I Solemnly Swear

The next morning, Cassio is gone before I'm even awake. I guess he's one of those crazy people who never sleeps. Seems fitting for a powerful CEO.

After having breakfast and dressing for the day, I head to the office before I plan to meet Annabelle to grab a company card. I don't want Annabelle paying for anything and I can't keep up to her lifestyle with my salary without going bankrupt.

I deide to check in with Mr. Conti first. With Jessica gone, I'm not sure what he plans to do about an assistant this week. 

When I arrive at his office he's sitting there deep in thought so I decide to first make him a coffee before interupting him. He's a bit of a taciturn man and I'm never quite sure how he is going to react to the intrusion so I like to have a coffee to soften him up.

I walk in a few minutes later with a latte, made the same way Jessica has been having me make it. I set it on the desk in front of him and say, "Good morning, Mr. Conti."

He looks up from his papers slightly surprised. He looks at the coffee and asks, "Why do you always make me a latte?"

"What do you mean? Jessica normally made you your drink," I ask.

"We both know she didn't have the first clue as to how to use the coffee machine. Answer me," he drills.

"Jessica told me that it's how you take your coffee," I respond.

He rolls his eyes, "Of course she did. Double espresso from now on."

I nod and take the latte away, returning with a double espresso. After placing it down he asks, "What are you doing here today? Shouldn't you be with Annabelle?"

"I'm just here to get a company card before meeting her for brunch. I'm going to head to finance to get one, but I wanted to check on the situation here since you don't have an assistant," I explain.

"I'll survive the week on my own. Mrs. Mazoni at the front desk can help with anything last second that comes up. Just make sure I have my tux for Friday," he responds. He then reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet and hands me his personal credit card, "Take this for now. It'll take a couple of day for finance to sort out a card. I'll have someone get it done for you."

"Oh, thanks," I say, a bit surprised he's being so helpful.

I turn to leave when Mr. Conti says, "Do make sure to spoil yourself this week. I don't want Mrs. Losange thinking I'm cheap."

He walks around his desks to stand in front of me and I'm a bit stunned. "She knows I'm just your secretary, I don't think that's necessary," I say, flustered.

"It doesn't take a genius to know she's a romantic. I saw the looks she was giving you. Let her have her fun playing match-maker," he says. 

"I'm not comfortable spending your money. I didn't earn it," I explain.

"Consider it your work bonus," he offers.

"But I wouldn't spend my bonus of such useless stuff," I complain.

I can tell by the look in his eyes that this peaks his curiosity. "What would you spend it on?" he asks.

"I would split it between my retirement plan, investments and savings," I respond obviously, then continue, "but I doubt that was what you meant when you told me to spoil myself. And I doubt even more that Annabelle would find that fun."

He steps closer, until our chests are almost touching, "I find myself excited to want to look through your finances. How odd."

I feel like I am suddenly under a spell and my voice is a whisper as I say, "I could make a powerpoint presentation."

Am I flirting? I've never tried and in the back of my head I'm slightly mortified that this is my style. I hope, by the time I'm looking for a man, that I improve.

There's a knock on the door and it's enough to shake me from the spell I'm under.

I take a quick step back and I can see an amused look in Mr. Conti's eyes. I'm under no illusion here. He's a predator and I'm the prey in this relationship. I'm completely out of my depth and this week couldn't pass fast enough. It will be a relief when we can go back to our normal assistan/boss dynamic.

Mr. Conti is intense, this isn't new information to me, but I've never had that intensity aimed in my direction. I'm an assistant that helps in the background. I'm his shadow and I prefer staying there. 

"Mr. Conti, Mr. Losange has left his hotel, he should be here in 10 mintes. Breakfast is being set up in the conference room," Mrs. Mazoni says.

He nods and she's off without a word. I look at her longingly, remembering the days when my interactions with Mr. Conti were so simple. When he wouldn't even waste words. That was me one day ago.

"Make sure you find me a matching tie for whatever dress you get," Mr. Conti says, drawing my attention back to him.

"Why?" I blurt out without thinking.

He looks at me like I'm being purposefully stupid, "Because you're my plus one."

"Yeah, but I'm not your date. People don't expect you to match your assistant," I counter.

"A plus one and a date are the same thing," he says, returning to the other side of the desk.

"No they're not!" I say. I know I'm being slightly foolish but I'm getting more overwhelmed by the minute.

He must sense that I'm being pushed beyond my comfort zone. He's a good business man for a reason so he says, "Don't worry, I have no romantic interest in you."

I must visibly sigh in reliefe because he watches me with an amused look and says, "That's not the normal reaction I get to those words."

"Look, I'm sure you have women throwing themselves at you like Jessica was but I need to make one thing clear. I need you to promise not to fall in love with me. I know it's silly of me to ask and I'm under no illusion that you would but I would be a lot calmer about this arrangment if you said the words out loud," I say, with what I'm sure is a desperate look in my eyes.

He looks at me amused then, with a hand over his heart and the other up to the sky he says, "I solemnly swear to never fall in love with you Alexa."

I feel myself relax. I leave for a day of fun with Annabelle feeling a lot more like myself again.