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“Chop, chop, you two! Time is money. You should be on the shop floor by now.”
I turn to see Gerald looking pointedly at the expensive watch on his wrist.
Who the fuck hired this over-inflated idiot? I grit my teeth, knowing there’s nothing I can do about the self-important wanker right now without blowing my cover.
But once I’ve gathered all the information I need, Gerald Mason will be the first to leave Sutherland's with my size thirteen up his arse.
* * *
The next week passes quickly.Working with Eva is equal parts wonderful and torturous.
Wonderful because she’s so easy to get along with and damn good at her job.
Torturous because each passing day strengthens and deepens my desire for her.
Eva is special. I want to get to know her outside of work. I keep telling myself she’s too young for me, but my heart’s not listening. Something about her speaks to me on an instinctual level. Maybe it’s her glowing smile, the confidence she radiates, or the big heart she wears right on her sleeve.
She’s bubbly, beautiful, and sexy as hell. She stirs my senses in ways I haven’t experienced in a long time. I see the flare of attraction in her eyes whenever we’re together, and I know she’s fighting it. She says she doesn’t date co-workers, but there’s more to it than that. I want to learn everything I can about her, dig beneath her surface and reveal the hidden treasures she doesn’t share with anyone else.
Why Eva’s not the store manager is a mystery to me. Even her colleagues recognise her leadership qualities, coming to her with questions and asking for assistance rather than going to Gerald. The man is useless and spends his time breathing down people’s necks, nit-picking and snapping at them, and lording his position over everyone. A few polite inquiries here and there quickly reveal what I suspected—Gerald is not well-liked or respected. He’s rude, lazy, and makes no attempt to build staff morale.
Eva tackles every situation with knowledge and enthusiasm. She understands what’s needed to make things run smoothly and knows the ins and outs of the store's operations. Always alert to customers' needs, she deals with them calmly and efficiently if they make a complaint or become irate.
At one point during my observations, Eva is unable to appease a customer regarding a supposed faulty item, and the disgruntled man demands to speak with a manager. When Gerald finally emerges from his office, he resolves the issue by refunding the customer and tucking away the “unsatisfactory item” in a box separate from standard returns—a practice I suspect isn’t company policy. I make a note to take a closer look at the returns and wastage reported by this store and check standard practices regarding override discounts and full refunds.
In a nutshell, it’s clear that it’s the shop floor staff who are striving to ensure the customer experience is what it should be when they enter Sutherland’s department store. Management is failing them on every level, and it’s only the hard work of employees like Eva keeping things ticking over.
With each passing day, I grow more uncomfortable about being here under false pretences. Several times, I’ve considered confiding my true purpose to Eva, but the selfish part of me doesn’t want to compromise our blossoming relationship. If she knew I was the owner of Sutherland’s, she’d look at me differently. Hell, she might never look at me again. It would change everything between us, and that’s not something I’m willing to risk.
Fuck. I didn’t ask for this responsibility. My resentment increases at the position thrust upon me. Sutherland’s was in my father’s blood, and his father’s before him. But it’s not in mine, and I know my lack of enthusiasm for the business was a constant disappointment to him.
About half an hour before the end of our shift, Gerald calls Eva into his office. Fifteen minutes later, he emerges and fucks off home early. But there's no sign of Eva, and it makes me uneasy. Where is she?
As soon as my shift is over, I head off to look for her. I almost plough into her as I round the corner near the break room. Her head is down, and she doesn't see me as she leaves the ladies' bathroom.
"Eva?" I steady her with my hands on her shoulders.
She lifts her head, and her eyes are red from crying.
"Fuck, are you okay?" My thoughts immediately go to a dark place. "Did that fucker hurt you? I swear to God if he so much as laid a finger on you—"
"No, no. Nothing like that." Eva shakes her head. "I'd kick that useless toe-rag in the bollocks if he so much aslookedat me the wrong way," she says vehemently "He called me into his office to inform me I've been passed over for promotion. Again. I didn't get the assistant manager position in Womenswear. He took great pleasure in telling me, too. I was so angry, and then I was crying, so I escaped to the bathroom to try to compose myself. How fucking sad is that? Crying in the ladies' loo like a teenager."
I take her hand and tug her around the corner to one of the empty storage rooms. Then I wrap her up in my arms, wanting to absorb the pain and frustration I see in her eyes.
Fucking Gerald. Guilt slams into my gut again. I have the power to do something about this today if I choose to. Eva deserves so much more than this. It's clear that Gerald is a power-hungry control freak. He sure as hell isn't a team player.
"I'm so sorry," I murmur, resting my chin on Eva's head.
Eva sighs and pulls back to look at me, her azure eyes shiny with emotion. "It's not your fault Gerald is a wanker."
I chuckle and cup her chin, sliding my thumb slowly over her bottom lip. I caress her face, touching her reverently. Leaning in, I rub my cheek against hers, and she presses her lips to my jaw. It’s such a simple caress, but it sends a bolt of need straight to my groin.
Groaning, I claim her lips with mine. I slide a hand to her waist and pull her closer, grazing the seam of her mouth with my tongue. She moans, parting her lips, and her tongue flicks against mine. The small gesture unleashes a hungry need inside me, and I haul her even closer, melding us together from chest to thigh.
Eva tears her mouth from mine, breathing hard. Her eyes are liquid blue pools as she stares at me. "What am I doing? I-I don't date co-workers, remember?"
“Is it against company policy or something?” I ask, knowing full well it isn’t.
