I sigh loudly before turning around to walk back to Eric.
Eric's already staring at me, curiously.
Legs, please don't shake.
Please do not show that Michael had a profound effect on me.
I can't--Oh, Jesus, legs work.
Eric's eyes remain locked on mine and he watches me calmly.
Finally, when I feel my legs are ready to function, I make my way to where Eric's standing.
"What was that?" He asks when I stop before him. "What were you two talking about?"
I pause, thinking of Michael's word. "Nothing really. Nothing at all."
"Nothing?"
"Yes, nothing."
"Then why'd he stay in the elevator so long? Y'all seemed to be talking about something, Tam. Therefore, it couldn't be "nothing really"."
"He was just telling me about the floors and stuff." I lie and Eric features knit. "And he apologized for Mika treating me unfairly."
"I can't say I'm sad she did it. Because if she hadn't, you wouldn't be working for me."
"I guess you're right."
"I am." Eric smiles. "So what do you want to do now?"
"Umm, actually I'm gonna go up to the observation deck."
"The top floor?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, I'll come with you."
"No!" I exclaim, pressing a hand to his solid abs.
"No?" Eric frowns. "Tam, you don't know where places are at in this building. You could get lost."
"Eric," I smile, softly. "I'm not going to get lost. Besides, if I'm going to work for you, I need to know these floors."
"You've got a point there."
"Exactly. So, I'm going up to the top to come down and see the details of each floor."
"Why don't you just go to the lobby and look at the blueprint on the wall?"
"Because I-I like being difficult." I sigh loudly and Eric agrees.
"Well, okay, you can go do that." He sighs. "While you're gone, I'm going to make a few calls and get your keys made. When you get back we can go have dinner."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
Eric pulls me into a hug then kisses my cheek. "Tam, I can't thank you enough for helping me out."
"You're becoming more help to me than I am to you, Eric."
"You're more of a help to me than anyone could be, Tam."
I look away from the underlying meaning in Eric's eyes as I pull from his embrace. "I'm gonna go tour the building. I'll be back soon."
"Have fun." Eric waves as I jog to the elevator.
"I'll try." I wave back as the elevator doors open behind me.
Eric smiles, watching me, until the elevator doors close.
"Hi." I smile at the two security guys as I step out of the elevator on the ninety-ninth floor. "I'm Tamera Stewart is Mr. Jackson here?"
"No, ma'am, he is not." The tallest security guy smiles, politely. "Actually, he hasn't been up here in a while."
"Is he on his way up?"
"No ma'am, and if he were, he would have called us to allow access, but he hasn't."
"Why are you up here?" The shorter security guard asks.
"Looking for him," I sigh. "but, umm, thanks anyways."
"You're welcome." He says as I turn, calling for the elevator again.
Within a few seconds, the elevator dings behind me and the doors open.
"Thanks." I smile to the security guards and they nod, softly.
I step into the elevator again and my finger hovers over the button for floor fifty.
"Why would you tell me to come to the roof and your ass isn't even there?" I mumble as my fingers travel to the button for floor ninety-seven. "Guess I have to find out."
Seconds later, the elevator stops and the doors open to the floor I walked into yesterday morning.
I step out of the elevator and make my way to the counter Mika once manned.
That job blocking bitch.
As I approach the counter, I notice a man, a ginger haired white man, sitting at the computer Mika once ignored me from.
"Oooo, hello, how are you today?" The man asks and I smile, realizing he's gay, and actually greeted me before I could make my presence known.
"Hi, I'm fine. Umm, is Mr. Jackson here?"
"Who wants to know?" A woman asks from beside me.
Where did she come from?
I turn slightly to my left to address the lean brunette. "Tamera Stewart."
"Hi, Tamera Stewart," The woman arches a brow as we shake hands. "I'm Britta Sails, Mr. Jackson's assistant."
Oh, so he got a new one already?
I let my eyes flow over her size zero frame, her size ten feet, her minuscule hips, her double D, surgery given, bust, her collagen filled lips, and her hazel eyes.
Guess Michael always had a back up for me, huh?
"And this is Andrew." Britta points to the man behind the counter. "He's the--"
"The secretary." Andrew interrupts, winking at me, before glaring at Britt. "I'm the secretary who should have been the assistant."
"Still mad I got the job, Drew?" Britta smirks.
