AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Absolutely not. It will have to be completely professional. Besides, I haven’t quit my job just yet, so I can go back if this doesn’t work out.”
“Okay, sis, just keep your mind open. Don’t block out a possibility just because it’s different.”
Rhoda knew well that Mila was not a risk-taker. Mila couldn’t deny that she would rather stay in the realm of things she knew. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t try new things, but she usually didn’t.
“Oh, and take pictures. I wanna see everything.” Mila smiled in spite of herself. She was so grateful that her sister was also her best friend.
“I will talk to you later, sis. Thanks.” Mila ended the conversation there.
While she felt better after talking with her sister, she was still not convinced. She decided to take a long shower. The hot water would calm her nerves as she talked herself into the idea that everything was fine.
After her shower, she opened her small suitcase. She knew that she didn’t bring anything nice to wear to dinner, so she hoped it wasn’t going to be too formal. She cursed her job for requiring such a small carry-on.
Not that she really had much in the way of nice clothing anyway. She worked all the time, and all she needed was her flight attendant outfit, which was folded neatly in her suitcase. She decided on jeans and a T-shirt, fixing her makeup and hair.
Soon after, there was a knock at the door, and Luca escorted her to the dining room, where Cyrus waited. He stood like a proper gentleman as she took her place at the table, and they were served dinner.
“So, Mila, please tell me about yourself.”
“Oh, um, what would you like to know?”
“Why don’t we start with what you do for fun? I, for example, love to enjoy the sort of scenery around this house … The lovely, wooded Mount Ashland, the fishing in Crater Lake, and just the general small-town feeling of the area.”
“Oh, well, I obviously love traveling. I’ve had a travel bug my whole life. My job was really an extension of that. I’ve traveled to many places, and I have seen many different lifestyles and cultures. It fascinates me.”
“Ah, that makes a good deal of sense. And we would have the pleasure of continuing these adventures if I were to hire you as an assistant.”
Mila smiled. She wouldn’t mind traveling without having to deal with all those inconsiderate, rude, and angry passengers. At the same time, she was curious about this guy. He hadn’t given her much of a background on himself, and his online presence was nonexistent.
“What made you choose this city as your headquarters?” Mila inquired.
“As I said before, it is the environment I find most soothing. Also, I grew up here, so it is dear to me. And you? Do you have lots of family?”
“Oh, yes, I have quite a few siblings back home, and my parents were great.”
They continued chatting casually until they had finished eating.
After dinner, Cyrus invited Mila to walk the grounds outside. She was astounded by the beautiful gardens, flowers, and brush that dazzled her eyes. He chatted casually about the different vegetation. The pathways were lined with pansies, primroses, and alyssum.
There were flowers resembling daisies …cosmos, he called them, in purples, yellows, and reds. The marigolds stood out like accents in the middle of the fine beds.
Even the grasses were beautiful. He mentioned some fancy scientific names Mila didn’t catch. The leaves of the bushes were in the colors red and purple, and they were perfectly maintained in the way only a billionaire’s garden could be.
The brilliant colors were dazzling in the late afternoon light. With the sun close to setting, the air seemed to turn a regal golden shade that captured the beauty that much more. It would have been the perfect destination for a romantic sunset.
Suddenly he was very close to her. Using his arm around her shoulders to guide her, he directed her attention to the topiaries on the other side of the garden. He was saying something about myrtle, but Mila’s mind was somewhere else entirely.
His scent surrounded her, woody with citrus like an orange tree in a forest. For a moment, she suspended her senses, craving the fling her sister had suggested. Visions of their bodies entwined and melding took over.
Her body suddenly ached with desire, and she needed release. Maybe she could indulge herself a little bit. It had been a long time since she was with a man.
There was something attractive and taboo about the idea of being the assistant that the boss violated in his office, distracted completely from his work. She was totally turned on by the idea and had to hold in a moan.
Her mind wandered as she leaned into his arm. Then she remembered why she was here, and she snapped herself out of it. She had to put some distance between them immediately.
“I’m very tired. It has been a long day. I would like to excuse myself if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, I am sure you could use some rest.”
