As I walk into Harvey Inc. Wednesday morning I'm more sure of myself and of my relationship with Christian Clark, the CEO of Harvey Inc., and the love of my life.
As I step off the elevator to head to my meeting Pearl greets me, "Good morning Miss. Cooper."
"Good morning Pearl."
I glance over at Violet's desk and she's staring at me worriedly. I smirk at her and her eyes widen right as Christian's door opens. He walks right towards me and brushes his nose against mine as he takes hold of my hands, "Hi princess," he murmurs.
"Hi," I smile placing a light kiss on his lips, making sure not to get my red lipstick on him.
He takes my coat off and tosses it over his arm, "Jason should be here in a few minutes."
I nod and smile, "I'll be there in a minute, I'd just like a quick word with Miss. Sanders."
He raises an eyebrow, a question of if I'm ready for this, I give his hands a reassuring squeeze and he nods, "Alright, I'm going to run down for a coffee, want anything?"
"The usual."
He nods and places a kiss on my cheek before heading off for the escalator.
I turn to Violet once he's out of ear shot and say, "So, I heard you had fun on your business trip this weekend."
She blinks, "Um yes, we went out to celebrate the deal with Will Harwell."
I nod and set my purse on the edge of her desk, "I know. The bar, the club, a whole bunch of fun." I pause and then smirk, "Then again business trips with Christian are always tied up with a little bit of fun," I say the last part with a knowing look and she grins.
"Very much."
I nod in agreement and smile at her, making her think I was being friendly. That I had no idea what game she was playing. Make her feel like she has a friend in the making and then rip the rug out from under her.
"Although sometimes Will is just as much fun, surely Jess has said so."
She nods slowly, "Yeah totally. Will was great, I had no idea that he was actually into fun though."
I nod, with a smile plastered on my face, "Oh yeah he is. A ton of fun, you should try talking to him."
Jessica would murder me if she knew I was putting her fiance up for sacrifice.
She smiles widely and says, "I'll definently do that."
I smirk and rest my hands on her desk, "You know I'm totally okay with the whole Christian thing right?"
Her eyes widen, "Oh uh yeah. I uh didn't know you knew."
I shrug and tap my nails against the hard black glass surface, "He told me."
Her face changes from coinfidence to confusion, "We just kissed we haven't had sex...yet."
I set my jaw and then put on my best fake smile as I narrow my eyes, "At least you have the balls to admit it. You know he was right about one thing, at least I don't have the nerve to hit on someone who is in a relationship. Especially on a man who just lost a baby."
Her eyes widen and she sits back as far as she can as I lean in closely, I smirk at her expression, "You really think I'm okay with some skank hitting on my boyfriend?"
She gulps, "No I...I didn't realize how serious things are. I asked my Aunt and she said thing were kind of rocky. She thought I might have a chance, I mean I've liked Christian for years."
I shake my head in disgust, "That woman has been trying to tear us apart for months. And she succeeded once. I'm not letting it happen again."
She nods and looks down and away, "I'm sorry Emerson."
I glare at her, "You aren't sorry. You're only sorry you got caught."
"So who told you? Davis? He really is like a loyal dog isn't he?"
"Christian. Christian told me."
"Does he know you're acting all tough right now?"
My smirk returns and I arch an eyebrow at her, "Of course he knows."
"Only because you don't want to be punished."
I lean in so only she can hear me, "I'm not his sub Violet. I'm his girlfriend. Learn the difference."
"He doesn't date."
"Then find yourself another dom if that's what you're looking for," I sneer.
She smirks, knowing she's gotten under my skin, "Does it scare you that I want a dom and deep down you know he wants a sub?"
I laugh, "Oh please Violet, you don't intimidate me. You might have, for a few days but that's over. If he wanted you he would have slept with you. Christian doesn't play around like that."
She smirks, "Well I'll have pleanty of chances, I've always wanted someone to screw me over a desk," she says pointedly.
"Careful, I might fire you before you even start your job."
She frowns and her eyes grow wide, "What?"
"Oh, Christian didn't tell you the news?"
She shakes her head slowly and I say, "Well we haven't decided where to put you yet but you might end up over at EmaVee."
She gulps, "EmaVee Records?"
I shake my head and stand up straight, smirking down at her, "EmaVee Publishing. I'm your new boss. Well, not yet but as soon as possible."
Violet shakes her head, "No. No way. You're bluffing."
I smirk, "No, I'm really not. You see Christian was going to fire you after your little stunt on Friday but I was nice enough to offer to take you on under my own thumb. This way, you can still pay the bills, make something of yourself, please your family, and stay the hell away from my boyfriend. Oh, and if you behave while you're here, I might just be nice enough to convince him to let you work with Matea. Got it?"
She smirks, "But then you won't be my boss. She will."
"And if you step out of line Christian can fire you anyway."
"Everything alright up here?" I hear Christian ask.
I turn and smile, "Of course."
He gives me a knowing look and walks toward me, handing me my cup of coffee, "Good."
She looks at Christian, "Are you really moving me across the street?"
He raises an eyebrow and nods, "Yes. I think it's best for all of us. We don't want any problems now do we? Besides, Emerson is more than happy to make room for you at EmaVee. It is afterall, her company."
"I thought she was just the Vice President?"
Christian shakes his head, "No. The paperwork went through last night."
Her jaw drops, "That was your mom's company and you're handing it off to some girl you're dating?"
His gaze hardens, "I gave it to the girl I love because she knew my mother and my mother died protecting us both. Now if you step out of line again I will have you removed from the building. Understood Miss. Sanders?"
She nods, "Yes Sir."
"Its Mr. Clark for you."
