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“Speaking of cost, what would be the financial implications of having a free day at the clinic as CSR?” I ask him.
Brian frowns. He hates anything that starts with free but he also knows that as an organization, we live in a community, and that comes with some form of responsibility.
“We’ll sit down with my people and have the figures ready for you,” Brian says.
“Great.”
“Our running costs are rising and we need to cut expenses and push them back down,” Brian says. He’s good at his job and always keeps his eye on the bottom line. For the next twenty minutes, we discuss ideas for minimizing costs and then we agree on a follow-up meeting next week. The meeting with Brian has taken an extra thirty minutes of my time, which means that I can’t do my morning walk around the clinic. I’m more than a little disappointed. I was looking forward to showing Olivia around the clinic. Well, another time.
The phone rings and when I answer, I hear Olivia’s husky voice telling me that my next appointment is here. And the madness of the day begins, not that I’d have it any other way.
At lunch, I go and see Sarah. She’s being discharged today and despite the exhaustion lines across her face, she’s excited to go back home.
“How are things going with Olivia?” she asks, as she adjusts her position in bed. “I didn’t see you on your morning walk around the clinic. Is everything okay?”
I laugh. Trust Sarah to keep an eye on everything even when she’s a patient. “Olivia is a gem. It’s not her fault that I didn’t walk around. Brian over-stayed and stole my time.”
She nods. “He does that all the time. I’m glad that things are working out with Olivia. She impressed me as being a very smart girl.”
And extremely attractive, I add silently. A nurse brings the baby around and for the next few minutes, we coo over him. He’s handsome and he brings out a longing inside of me. A longing I have no business having considering I haven’t had a relationship that has lasted longer than a year.
Chapter 5: Olivia
I’m shameless, I think, as I twirl in front of the mirror. I’ve picked my sexiest dress to wear for dinner with my boss. A red figure-hugging dress that shows off a generous amount of my cleavage. Madness, I know but I want to see that flare of hunger in his eyes again. With one last look, I stroll into the living room and Chris looks up from his laptop and whistles.
“If a woman comes to dinner with me dressed like that, I would take her home,” he says.
I groan. “I’m bad, I know.” The dress is nothing compared to what I’m wearing underneath. Nobody knows this except my past boyfriends but I have a fetish for crazy underwear. Today, I’m wearing crotchless black lace panties and a matching bra. They make me feel powerful and sexy.
I’ve already complained to Chris about how unfair it is that my boss is so hot. And this is me, a person who takes her job seriously. But the PA job is not really my job. I’m supposed to be undercover but I admit so far I haven’t done much research. I have access to all of Jace’s clinic records, and though interesting, nothing I’ve read so far hints at any wrongdoing or mistakes at the clinic.
“You’re not bad,” Chris says. “You’re just a normal young woman in her sexual prime. Go for it. I think you’ve already decided too, judging by your choice of dress.”
I glance down at my dress. “Is it too much?”
Chris laughs. “Relax and live a little. There’s nothing wrong with a little pleasure on the side. Besides, sleeping with the boss might get you to achieve your objectives faster.”
I frown but before I can protest, Chris continues talking. “Do what I’d do. Just fuck him and get it over and done with.”
“What if I fall for him?”
Chris laughs. “You won’t. You love that career of yours too damned much.”
I shift uncomfortably, not sure that I like the person that he has just described. Someone whose job comes before everything else. That’s not true. I love my job and I do want to advance, as every ambitious person does, but my job is not my life. I value my family and friends more. However, I can see why Chris would jump to that conclusion. It’s just that I’m not in a relationship so of course I have a lot of free time. I like to devote that time to work.
“Come and take a look at this,” Chris says. “The lighting is out of this world. You could have been a model, Liv.”
I sit beside him and look at the screen. The pictures Chris took at the department store really look good. I’m very photogenic. A whole lot better than I look in real life.
“Your facial structure is perfect. Look at this close-up,” Chris gushes.
I wish those words were coming from Jace Anderson’s mouth. I shake my head, annoyed at myself for making everything about Jace. I spent all day fantasizing about our dinner tonight. I suddenly feel deflated. I’m playing with fire.
A notification sound comes from my phone and I open my purse and fish it out. It’s a message from Jace. He’s downstairs.
“Jace is here.” I kiss Chris’s cheek and stand up. “Clean up before you leave,” I tell him, eyeing the unopened Chinese take-out and cup of coffee. Chris treats my apartment like his own and I do the same with his.
“Will do. Have fun and don’t hold back,” he says without looking up.
