LEAH
This apartment was basically a shoebox. I collapsed into a dining chair with a sigh and glanced around.
I could see the entire kitchen, living room, and bedroom door from my dining table. Filled with my decor and furniture, the place felt cramped and stuffy, even though I downsized my possessions after renting out my house in Decatur.
I'd hung a few things on the walls to make it feel less like a prison cell, but I wanted to wait to move the big things until I found a more permanent place.
Foxy wandered around, sniffing and looking at things in disdain. I hoped she remembered how to use her litter box here because getting her mess out of the carpet would be a real pain in the ass.
A pound of lead settled in my stomach. What if this was all a mistake? What if I just uprooted my entire life for nothing? I rented out my house, gave up my position at Seasons, and left my friends. What if James made my life a living hell here?
Given how he'd treated me thus far, hell seemed to be a very likely possibility.
I took a deep breath. My mind was made.
I'd give things a month and decide. The least I could do was give it a chance. I wanted this change to work for me.
After spending Sunday afternoon unpacking and organizing my clothes, I walked a block down to a Chinese restaurant and picked up takeout. Foxy curled up beside me on the couch while I ate and figured out how to use my television on the new wifi. I went to bed early so I could get plenty of rest for my big first day tomorrow.
All too soon, my morning alarm rang shrilly through the thin walls of my room.
The sound of bed springs squeaking reached
through the wall. Man, if I could hear the neighbor turn over in their sleep, I hoped they weren't a nymphomaniac.
I silenced the alarm and dragged myself out of the chair to start the coffee pot. While the coffee brewed, I fed Foxy and then headed to the bathroom for my morning routine.
The full bathroom felt older than most of the apartment with a peeling laminate countertop and discolored sink. The tub wasn't much better but I already knew I wouldn't be taking baths here.
Nostalgia lanced through my chest. My old house was so cute and clean. It may not have been new, but at least parts of it were upgraded. This place was a disenchanting shit hole.
But it was a roof over my head for now and I could keep my miserable cat.
"You are going to be happy," I commanded the reflection in the mirror, my toothbrush hanging out of my mouth. "Yeah, that's right, bitch. You are changing your life for good."
I tried to carry that optimistic spirit with me as I readied for work.
After I dressed in a pleated skirt and a blue silk blouse. I lightly applied my makeup and straightened my hair. These were familiar, routine things to me, things I would have been doing even back in Georgia. I found some comfort in realizing that at least my work schedule wouldn't change.
Thirty minutes til eight, I patted Foxy's soft head goodbye and strutted out the door to my car, travel coffee mug in hand. My commute to his house was twenty-two minutes. I almost hoped there would be eight minutes of surprise traffic so I wouldn't have to awkwardly knock on his door early.
I thought it was interesting that we were working out of his house, to begin with. How could they pay a banker's salary to a PA but not rent office space?
With my luck, there was not a single traffic delay. I arrived at the mouth of the black asphalt driveway much earlier than expected. As I paused at the entrance of the driveway, I squinted up the winding path to look for a house. There was no structure or shape through all the trees. The only indication there was even a house at the end of the road was the solid black mailbox across the street.
Biting my lip, I turned onto the driveway and followed its meandering shape. It seemed to stretch on for miles.
I took in the dense forest hovering around, surprised by how secluded and embedded in the woods his house was. Every other second, I waited to see a bear or deer scramble out of the brush.
There were no power boxes or phone lines around either. Just as I started to wonder if James sent me out here to kill me, the trees parted into a small opening. In the middle of the rotunda, sat a glass house layered with slabs of wood.
I could see right into what appeared to be the living room where a television played the news channel.
The entire house was a modern industrial art sculpture out in the middle of the woods. It seemed entirely transparent as it blended unobtrusively into the browns and greens of the encompassing nature.
Chunks of mulch and freshly turned dirt surrounded the house and made me wonder if this was new construction. I was just glad I didn't have to go back to that damned cabin. There was no way I could have handled that.
The driveway led me right up to the doors of a garage, so I parked there and cut the ignition. My palms felt sticky with sweat. I tried to swallow down my nervousness but failed.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I took a deep breath and climbed out of the car. I was grabbing my purse from the backseat when I deep voice sounded just feet away.
"You're early."
I shrieked and spun around, plastering myself against the side of my Benz.
James stood before me, shirtless in only gym shorts with sweat dripping down his very defined abdomen. His body was the epitome of lean, everything sculpted but refined. He wasn't bulky, but elegant. His hair was full and wild, so voluminous that my fingers itched to comb through the silky strands. Even worse, his vibrant green eyes shined behind long dark eyelashes as he smirked down at me.
My heart fluttered.
"Where did you come from?" I demanded.
James glanced back at the woods. "Just came back from a run. As I said, you're early."
"Excuse me for trying to be punctual," I muttered. My eyes roamed around the yard to avoid looking at his deliciously chiseled, naked chest. "I'll make sure that doesn't happen again."
A sound similar to a gruff chuckle passed his lips but by the time my gaze snapped towards his mouth, he was already speaking again.
"There are bears here, so I'll open the garage for you to park your car. Cross through the courtyard to enter the house. Take the stairs on the right up to the second floor. That will be our office space for now."
I blinked and every single one of his directions flew out of my memory.
"Got it?" he asked.
"Yup." I forced a smile before jumping back into my car.
James sauntered over to a wrought iron fence that strung between the garage building and the house. I could see pampas grass fronds obscuring what must have been the courtyard.
