Over a thousand reads, guys. I'm so ecstatic right now, thanks to everyone's support, even the silent readers. Though it'd be great to hear you out in the comments, I completely understand your feeling of reservation. I love you all, truly.
Olivia's POV
"You can't go in, lady!"
I tried so hard not to snap at the pretty blonde haired woman standing between me and Shayne's office.
At first I'd just thought she was doing her job as Shayne's secretary, but it was soon evident that she didn't like me one bit.
"I already told you, Shayne said I could go in," I said, starting to get really frustrated.
"And I already told you, she would have informed me," she said with a fake smile.
She gave me another rude and judgemental once-over.
What was her problem?
"Althea, sweety, why don't you go do something constructive, huh?"
I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard Sasha's voice.
How did she always show up when she was needed?
"But Shayne said that I shouldn't let just anyone into..."
"Althea, move aside," Sasha said, getting in between me and the blonde.
The slender blue eyed woman gave me a hateful eye before clearing the way.
"Thank you," Sasha said, and opened the door to Shayne's office.
I stepped in right after her.
Sandalwood and Lavender.
Her amazing scent was everywhere.
She was everywhere.
I could see it in the dark walls. In the massive, dark mahogany desk. The dark, firm and comfortable chairs. The two black leather sofas. The tall and wide dark shelf against the wall. The masculine and plush grey carpet.
The only bright thing in the room was the floor to ceiling windows that allowed a lot of light to get in, with a beautiful view of Los Angeles city.
"That woman worships the ground Shayne walks on. Unless it's work, the poor blonde never receives the type of attention she craves. I was once there," Sasha said as she led me to one of the sofas.
I looked at Sasha in shock. "You were?"
She laughed freely as she sat across the sofa from me, her dimples amplifying her beauty.
"You've seen Shayne, I don't think it's much of a shock." She straightened the top of her elegant royal blue jumpsuit, and crossed her legs.
Of course I'd seen Shayne. I wouldn't have been questioning my own sexuality if I hadn't.
"No, it's not. But I just never saw you as a woman who sought out any type of attention."
"Oh, I can seek attention if I really want it. But I was a little younger than you when I first met Shayne. Lord, I was so infatuated by her."
Looking at the beautiful brown skinned woman in front of me, I wondered how Shayne hadn't managed to slip a ring on her finger by now.
"Did she know?"
"Of course. We went to the same high school, so I told her at our senior year prom."
"And?" I said, eager to know anything that involved Shayne's past.
"Well, she didn't feel the same way. She said she'd already seen me as just a friend to her."
I winced at her words.
"I know," she said, laughing at my reaction.
"What happened next?" I said, smiling at her brightness.
"I thought I'd never get over the heartbreak, but I fell in and out of love with so many guys over the years that by the time I met Shayne again, she was merely a highschool crush I couldn't have."
"How did you meet the second time?"
"We met four years later at a former classmate's party. I'd just graduated from business school, and Shayne had just opened up her studio. Hence, we made a deal. In exchange for funding her studio, she would become my partner."
Sasha laughed when she saw the look of shock on my face.
"No, no, no, ewww. Not that kind of partner, I mean a business partner."
I sighed in relief at knowing Sasha wasn't as desperate as the rest of Shayne's fanclub.
"And we've been working together ever since for the past six years. Our friendship is really what did the job, you know? But recently, she's been such a pain."
"Establishing a company like Reyvox can't be an easy thing, it's probably just the stress."
It did make sense, because Shayne wasn't as smiley and grinny as she'd been three months ago.
"Could be," Sasha said.
The door to Shayne's office opened, and in walked the CEO herself.
My breath caught when she found my eyes.
Oh no.
She looked upset.
"What is it now, Shayne?" Sasha said, getting up from her seat before I did the same.
I could tell she'd just taken a shower.
Her short hair was pitch black with wetness, her thick and long eyelashes glistening with it.
She'd changed into a white long sleeved T-shirt, the sleeves of it folded at her forearms.
The dark blue jeans looked incredible on her long and lean legs, hanging attractively loose on her equally lean hips.
Although I'd missed the sight of her sweaty tattooed biceps, what she was wearing made my heart flatter.
We were matching.
"I have a meeting in the next hour, Long beach. My idiot lawyer says he's stuck somewhere and he says that what he wants to discuss in person can't wait," she said, her hazel eyes staring intently into mine.
My heart squeezed in disappointment.
I had been really looking forward to our brunch.
"It's okay. I have work soon anyway," I said, picking up my bag.
"Come with me."
I froze at Shayne's immediate words.
"What?"
My heart lurched painfully when she suddenly closed the distance between us in a few strides.
"Come with me," she repeated when she was standing right in front of me.
"I can't," I said quietly, staring up at her.
"Why not?" Her eyes dropped to my glossed lips, and then dropped to my chest, but only lingered there for a second.
"I have work, and I don't think it'd be wise for us to be seen in public together. You heard what my mother said that day," I said timidly, my face heating up to its limit.
"You can just tell your idiot boss that I forced you to come with me. And about your mom, I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself."
"You don't know my mother. She meant every word of what she said. I don't want to be the reason for your misery, Shayne."
I probably sounded too worried and concerned for a person I hardly knew, but I just couldn't help it.
"I'll see you guys later," Sasha said, no doubt thinking that she was intruding on a private moment.
Once she was gone, Shayne smugly smiled at me.
"Are you worried about me?"
My skin tingled sensationally just like every time those amazing lips curved into a smile.
"No. I just don't want to be known as the girl who ruined the gorgeous and talented Shayne West."
"You think I'm gorgeous?" Her smile turned into a smirk so attractive that I thought the joints in my knees would soon be inexistent.
"That's not the point, Shayne." I couldn't help my smile as I folded my arms and looked at her with mock disapproval.
Her eyes did the same thing they'd done before. Only this time, they lasted a couple more seconds on my chest.
"Come with me," she repeated for the third time, her hand stretched out to me.
I hesitated as I looked down at her long fingered hand.
"Fine, but if I get fired, you'll be the one to answer to my mother." I placed my hand in hers, allowing my heart to flatter and squeeze with both excitement and nervousness.
"No problem. Was that so hard?" she said, pulling me to the door.
I rolled my eyes at her attractive lean back.
"How are we getting there?" I asked as we stepped out of her office.
"I'll drive us there, but first I have to go pick up my Jeep."
"Oh, where is it?" I asked distractedly.
I waved at Sasha when I saw her through the glass walls of her office.
She waved back with a grin and a wink and continued to talk on the phone.
"My ex-girlfriend's place."