My body was stiff as hell when I woke the next morning. Something about switching beds or the way I fucked the blond the day before had my hurting in places I didn’t realize could hurt.
I ran my hand down my stomach and stroked my erection as I glanced over at the clock, wondering if I had time to treat myself to a release before starting what was sure to be a long day.
Lisa crossed my mind before Cynthia took her place.
“Nope.” I got up. I wasn’t jacking off to the memory of the women in my past, at least not that morning. Next best thing to self-love was the gym. