Kori's Angel Heart (A Completed Steamy, Romantic Comedy)

Bradley

Melissa was friendly enough and seemed genuine, but she was wrong. 

I settled into some figures sent up by accounting, and before I knew it, it was 4:45, so I sent off the rest of my work and tidied up in the bathroom. 

Just like clockwork, the man himself was at my office door looking a bit out of sorts.

"Let me fix your tie."  I went to do it, but his buttons were all wrong.  "Were you in the gym or something?"  I shook my head and redid his buttons, but he grabbed my hand.  "I think I'll actually take a shower and change my suit.  I'll only be a minute." 

He keeps an extra suit at the office?

I couldn't get over how horrible he looked.  Like he just killed a puppy or something.  "Okay, I'll be right here when you get back." 

He must have had a bad day.  Claudia was gone when I got back, but he stayed in his office all day. Probably a deal gone wrong or something. 

I heard a knock on my door and looked up to see Quinn standing in the doorway.

"I know you said you're busy tonight, but what about tomorrow?"

"Well, hello to you, too."  I chuckled.  "I'm sorry, but I don't think it's a good idea.  I'm an employee and you're on the board."

"That makes no difference.  You're so beautiful, and I just want to take you out."  He stepped closer to me.  "Unless there's someone else?"

"I'm not seeing anyone if that's what you're asking."

"Perfect, I'll see you tomorrow at 6:30."  He starts to walk away. 

 "I didn't accept."

He just walked away and ignored me, when I found Mr. Grouchy giving me an evil eye.

"I didn't accept,"  I said again.

"You didn't tell him no either. Come on, we're already late."

I followed pissy pants to the elevator and managed to hop in without breaking my neck. 

He held a cold stone stare at the elevator doors and stormed off as soon as the elevator opened.  He didn't pay an ounce of attention, and when my bag got caught in the door and I didn't know it, he was halfway across the parking garage.  He didn't even stop when I landed on my ass.  He's not paying an ounce of attention to me.

When we got to the car, I was already fuming.  "What's your problem, now?"

"Just get in, Kori."

"If that's your attitude,  just call me Miss Heart."

"You know what? I don't give a shit anymore, you can let yourself in." He walked over to his side and slammed his door when he got in.

"Fine!" I got in and crossed my arms.

"Put your seatbelt on." He demanded, so I huffed and did as I was told.

He threw it into reverse and squealed the tires when backed out.

"Great!  Now you're just going to kill us both."

He ignored me and turned on the radio to some ancient rock and roll. 

"What is wrong with you?"  I yelled, but he just reached for the radio and turned it up. 

Asshole!

With rush hour traffic and my splitting headache, it took us two hours to get to the restaurant.  He finally turned off the radio and shut the car off.

"Try not to speak unless you're spoken to, don't forget your notebook." He stepped out of the car and walked toward the restaurant leaving me behind.  My senses are screwed up because of the damn radio being so loud for so long, and now I'm practically sprinting to get across the gravel parking lot. 

He stopped and turned around.  "Would you just hurry up?"

I stepped on a large rock and my ankle twisted, it was like slow motion when I tumbled toward the ground. 

"Shit!"

The pain was fierce as it shot up my leg.

"Dammit, Kori."

"Its Miss Heart, and it's your fault!"

He reached down to help me up, but I smacked his hand away.

"You've already done enough, don't touch me!" I tried to push myself up, but my ankle wasn't complying.

He tried again, but I smacked him again.

"Don't try it again."

I finally got up and dusted my dress and hands off, then started limping toward the restaurant.  "Are you coming or not?" I yelled at him, but I guess he was picking my things up from the ground.  Screw it, I went on without him and went straight to the bathroom.

After some cursing and wiping off my bloody knee, I fixed my hair and makeup and found him still standing in the reception area.

"Kori.."

"Just don't talk to me right now."

I grabbed my notebook from him and he checked us in where, of course, our hard-ass investor was already waiting.  I'm not in the mood to deal with any kind of shitty attitude.

I gasped when I saw the man that greeted us.

"Mr. Hardwick, I didn't think you were going to show up."  He glared at Gavin.

"I'm sorry, that would be my fault."  I held my hand out for him.  "I'm Kori Heart, Mr. Hardwick's assistant.  I took a tumble in the parking lot, so I do apologize for our tardiness."

I'm screaming in pain on the inside.

"Well, are you okay?"  The man looks me over, then points at my foot.  "Your ankle is swelling.  Here take a seat. Mr. Hardwick, please get some ice." 

He sat me down, then kneeled down and took my foot in his hand.  Wow, now that's a nice touch.

He rubbed it.  "It's probably sprained, but you should keep some ice on it."

Wow, that perfect hair and million dollars smile probably gets him plenty of action.

"I'm okay, really."

His hand runs up my leg and to my knee, then he shakes his head before grabbing a napkin and dipping it into the water.  He dabs it on my scraped knee as Gavin returns with some ice tied up in a rag.

"It's really not necessary."  I said.

He looks up at me and grins.  "You should really take care of such beautiful legs.  You don't want to ruin them with scars."  He looked back down and dabbed it one more time, but I'm starting to think he just doesn't want to let go of my leg.

He starts undoing his tie. 

Whoa!  Even I can imagine what's under that shirt.

He uses his tie to secure the ice pack around my ankle.  "You should stay off of it tonight and maybe put it up, we can reschedule if you like."

"Oh, no, of course not.  I think we should get to business."

He patted the top of my knee, actually more like my thigh, and smiled.  "Okay."

"Thanks for your help and for your tie.  I'll pay to have it dry cleaned." 

He stood up and shook his head.  "Don't be silly, I have dozens more where that came from, and Mr. Hardwick can I suggest to you something? When you have an assistant as beautiful as this one, take better care, she's a gem."  He winks at me and takes a seat.  Gavin just stood there obviously annoyed with the scene I just caused.