AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mr Thorn’s words rang in my ears, and my stomach twisted with nervousness. I was in my tiny apartment, wearing my best dress, yet my hands were trembling, and my expression was like a deer in headlights.
My boss announced I would keep him company for dinner with some businessman. Throughout the years, I attended different kinds of business meetings with Lena, but I was never at the main table. This was a totally new thing for me. Only me, Mr Thorn, and some man with his wife would be there. Despite my best efforts to appear confident, I was terrified of disappointing my control-freak boss.
I arrived in the city centre five minutes before seven. Standing in front of the restaurant, I squeezed my purse in one hand while replying to a text message with the other.
"You won’t need that this evening."
I raised my head from the screen, unable to react, when Mr Thorn yanked the phone from my grasp, hiding it in the inner pocket of his expensive jacket.
"That's..." I started, shutting my mouth instantly when my eyes connected with his. He was giving me one of his typical icy stares, and I exhaled loudly, showing him my disapproval.
"You were saying?" He lifted his eyebrows at me, smirking when I didn’t answer. Despite him being a total asshole, I loved my job and wanted to keep it.
"Let’s get this over with," I mumbled under my breath, walking to the door. I didn’t want to allow anger or annoyance to take over my emotions.
I sat down behind the best table in the restaurant, doing everything in my power to not look totally out of place. The space was full of people, and at least half of them knew Mr Thorn and wanted to shake hands. I was watching as he politely smiled and exchanged pleasantries, perfect in his role.
He was the embodiment of success. Everything on him literally screamed money, and his slightly arrogant expression only highlighted his obvious dominance over everyone. I was staring at him in awe while all he did was be himself.
Long minutes passed until he finally reached our table, sitting down on my left side. His curious orbs were roaming my face, and he ended up on the deep V-neckline of my black dress. I expected him to comment on my outfit, but surprisingly, he averted his gaze from my chest, sipping his water.
After a few moments, when I noticed he was preoccupied with a menu, I dared to look at him closely. He was dressed in a tailored three-piece light grey suit which fit him perfectly. The white shirt was in contrast with the green tie, but it didn’t surprise me. I already knew that he was a fan of very colourful accessories.
My eyes lingered longer on his broad chest and wide shoulders. For a second, I completely forgot we were in a cramped restaurant, and my imagination went wild. Pictures of his huge muscular body pressed against mine invaded my mind, and a deep sigh left my mouth when I remembered how close he was to me the other day.
"Do you like what you see, Miss Hernandez?" he asked sweetly, waking me up from my inappropriate fantasy about him devouring me. I blinked, sucking in a sharp breath, forcing my brain to come up with an adequate answer.
"Black suits you better," I replied, ignoring the heat in my cheeks and avoiding direct eye contact. I was nervously playing with the white napkin on the table, embarrassed I got caught.
"Does it make my muscles stand out?" he continued, and I snapped my head to look at him properly. His stoic face would normally give me chills, but his eyes glowed with mischief. He was enjoying my flushed state; I was sure of it.
"It matches your soul." I smirked at him, relishing in his baffled expression. It took him a few seconds to comprehend the meaning of my words, yet his undoubtedly clever response was cut off by Mr Lendark.
"Apologies for being late, Bastian." Mr Lendark, a forty-five-year-old man with black hair, glasses, and a sincere smile, said, shaking Mr Thorn’s hand. I’d researched him before dinner this evening, so I would have an idea of who I was meeting. "My precious wife is pregnant and she doesn’t feel well. I didn’t want to leave her alone."
"We could have rescheduled this," Mr Thorn stated, frowning at the man opposite him. "Family is much more important than business."
I leaned back in my chair, listening to his words, not sure if it was the same man who was barking at me all day long. One could say he was a notorious workaholic, so it was very unusual to hear such an honest and kind statement from him.
"You're absolutely correct, my friend." Mr Lendark nodded, taking a glass in his hand. "I just want to put this unpleasant thing behind me and move on." He looked at me, smiling softly. "I hope you won’t be bored with our conversation."
"Don´t worry about me at all, sir," I answered, opening the menu. Those business meetings were always tediously boring, and the idea of listening to them for the entire evening didn’t sound very entertaining. However, I was promised a huge bonus from Mr Thorn for being his perfect plus one, so I plastered a polite smile on my face, doing my best not to disturb their negotiations.
"What are you going to eat?" Mr Thorn leaned closer to me, looking at me expectantly, yet I didn’t have a clue. I felt overwhelmed by the wide range of options, and because I didn’t want to waste his time, I just shook my head, claiming I wasn’t hungry.
The raised eyebrows on his perfect face, along with his hard glare, made me shrink in my seat. I gulped, expecting him to yell at me, yet he gently took the menu from my hands, putting it away.
"Do you want me to pick something for you?" he asked, ignoring the waitress, who was impatiently bouncing on her feet.
"Please," I breathed, grateful that he didn’t humiliate me in front of the two strangers. He actually acted like a decent human being, and while I was attracted to him when he was a total jerk, this new version of him was absolutely irresistible.
A phone’s ringtone brought me back to reality because I was slowly losing myself in my boss’s blue eyes. Mr Lendark hastily answered it, and after a few seconds, he hung up, giving us an apologetic look.
"I’m sorry, Bastian," he uttered, standing up. "I must leave. My wife needs me."
"Of course." Mr Thorn nodded as he followed him through the restaurant. They probably finished their conversation on the way out.
I stayed alone for a few minutes, looking out through the huge glass wall at the busy street. I’ve never been to any of those glamorous, fancy spots that only high-class people had access to. The clubs, boutiques, jewellery shops, and everything in this part of Seattle were out of my pay grade. Once or twice, I passed the expensive stores, dreaming about walking in and buying something, but I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my salary for a pair of socks.
