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“You do,” he says. “I can handle this for you.”
“You just don’t get it, do you? If you handle this for me, that would raise even more questions. Just stay out of it.”
“Fine,” he says, looking grumpy. “Just tell me what your plan is.”
“I start tomorrow,” I say. “I’ll be here, and from now on, things will be strictly professional.”
He tips his head to the side and gazes at me intently before saying, "As you wish, Ms. Miller.”
My cheeks heat up as his words linger in the air. I wish I could tell him what I truly wish to do right now, which is ravage him. I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing. I think he is. I can feel the tension between us, and it’s both exhilarating and terrifying. At that moment, it feels like he’s holding my future in his hands. His gaze shifts from mine to my lips, causing me to be acutely aware of how much closer he is now than before. His eyes dart back up to meet mine again, and this time there’s a hungry look in them that makes it clear what he wants from me.
CHAPTER 4
ADRIAN
So,OliviaMillernowworks in my office. It's been two weeks, and during the initial days, I found myself getting distracted by her presence. So, I set some ground rules: no more flirting, no more intense stares, and no more private conversations. I will treat her just like any of my other employees.
We're having our usual 10:00 a.m. catch-up meeting, and she's bringing me up to speed on our legal developments for the land purchases when my secretary walks in.
“Mr. Carter, I apologize for the interruption. There's an issue that needs attending to that requires you to go and meet with some stakeholders tomorrow night,” she explains, her eyes darting between Olivia and me. "Am I interrupting something, Sir?"
"No, you can carry on," I say. “What's it about?”
My secretary's expression changes from inquiring to worry. “It appears there are some concerns being raised by local communities about the environmental damage that may incur to surrounding flora and fauna due to your land development plans,” she replies hesitantly. Inwardly I groan - not because it's unexpected; these things happen all the time but rather because it'll take up much more of my energy than I anticipated. "We believe that by staying in touch with the people criticizing these plans, you can minimize reputational damage."
"Well, I'm a little caught up shifting homes at the moment, Susan. I finally found a permanent home, and I was hoping to pack up my final things by tomorrow. Can this be rescheduled?"
"No, Sir. I'm afraid not. Tomorrow night, the Preservation of Environment Guild is having a charity event. They requested your presence at the event, and I believe that if you don't go, it would look bad for optics."
"Like you're not hearing their concerns," interrupts Olivia.
"Okay," I draw a breath. "But what exactly will I have to do?"
Susan is about to speak when Olivia cuts in, unknowingly, "Well, I know this guild. They won't put you on the spot or anything. They'll just like your presence. You'd walk through the crowd, answer any queries that come up, and basically, they'll decide if they like your plans or not."
"And how do you know so much, Ms. Miller?" I ask, amused.
"My father is a member," she groans. "It's super embarrassing how much of an activist he's become post-retirement. The guild doesn't have much power, but they can make an issue on social media or something, and it's best to prevent that from happening, especially if it spreads on the basis of fake news."
"Oh?" I ask, amused. "Will your father be there then tomorrow?"
"Thank the stars, no. He's visiting some friends out of state right now. But, you should go. Walk the crowd. Donate towards the environment. It'll only make pushback to your project minimal."
“Very well then, we shall go meet with them tomorrow night and hopefully reach a resolution everyone can agree on," I reply as calmly as possible given the circumstances.
"Noted Sir," says Susan. But before leaving, she turns back, "Might I give some advice?"
"Yes, Susan."
"Take Olivia with you. If she understands the crowd, she can respond in your stead when you're out of depth."
I turn back towards Olivia.
She looks hesitant, like she wants to say something, but is holding back.
“What do you say, Ms. Miller?” I ask, trying to mask my amusement. “Do you think you can handle a room full of environmentalists? Building the golf course requires me to construct near water, which means that there will be activists complaining about marine life.”
She nods, a determined glint in her eyes, “Of course, Mr. Carter. I’d be happy to help in any way I can. I'll make sure I know all the construction laws to shut any rumors down before they take place. Any ill-informed opinion can slow down your development plans.”