Once he was out of view, I sank into my seat with a groan. I did not consider sexual attraction one of the obstacles I'd have to overcome in the next month.
Shit. How did one stop feeling attracted toward their deceased ex's brother?
The garage door peeled open and I focused on guiding the Benz into the spot beside his car. Shouldering my purse again, I stepped out and cringed under the bright fluorescent lights. My eyes locked on the blacked-out Tesla Model S gleaming up at me.
I gaped. No freakin' way. Tiptoeing over to the backside of the vehicle, I held my breath. Tell me it's not a—OH MY GOD.
It was a freaking Plaid. I looked around to make sure James wasn't here to witness my embarrassing fangirl moment. Plastering my face to the passenger window, I drank in the sight of the ultra-luxurious black leather interior. What I would give to drive this mother. What I would give to take a toss in the back . . .
A bright flash of light startled me and I skittered back, clutching my purse to my chest. I followed the light to the electric car's headlights. I must have triggered its security feature. Sighing, I locked my Benz and forced myself to leave the garage.
The garage door automatically whirred shut behind the Benz as I pushed out into the grey morning sunlight. I stumbled into a small cobblestone courtyard.
A burbling stone fountain that looked like a pregnant jelly bean stood in the center, water bubbling out of the top and gushing down the wishes. On either side of the courtyard were elegant wrought iron fences highlighted by the spindly spines of pampas grass.
As I looked closer, I noticed the intricate snowflake-like design detailed into the black metal posts of the fence. I was surprised at the level of detail here and how well the elegant fence and ultra-modern fountain came together. This would be a lovely place to eat lunch or escape James's scorching looks.
I made my way to the glass door of the house and let myself inside. A puff of warmth immediately wrapped around my bare arms, inviting me in. Closing the door behind me, I took in the open space.
The kitchen and living room were all in one massive space, lit by lantern lights and textured by touches of white and black bricks. The television must have been turned off because the house was almost silent except for the dancing, choking flames in the infinity fireplace.
When I stepped into the room, I noticed a discreet set of dark wood steps suspended by copper cables that must have led up to the second floor.
Hadn't James said something about going upstairs?
I gripped my purse and started up the stairs. For some reason, I expected them to move and for the cables to bend, but they held strong as I hesitantly progressed up. I breathed a sigh of relief as I reached the platform on the second floor.
Similarly to the one below it, this floor was very open with glass walls partitioning the rooms. Behind the first room was a large black stone desk with a closed laptop and an adjoining filing cabinet. Two staggeringly tall bookcases filled shelf-to-shelf stood against the other walls. The decor was minimal and masculine.
The room beside this was a long, rectangular space centered on a long conference table. The far wall opposite the door was a floor-to-ceiling window looking over the backyard and barren forest.
I was observing the thickets of different plants around the backyard when a knock on the door startled me.
James stood in the doorway, his penetrating gaze locked on mine. His messy hair from just minutes prior was now gelled back and shiny. His cheeks were slightly pink from a quick shave. I swallowed hard, admiring his shoulders beneath the tailored navy suit.
"Come over to my office," he said, "and we'll begin the paperwork."
His words snapped me from my trance. What the hell was wrong with me? I seriously could not be checking James out. That just spelled bad news.
"Hurry now, Miss Harris."
I realized he had already walked back to his office and was now glaring at me through the adjoining glass partition. Sighing, I walked over to his office next door. James motioned to the chair in front of his desk. I avoided his gaze as I sat down and began pulling my ID documents from my purse.
"Let's get started, shall we?" James said. "I have a few documents for you to read through and sign—HIPAA and OSHA things. Did you bring the documents?"
"Yes." I placed my documents on the desk while he placed the forms down in front of me. Our knuckles brushed for a fleeting moment and my heart leaped into my mouth.
When I lifted my gaze to him, those haunting green orbs bore down into me.
His jaw ticked. "You don't plan to have another employment outside of this, do you?"
Shifting in my seat, I focused my gaze on the forms in front of me and thumbed through them. "No. Not if I will be paid the agreed salary."
"Excellent."
"And will I get any benefits?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"Health and 401k."
He sighed and I looked up again to catch him leaning back in his chair. Threading his hands behind his head and flexing his rather appetizing biceps through his suit jacket, he smirked. "First day and you're already making demands."
"I'm negotiating," I said simply, folding my hands in my lap.
"Yes, of course," he muttered. Lowering his hands to his desk, he licked his teeth and stared at his laptop screen. "Alright. You get health and 401k benefits after thirty days. How's that?"
"And dental," I squeaked.
His glittering emerald eyes flicked over the screen at me. "And dental."
"After thirty days? Deal."
"Keep in mind that you have to not get fired in that amount of time."
My hand twitched, the urge to point a daggered middle finger at him coursing through me. I resisted. The bastard was baiting me. He offered me this absurd position and was practically threatening to fire me already.
"I have managed not to get fired from any job ever. So unless you intend to just fire me for no reason," I said, leaning towards him, "I don't expect to underperform."
"Very well. You can go fill out your paperwork in the conference room."
I stood from the chair, collected the forms, and padded back to the conference room. After I sat down and pulled out a pen, I felt the warm sensation of watching eyes. I looked at the wall between my and James' office and realized the blinds in the partition were now drawn. We could no longer see each other. Sighing, I finally relaxed. Then I pushed my nose down and started filling out the forms.