Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 209(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 209(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
He wasn’t going to correct her. He’d gone over the billion-dollar mark a few years ago. It was another reason his parents wanted to see him fail.
Anna came back with some clothes, and he didn’t get a chance to ask Rose what she meant. Who was against her?
For the next hour, he made sure to pick the right wardrobe for her. The company wasn’t paying for the expense, he was. He wanted to buy Rose nice things.
After learning where she lived and the kind of life she’d experienced, he wanted to make it his mission to give her everything she’d only ever dreamed of.
With all the clothes packaged up, Rose gave them her address and where to deliver them to.
Once outside on the street, it was dark, and he wasn’t ready to let her go, at least not yet. “It’s late. How about I buy you dinner?” he asked.
“No, I couldn’t possibly impose on you any more than I already have.”
“You’re not imposing on me. To be honest, I’d like the company. I … eating alone isn’t exactly what it’s cracked up to be.” He couldn’t believe he was going for the sympathy vote right now.
“Oh, you don’t have a hot date just waiting for that phone call?” she asked.
He remembered what she said about being a twenty-nine-year-old virgin. Her untouched body, just waiting to be plucked, to be shown how good it could be between a man and a woman.
“No, no date. Would you be my date, as a friend, of course?” he asked, breaking all of his rules.
Rose worked for him. She was off-limits, but he couldn’t deny the attraction he felt for her. He didn’t want to let her go.
“Then, yes, of course. I don’t know any good places around,” she said.
Darius had already arranged for a table. He’d done so while she’d been getting changed and Anna had been rounding up the purchases. He always found a way to get what he wanted.
“I know a few places. May I?” He offered her his arm, and Rose hesitated for a few seconds before sliding her hand through the loop.
He put his fingers on top of hers, securing her by his side. It felt good having her so close.
Darius wanted so much more.
The question was, how was he going to get it? Rose was sensitive about her position as his assistant, and if he pushed too hard, she was going to run for it. She didn’t want people to make any assumptions.
“I love the city at night,” Rose said. “It’s so beautiful, even if it is deceptive.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
He loved listening to her speak. She had such a soft voice.
“Well, darkness hides multiple sins. The streetlights only bring to life the things that are beautiful. They don’t show the darkened alleys, the crime, the homeless trying to survive the night.”
“Have you been homeless?” he asked.
“I’ve … I’ve done whatever it takes to try to survive. It’s all we can do.”
He wanted to know more. “You grew up in the foster system?”
“Yes.”
“How was it?”
She didn’t speak for several seconds. “It was … I don’t know. It was good and bad. It’s where I learned that evil people exist. There’s no one way to answer that question in one night. At least I was able to have a warm bed most nights and some food.”
Rose didn’t say every night, only most.
He held her tightly to him as they arrived at the restaurant. Rose didn’t know it yet, but that life was far behind her. He was the one taking care of her now.
“This is a nice place,” Rose said.
“You think so?” he asked, taking her jacket and handing it in at the check-in desk. With a hand at her back, he moved them up to the maître d'.
Rose would be his. He just needed to bide his time.
Chapter Five
What did she have going for her?
Rose glanced around at all the women at the different tables in the restaurant. They looked like they belonged there. A cloth napkin on their laps, a dainty laugh, a wine glass held just so. They were upper class, born into money. Everything from their clothes to their high-end jewelry screamed class and wealth. Rose was a square peg in a place like this, completely standing out—or so she felt.
This place was too good for her, and she was sure people were staring, judging.
Darius’s calming, solid presence was the only thing grounding her.
“You look preoccupied,” he finally said.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“Something on your mind?” he asked.
“I just hope I can fill Ross’s shoes without disappointing you. All the change lately has really thrown me out of my comfort zone.” She knew it was a mistake to tell her boss she was overwhelmed, but he made it so easy to lower her guards.
He propped his elbow on the table, rubbing the new stubble on his chin. “You don’t like change? Would you have preferred to stay in B2 accounting?”