Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“So, my gratitude to everyone involved, especially those at Balanced Designs. And one last thank-you, if you’ll permit me. Although you weren’t with me at the time, a special mention to my assistant, Magnolia Myers. You have done exactly what you promised to do at your interview. My office has never run so seamlessly. I would, indeed, be lost without you. Your work is above excellent.” With a quick nod, I left the stage amid the polite applause. Walking to the table, I looked over. Myers was in shock, Rylee winked at me, and the two bitches were speechless. I’d go so far as to say furious.
Deciding my job was done, I shook a few hands, tossed back the last of my drink, and left.
But I wasn’t done.
Not by a long shot.
Chapter Eight
BANE
Iwas busy the next morning when a throat clearing at my door made me look up. Myers stood in the doorway, coffee and a bag clutched in her hand.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
She came in, sliding the coffee my way and opening the bag, presenting me with a muffin. It was huge, studded with blueberries, and the aroma of it was sweet and lemony.
“I thought you might need some help.” She pushed the muffin closer to me. “And sustenance.”
“I don’t eat store-bought muffins as a rule.”
“Good. This is homemade.” Another small push my way. “And still warm.”
I stared at it, then her. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she was dressed casually again in leggings and a T-shirt. Another too-big flannel shirt topped her outfit.
I pulled the muffin close and broke off a piece, chewing. It was dense, sweet, and delicious. I closed my eyes as I swallowed the treat.
“You made this?” I asked, opening my eyes.
“Yes.”
I broke off another piece as she sat down, rolling up the sleeves of her flannel shirt.
“Tell me, Myers. Do you use these as bait in your lumberjack-hunting? Is some poor man wandering the park, dazed, looking for his shirt?” I asked lightly. The truth was, I hated seeing a man’s shirt on her, and I had the burning desire to know who it belonged to. “Or is your boyfriend some hulking construction worker who lets you raid his closet?”
She laughed, the sound odd in my office. It was low and sweet, making me long to join in her amusement. Instead, I ate another piece of the delicious muffin.
“The shirts belonged to my dad. They’re soft and comfortable. I like casual on the weekends.”
That news relaxed my shoulders for some reason. “Ah,” was all I said. “Your boyfriend doesn’t mind then, I suppose.”
She met my eyes. “No boyfriend.”
“Ah,” I repeated.
“Um, Alex, I mean Bane, I mean Mr. Bane…” She stumbled over her words.
I frowned. “Bane is fine, Myers. What are you so eloquently trying to express?”
She drew in a deep breath. “Thank you for what you said last night. It was very kind of you to include me in your speech even though I didn’t work with you at the time you did that design.”
“You work for me now.”
“I know, and I like it here. I’m trying to do a good job for you.”
“Your efforts are noticed.”
For a moment, we stared at each other, a warmth growing around us. Her rich brown eyes grew larger, and her breathing picked up. Fascinated, I watched the pulse jump at the base of her throat. Saw the flush on her cheeks. She felt this as well.
I shook my head to dispel the thoughts that had crept in and cleared my throat.
“Your work is fine, Myers. As for helping today, perhaps you can work on some of the 3-D forms on the printer.”
She blinked. “Okay. Do you always do that for a client?”
“No, usually the 3-D images on a computer are good enough, but this client is very picky and likes a mock-up that they can stand and look at. He and his wife will move things around and tweak at times. This is their third resort, and they pay big for the concept model and display it under glass once it’s done. We have it fully finished for them once everything is set. They say it’s always a great draw in the lobby.”
“All right.”
“Luckily, the buildings are done already. Now, I add the flourishes.” I indicated the table at the other end of the room where the model was set up. It had been delivered after she’d left last night, and I planned on starting the time-consuming work of printing and placing the gardens, trees, and pathways.
“I can do that.”
“Great.”
We worked for a while, the only sound the printer as it carved out the trees and plants. None of them were huge, but each piece took between ten and twenty minutes. The larger ones, I would print during meetings or after hours.
I kept watching her. She had removed her flannel, and her T-shirt was tight across her breasts as she leaned over the printer, watching or removing one of the pieces being printed and cured. I found her as fascinating to observe today as I had all week.