Surprisingly, I didn’t have to force her. She fell forward, her face smashing against my chest.
Keeping my distance enough that she didn’t feel my body’s reaction, I wrapped my arms around her. “Greer, you’re the best assistant I’ve ever had, and it’s not even close.”
“That’s not saying much,” she whispered, her words coming out muffled against me.
“It is.” Moving my hold to her shoulders, I leaned her back just far enough that she could see the sincerity on my face. “You’ve already gotten my shit together.”
“I also wouldn’t go that far.”
“Hush,” I ordered.
I assumed she would roll her eyes or tell me to fuck off, but she pressed her lips together.
That shot to my dick, too, and I took advantage of her momentary submission. “You’ve earned every last cent of your paycheck, so put that shit out of your mind.”
Sudden tears filled her eyes again, and she hid them by dropping her face back to my chest.
I cupped the back of her head, holding her to me. “And no one says you have to have your life mapped out by graduation. You’ve got time to figure it out, and I’ll be lucky to have you until you do.”
“Stop talking,” shetriedto order.
“No. I don’t give a damn if you can only work one day a week. Hell, one day a month. I mean, I do because I like having you around,” I admitted before I could catch myself. “But you’ve already shown you can get more done in that one day than my other assistants did in the entire time they worked for me. Take the time you need to focus on school and work for me when you can. I don’t want you to fail a class because you’re stretching yourself too thin.”
“I’m not going to fail,” she said softly, her words coming out stifled since I still held her to me.
“I know you won’t. You’ll get this done?—”
“No, I mean, I can’t. It’s impossible. As long as I hand insomething, I will pass. It just won’t be with a good grade.”
Moving my hold to her arms, I leaned her back again. “Then why are you stressed?”
She gestured to her head. “I’m insane. And neurotic. And clearly very,verydramatic.”
I didn’t get it, but I also hadn’t been a great student. I never had to be. As much as I wished differently, I’d always known I wanted to follow in my old man’s footsteps—or more accurately, his Walk of Fame handprints. I’d done just enough to graduate from the overpriced private high school and had never even bothered to apply to college.
But it was clearly important to her, so I didn’t have to understand.
“You’re not any of that,” I said. “Do what you need to do. I’ll hold back being a prick until you’re finished. Got it?”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she nodded.
“After that, though, it’s game on. At least until your next semester starts.”
She started laughing, and more of the tension left her face. “Something to look forward to over the holidays.”
I smiled, stupidly proud I could do that for her. That I could make her feel better.
Her laughter faded as she studied my face. Her words were a barely audible whisper. “Your eye color really is amazing.”
“Thanks, our kids can have it, too.”
She rolled her own mesmerizing eyes. “Do you use that one often when you flirt through interviews?”
“Never said it before in my life,” I said honestly.
She let out a soft scoff as she dropped her gaze and tried to shift away.
I didn’t let her.