"I'm not mad, you skanky bitch." Andrew smiles, sweetly, and Britta rolls her eyes. "We all know what you did to get the job."
My ears flutter and I lean forward to hear more. What did she do?
"What? Being better than you during the trial yesterday?" Britta scoffs and Andrew rolls his eyes. "Face it, the better person for the job got the job, Andrew. Stop being so jealous."
"I'm not jealous, Britt. Believe that. Basic knowledge of a woman like you, lets me know it was that slit between your legs that got you the job. And maybe you don't rug burn easily. Maybe you did that little thing with your tongue. But, sweetie, you were not better at the job you have than me."
I stand awkwardly between them before Britta looks at me again. "What is your business with Mr. Jackson, Miss Stewart?"
"I don't exactly know." I sigh. "He just told me to meet him."
Britt scans me from head to toe then arches a disapproving eyebrow. "Wait here, I'll go see what this is about."
"Thank you."
"Bitch." Andrew mumbles as she walks away from us. "Ooo," He marvels, looking at my wrist. "I like your bracelet, Miss Stewart."
"Thanks." I smile as he adjusts it on my wrist. "And call me Tamera."
"Is it real?"
"Yes, my daddy got it for my twenty-first birthday."
"Sugar daddy, Tamera?" Andrew winks and I chuckle.
"No, my actual daddy, Andrew."
"Don't knock a sugar daddy, Miss Tamera. Especially if he gots a lot of sugar."
I laugh as I lean against the counter. "I take it you know a lot about sugar daddies?"
"Shh, I don't want that secret out, babe." Andrew smirks. "Rumors travel fast in an office setting, ya know?"
"Your secret's safe with me, Andrew."
"Thank you, Miss Beauty."
"You're welcome." I smile, warming up to him. "So when did you get this job?"
"Yesterday."
"And Britta got hers yesterday too?"
"Yup." Andrew sours, rolling his eyes. "That bitch."
"Why is she all that?" I giggle.
"Don't get me wrong, I love Miss Britta, the house down, but she fucked up too many times yesterday to have that job. I still can't believe she got it."
"How do you suppose she got it if she was so bad?" I frown, curiously.
"Well, she and Mr. Jackson were holed up in his office yesterday for about twenty minutes and she stayed after work with him."
"Do you think she--"
"Fucked her way into a job?" Andrew completes my thought and I nod. "Yes. Now I wish that third applicant, he spoke of yesterday, came too. Then maybe he or she would have gotten the job instead of her."
"I did have the job." I smile, softly.
"You were the third applicant, Tamera?" Andrew asks, shocked.
"Yes, but I took a different job."
"Please quit that one," Andrew begs, dramatically. "and come here to work. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please."
"I can't," I smile as Andrew pouts. "but hey, I work in this building."
"What floor?"
"50th."
"Yesss!" Andrew cheers. "We're gonna have lunch tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay, give me your number."
Over the counter, Andrew hands me his iPhone to program my number and I hand him mine to do the same. When we've finished we hand the phones back.
"I'm new at this whole secretarial thing, Andrew, so maybe you can help me." I smile at him smiling at me.
"Oh, yes ma'am, I will."
"Miss Stewart?" Britta calls and I look over at her. "Mr. Jackson's ready to see you."
"Okay," I turn to look at Andrew. "later, Andrew."
"Later, Miss Tam."
I smile as I walk up to Britta and she arches a brow. "He says go right in."
"Thank you."
Mumbling something under her breath, Britta walks around me as I make my way to Mr. Jackson's office door.
The door is ajar so I open it and walk inside.
"Hello?" I call then the door shuts behind me. "Mich--"
"What took you so long?" Michael asks from behind me and I turn around.
"You said meet you on the roof not in your office. Why would you tell me to meet you on the roof if you weren't even going to be up there?"
"I wanted to see what you would do if I didn't appear." Michael smirks.
I roll my eyes. "And did I do what you'd thought I'd do?"
"You're in my office, Tamera."
"So I did." I mumble to myself as Michael walks up to me. "Now I don't even know why I'm here."
"Because you want me to lay you on that conference table and have my way with you. When was the last time you had some good dick, Tamera?"
I narrow my eyes and scoff. "Good day, Mr. Jackson."
As I'm making my way around him, he turns me around, grabs my hips, then pins me against the door.
He tilts my head back and kisses my neck, ever so slowly. "I told you to call me Michael."