Chapter 3

Aria's POV

I am late. So so late.

"This is not a good way to start your first day, Aria," I mumble to myself as I walk to my car.

I overslept, of course I overslept. I had the best orgasm of my life last night. So good, I didn't even get the chance to think much about my unusual behavior and just went straight to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I forgot to set my alarm and the only reason I am even awake and ready for work at this time is because Mimi called me, just cause her instincts told her to. Thank God for her instincts.

I throw all of the stuff in the car and quickly turn around to go to the driver's side. After getting in the car, I pick up my phone and dial Mia's number. She answers the call almost immediately as if she were waiting for me to call.

"Well?" She asks.

"Thank you so much for calling me this morning, Mimi. You literally saved my ass." I cry.

She laughs "I just knew you would still be in bed."

"You have no idea, it was just for a few hours but I haven't slept that good in months."

She hums "Anything you want to tell me?" I can almost picture her wiggling her brows.

I get a mini flashback from last night but quickly snap out of it. I'm not trying to get in an accident this morning.

"Oh, plenty but that's going to have to wait cause I just got to my new place of work," I say as I park my car in one of the free spots.

"Wish me luck," I say.

"I have a feeling you won't be needing it but best of luck. Knock 'em dead." She pauses. "Not literally though."

I laugh and grab my things from the car. "Thank you, babe. Talk to you later."

I end the call and step out of the car. I am already five minutes late. Not a good way to start my first day but let's just hope that my new boss won't notice my tardiness. I walk as fast as I can and enter the humongous building. I still can't believe that I managed to land a job at Aurevia. I had dropped my resume just for the sake of it and because it wouldn't hurt since I had already gotten fired from my previous job. I was pleasantly surprised when I got called in for the first round of interview and then the second round until I was finally picked. The way things played out almost made me think that Mia might be right...Maybe I do have great luck.

I walk straight to the front desk, I have been here before so I was a little bit familiar with the building.

"Good morning. I'm heading to Mr Trafford's office." I say pleasantly putting on my best stripper smile. They come in handy at times.

The lady at the desk looks up from her computer and gives me a look that appears to be amusement.

"And you are?" She asks softly.

"The new assistant. It's my first day."

Her amused expression switches to horror almost instantly.

"Oh honey, you are late." She says while scrambling in her locker for something.

I wince. "I know. I kind of had some issues with my car and..."

"You overslept." She says while dropping what looks like my identification card on the table and pushing it towards me.

I smile sheepishly. "Maybe..." I'm never admitting that out loud.

She smiles and pats my hand lightly. "Do yourself a favor and don't make any excuses for your tardiness. Just bow your head and apologize. That's way faster and easier."

I cringe. "It can't be that bad."

She smiles knowingly. "Best of luck, honey."

I sigh. "Thank you." I might need all the luck I can get.

She points me to the elevator and explains to me what floor to take and to use my identity card for access to the floor since it's limited. I thank her and quickly enter the elevator. I press the button for the ninth floor.

"Please scan your ID card." An automated voice in the elevator sounds.

I smile and put my ID card on the scanner.

"Thank you, Miss Winslow. You will now be heading to the ninth floor." The voice says and the elevator starts moving.

Weirdly enough, instead of going up, the elevator was going down. After about thirty seconds, the door to the elevator opens and I quickly step out.

The ninth floor gives a different vibe compared to the reception earlier. This place is all glass with no windows, it is almost like a vacuum.

"Hi, welcome to Cloud Nine. You are?"

I was so busy checking out my surroundings that I didn't notice the person standing before me.

"Aria Winslow, Mr Trafford's new assistant," I answer her with a smile.

She tries to hide her cringe but she failed. "You are late."

I close my eyes and sigh. I keep getting more late with each passing second.

"I know."

She pats my shoulder lightly. "Best of luck. It's that way." She says pointing to a closed door.

"Thank you..." I trail off

"Callista."

"Thank you Callista," I say and hurriedly head for the door.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath before opening the door.

The cold hit me hard, it's cold in here. I see a desk that I assume is going to be my desk and another closed door then I drop my bags there, adjust my clothes a little and gingerly knock on the closed door.

"Come in." A gruff voice calls out.

I take another breath and open the door, step into the room, and close the door behind me.

I heed the advice of the lady at the reception and bow my head.

"Good morning Mr Trafford, I'm Aria Winslow, your new personal assistant," I say softly.

I hear some shuffling and then I hear a voice, a very familiar voice. A voice that I know intimately, a voice that I suddenly wish I didn't know.

"You are late." He says.

I look up so fast that I almost get whiplash from it.

It's him. The man from last night, the man who paid a hundred thousand dollars to watch me dance. The man that I, God help me, dry humped till I came. Looking at him now, I couldn't help the flashbacks that came to me.

How I crawled to him, running my hands up and down his legs and squeezing, the way he whispered the dirty things he wanted to do to me, the feeling of his hot breath on my skin, his voice reassuring me softly as I rode the wave of orgasm.

Merely thinking about it makes me hot and bothered all over again. The sight of the man makes me want to cry or maybe throw him on the nearest bed and fuck him ten ways to Sunday. How am I to survive working with him?

"You deaf or something?" He snaps.

I swallow. Does he recognize me? Was my wig and makeup enough to make me unrecognizable last night? I have met people that I danced for before and they never recognize me but his case could be different, the man looks like nothing gets past him.

"I am sorry, I...uhm...zoned out." I stutter. I can't even look at him.

"I asked you what the hell you are doing here!"

Yepp, I'm so fucked.