I’d barely seen Gia all day. She’d been holed up in her office since the morning. I sent her a text. Your presence is needed in my office immediately… No panties. I chuckled. She liked me bossy in bed, but at work… not so much.
I stared at my phone, waiting for a response. When none came, I fired off another. Miss Romano… you’re keeping me waiting.
I woke her up with my head between her thighs and my tongue in her pussy. She seemed fine when I dropped her off at the hotel. More than fine. I thought we were good, but now I wasn’t so sure.
Her popping into my office at random times during the day became the norm and now that she hadn’t… I fucking missed her. It was strange. I didn’t get tied up in women. Since when did I care if a woman ghosted me? It was preferred, actually. Clingy was a trait I hated. I should have been elated she wasn’t hanging out in my office eight hours a day. So, why did I feel like something was missing?
When she didn’t respond to my second text, I buzzed Tom. Within seconds, he stood in front of me, notebook at the ready. It was almost comical. “Sir?”
Even though I’d corrected him a million times, I let his faux pas go. “I need you to fetch Miss Romano for me.”
He nodded. “I’m on it.”
I spun my pen around my fingers as I waited. She may have ignored a text, but she’d never ignore my summons, even if it pissed her off. Which I was counting on. I loved when she got all fiery… lips puckered, cheeks aglow, and eyes narrowed into thin slits. She was a hot-tempered beauty. It was sexy as fuck.
The longer she kept me waiting, the harder my dick got. I tapped my pen against the mahogany desk to the rhythm in my head.
The door flew open, but instead of Gia, Tom stood there huffing as if he’d run the entire way. He pushed his glasses up. “She said she’s busy.”
“Busy?” What the fuck. “Busy doing what?”
“She didn’t say. Just that she’d get back with you later.”
Later? “I see. Thank you, Tom.” He slunk out as if he’d never been there at all.
Something was definitely amiss. If she wouldn’t come to me, then I’d go to her. I adjusted my dick and told him to stand down. Even in the beginning, when we fought like cats and dogs, never had she told me later.
Strolling down the hall, I loosened my tie, ready to put my woman in her place. I passed Penny’s desk and pointed at Gia’s door.
“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you. She’s been in beast mode all day.”
Hmmm. “I’ll take my chances.” I gave a swift knock before letting myself in.
Gia sat on the floor in the middle of the room, shoes kicked off, surrounded by boxes, some open with their contents spilling out. She looked up from the clipboard she was writing on. “Hey.”
“Hey? I don’t see you all day and all I get is hey?”
“Sorry,” she said, returning to her clipboard. “I have a lot going on.”
“I can see that. What’s all this?” I asked, motioning to the boxes.
“These are all the items that came in for the silent auction. Apparently, domestic abuse made everyone feel extra charitable. It’s twice what I was expecting. The packages started coming this morning and haven’t stopped. I need to open everything, categorize it, and get it ready for Penny to print the description sheets.”
It seemed tedious and a waste of her talent. “Why isn’t Penny doing this?”
Gia huffed. “First of all, Penny isn’t my slave, she’s my assistant. Second, I’ve had her in touch with Ariel Fox’s people, making accommodations. She’s also calling all our vendors to confirm for the fundraiser. I don’t want any surprises. It’s a lot to do in a short amount of time.”
“I see.” I checked my watch. “It’s almost five. Are you about ready for dinner?”
“I’ll have to pass. I want to get this done tonight, so I’ll grab something in the bar with Claude later.”
I frowned. Claude was far from a threat, however, it didn’t sit right with me.
Penny came in carrying another armload of boxes. “These were just delivered.” She set them down among the others.
“Alright. I’ll have these sheets ready for you first thing Monday morning. Go enjoy your weekend.”
“I can stay,” Penny offered. “I’m sure Brett will understand if I need to cancel on him.”
Gia waved her away. “Absolutely not. Thank you, but I’ve got this.”
“If you’re sure…”
“I’m positive. Go on.”
“Okay. I’ve got a couple little things to do, then I’m outa here.” Penny scooted out the door, leaving us alone.
I walked over to Gia’s wall with papers tacked all over it. Each one was for a different vendor with handwritten messages and a big pink sticky note with the word confirmed. Her methods may have been old-fashioned, but her results were undeniable. “Don’t worry. Penny has electronic files of everything. It’s all up to company standards,” Gia said from her spot on the floor, mistaking my perusal for disapproval
“I wasn’t worried. You’re more than organized.” I pulled my tie through the collar of my shirt and tossed it on a chair. “What can I do to help?”
Gia blinked up at me. “You don’t have to. I’m sure you have other things to do tonight other than going through a bunch of boxes.”
In the past, I’d never give up my Friday night for another employee, especially a subordinate. But Gia was so much more than an employee and the only time I wanted her under me was in the bedroom. I undid the top two buttons of my shirt and sat cross-legged on the floor next to her. “Put me to work.”
“If you insist.” She smiled and handed me a box. “Go on eBay and find a fair market value on this.”
I reached into the box and pulled out a football, encased in glass, signed by all the Raiders. “They didn’t include a monetary amount?”
“Nope, but there are similar items online. It takes a bit of research, but we need to determine an opening bid.”
“Alright.” I went to work and researched a dozen different items that came in without the necessary information.
Gia filled out sheet after sheet and placed them on top of the auction items as she lined them up along the walls of her office. This was, by far, going to be the biggest silent auction we’d ever run. By eight o’clock, we only had a few boxes left. She plopped on the floor next to me and stretched her legs out. “What are we doing, Trent?”
I lifted a brow. “Not having sex like I planned.”
Her lips quirked up on one side. “Obviously. I mean… what are we doing? Is it just sex?”
My stomach turned. The safe answer would be to not let my heart get involved, but it was too late. “Why do we need to put a label on it?”
She shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s been fun but I’m tired of looking over my shoulder all the time. I need some space.”
“Space?”
“Yes. We’ve been reckless. With Hunter back and your father returning next week, it’s too risky. I’m becoming addicted to the orgasms you give me.”
“Addicted?” I laughed because she wasn’t the only one, I’d become quite addicted to her myself. It wasn’t only the orgasms though. I was addicted to everything about her. The way she smelled. Her smart mouth and the way her soft body felt pressed up against mine.
Gia playfully slapped me on the shoulder. “You know what I mean. The sneaking around is making me sick to my stomach. It’s only a matter of time before we get caught.”
I took her face in my palm. “It’s not just sex. Give us a week. Let’s get through the fundraiser and then I’ll tell my dad about us. This isn’t a hookup. It’s so much more than that.”
She blinked her blue eyes at me. “Yeah?”
“Yes. I’m not sure exactly where it’s going, but I’m not ready to give you up.”
