meant to be a coffee runner. You have more to offer.”

“What?”

“Harris called and set up a meeting for later this month. He wants to discuss more investing opportunities with Savas Shipping. That is because of you and what you said to Harris at the gala.”

Leo smiled and I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of hope. It was a dangerous thing to have. I was never one to possess much of it. I left the sunshine and good will to Amy. But Leo had a way of making me feel seen. Powerful. In more ways than one.

“In a short time, you showed me that this job and my shipping company means something to you. I’m going to be trusting you with more responsibility.”

The urge to hug him was overwhelming. I wanted to throw my arms around him and kiss him. Thank him. Devour him. He trusted me. It was a feeling I wasn’t familiar with, but it felt . . . good. Too good. So good I wanted to latch on to it. Wanted more. But that good feeling wasn’t logical.

I took a step toward him, then paused. I was on the brink of getting caught up again. While I was happy about his confidence in me, it didn’t change who I was deep down: temporary.

“Now that that’s out of the way,” he said, his tone a little gruffer. “What do you know about my looking for a wife?”

I kept his stare but took a few seconds to consider my thoughts. I didn’t think Kyros would tell me something confidential since he never had before, but Leo obviously didn’t look pleased that I knew the truth about the list. I didn’t want to create strain between him and Kyros, so I stuck with the simple truth.

“All I’m aware of is that you are taking dating very seriously.”

“And how did you come to know this?”

“You handed me a list of women, Leo.”

“That’s not an answer to my question, Paige.” He took another step toward me. “Because when I handed you that list, you looked pissed. Now you’re ready to help me find a bride?”

“Yes.” It was better to cut emotional ties with Leo now. After talking with Kyros and realizing the kind of woman Leo could—should—have on his arm, I knew I couldn’t give him what he wanted. Besides, temporary seemed to be my middle name. The least I could do was help him find what he did want.

“I’m going to need a little more detail to explain that jump there.”

I wasn’t about to go into my personal revelation that I was the wrong girl for Leo. So I stuck with, “I was recently made aware of certain . . . circumstances.”

“So Kyros talked to you.”

I kept my face still but Leo obviously knew the answer already. “It was mentioned in passing. To be honest, it helped your case. Here I thought you were just a jackass with a list of women ready to amuse you.”

He arched his brow, then let out a loud laugh. It was so jarring, so contagious that it took everything I had not to smile. My God the man was beautiful when he laughed. Straight white teeth, little creases around his eyes and mouth, and those dimples? Wow.

“Well, as long as you don’t think I’m a jackass, I’ll chalk this up to a good day.”

I smiled a little.

“This arrangement,” he said. “It’s a family thing and I have a responsibility—”

“You don’t need to explain anything to me,” I interrupted. Because it was true. He didn’t. And I understood. It was within his culture and his right to do what he wanted. And even if I were the kind of woman to make it onto that list, there were things he deserved that I could never give.

“I want to explain,” he said. The problem was, I didn’t want to hear it. Because the idea was hard to deal with, much less hearing details from Leo’s lips. It cut something deep down and I didn’t want to feel the dull throb the truth left behind. The truth that in the end, I wasn’t right for Leo. And we both knew it.

“You want a family, right?” I asked.

“Someday.”

I nodded. “Your sister and family obviously care about you. You told me once it was my job to see to your every need. If this is what you want, isn’t it my job to assist with it?”

He winced a little when I threw his words from the other night back at him. But I needed to steel myself against his charm. His warmth. Or else I’d be on the losing end in more ways than one in a couple months when this job ended and we parted ways.

“I don’t like this idea of being with you, then dating someone else,” he said, and the way his voice held a deep rasp made me imagine for a moment we lived in a different world where Leo and I could be together. But we couldn’t.

Between social classes and two separate lives, it wasn’t in the cards for us. Never was. The times I felt him and kissed him were a tease. I knew it. And I’d be wise to stop. For the time being, Leo and I would be around each other. But the time would come, sooner than later, that I’d leave here and life would go on. Just like it always had for me.

“I wouldn’t use you, Paige.”

“It’s fine,” I shrugged. Tapping into the coldness I was so used to. “It would be unwise to carry on the way we have, but I assure you I don’t feel used, nor do I expect anything more than what this is.”

“And what is this?”

“Temporary.”

He’d said this to me in the past and we both knew it to be true. The word hung between us and something in his eyes flashed hot and angry.

“This job is important to me, Leo.”

“I know.”

We stood there, looking at each other. Now was the time to be clear. “Then know too that I put that first.”

“I’ve caught on to that.” He gave a smile that was half sad, half happy. “Part of me is really glad about that.” He looked at my face and my heart hurt a little. “But being aware of your priorities can sting a man’s—”

“Ego?” I offered with a grin, hoping to lighten the mood. But Leo stayed serious, his eyes on mine, and he shook his head.

“His hope.”

That sick feeling overwhelmed me because I knew what a prize hope was. I recently came into a smidge of it and it was brutal.

“Well.” He took a deep breath and walked back around his desk. I never thought I’d be so disappointed to be on the same page with someone. But we were. There was an understanding. Leo knew I wanted this job and, above all else, his recommendation. And I knew I was temporary.

Two facts that should come easy in a professional relationship. Yet my skin still burned from where he had touched me. Where his jaw scraped along my inner thigh right before he . . .

I shook my head. Those were the thoughts that would only bring more complication. Because the middle of our story didn’t matter. The end would be the same.

Nothing.

“Now that we have clear goals with each other, why don’t you bring the others back in?” Leo said.

I nodded and turned to open the door.

“Oh, and Paige?”

I spun to face him.

“Colin Davis is due here in ten minutes. I haven’t had a chance to review his terms yet and can’t make our meeting. Please go tell him we’ll have to reschedule.”

“Terms?”

“He’s been after me to sublet one of my slips to him in the New York port.”

“Is this connected to the Jes Frolos deal in London?”

“Separate deal.”