Her eyes widen slightly and she glances at me before saying, "Yes, of course. Sorry Mr. Clark."
As we walk into the office I say, "I still can't believe you really want to give me EmaVee."
He shrugs and sets his coffee down before pulling my chair out for me, "I want you to have it. It feels right."
"But Matea is running the record company."
He nods as he walks around and sits down to my left at the head of the table, "I know, but I still own it. When she's ready and she knows what she wants I can talk to her about it. Plus," he smirks picking his coffee up, "Once I convince you to marry me down the line what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. That is if you don't insist on a prenup. Which I hope you wouldn't," he says taking a long drink of his coffee.
My jaw drops, "Christian!"
He shrugs and sighs, "Look, I love you. I trust you. That's enough for me. Plus I know you won't let anything happen to it. And I know you'd talk to me beforehand. Plus you already said you liked my plans."
I bite my lip, "Can we wait? For the papers I mean? I know you want to do it right away but I don't think I'm ready. I want to make sure."
He takes hold of my hand and squeezes it, "We can wait, but I do want it to be yours."
"What about the bookstore and the ereader?"
He shrugs, "We'll figure it out. If you'd like we can partner on it."
I look at him and then bite my lip, "You know I've always wanted my own publishing company, it was my dream, it still is my dream. But what if we co-owned?"
He looks at me surprised and smiles, "Is that what you'd like to do? For real?"
I nod, "Yes. You know I'm new to this stuff. I don't want to mess it up, and having your help would help me."
He brings my hands to his lip and kisses my fingertips, "Then yes."
He pulls me into his arms when he sees me grin and he kisses the top of my head, "God I love you Emma."
I kiss his jaw and he groans as he grips my hips, "Jason is going to walk in any minute. I don't want to have you laying across the table half naked when he does."
I pout at him and rub the lipstick stain away, "I'll behave," I murmur.
He chuckles and slides his hands down to my ass, "We can misbehave later."
"Where later?" I ask suggestively.
He smirks and kisses my jaw, "Your office, my office. This room. The copy room. I don't know where else but we'll find it."
He slides his hands off my ass and to my back just as the door opens and Jason Devaroux walks in.
He gives us both a slightly amused look and then says, "Good morning."
I stand from Christian's lap and say, "Good morning," before taking my seat.
Christian gives him a stiff nod and says, "Good morning Mr. Devaroux."
He sits across from me and to Christian's left and opens up his briefcase pulling out the prototype.
"It's a working prototype, general stuff. It turns on, off, internet, pretend apps. You need to decide what you want on the device and how far and how big you want to go."
Christian drums his fingers on the table and says, "Games, and of couse the general stuff. I can look into what we'd need to get certain games that are already popular to generate customers. And of course the bookstore. I just don't know whether to contain the things on a website or a store, like itunes."
"Online," I say simply, "We'd be copying them too much if we did that. If we want to bring in music later we can work on adding it."
"To a different, better model once we know what they want," Jason adds.
Christian nods in agreement and picks up the prototype, "When can we get one of the real thing?"
"As soon as everything is ready."
Christian eyes me and says, "You ready for this?"
I nod, "Defientely."
He hands me the prototype and I say, "Non breakable screen right?"
Jason nods, "Very unlikely. We'll have to work on cases for these things too and debate on colors."
Christian nods and looks at me, "Emerson and I can debate on keeping company colors or different patterns and more colors. I just want a case that will hold this and that will be better than anything anyone else can come up with."
Jason nods, "Will do."
As soon as we're home I collapse on the couch, Christian sits down on the other end and pulls my legs into his lap. He then pulls my heels off and picks up my foot and starts massaging it. I sigh after a few moments and he grins, "Feel good?"
"Incredible."
He kisses the inside of my ankle and then pouts, "I wish you were wearing a skirt. Why didn't you?"
I roll my eyes at him and he lifts me up far enough off the couch to swat my bottom, "No eye rolling kitten."
I bite my lip and then say, "It's a power thing with women. Gives us the upper hand and I needed as much as I could get with Violet today."
He frowns and lays my leg down, sitting up and pulling of his jacket her crawls up over me, "She shouldn't be a problem now."
I sigh, "I know," I tug on his tie to loosen it as I continue to say, "But I still don't like her being so close to you."
He nods, "I know, but it's only a few weeks."
I nod and say, "We'll have to start packing tomorrow."
He frowns, "Beth will take care of that."
I shake my head, "Christian, she's pregant. She's due at the end of what? January? She needs to take it easy."
He frowns again and nods, "I hadn't thought of that. Don't women usually go on bed rest?"
I shrug, "Some women do, some don't. It depends on the pregnancy."
Christian gulps, "Bed rest keeps stress levels down right?"
I nod and kiss his jaw, "Dr. Fallon told me during my last appointment, while she was putting the birth control in that if I become pregnant again she wants me on bedrest the whole time. I'll be cooped up for nine months."
He frowns and shakes his head, "We'll be in the house. You can work in your office and go in once a week if that's what you want for the first month or so. Less stress. And Victoria won't be around and Cole will..." he trails off, "You know Pearl said yes right?"
I nod slowly, "Cole called and Pearl and Matea want to get drinks tomorrow night. I guess to tell us the news."
Christian nods and says, "Dinner at Channings. He called too."
I sigh and wrap my arms around Christian's neck, "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
"At least we leave Friday after lunch for Vegas."
I grin, "True."
He kisses me gently and then places a trail of kisses down my neck until we practically melt into each other.
A/N: I know this is super short compared to the chapters I usually right but I wanted to get this out for you guys. More tomorrow!
xoxo, Sara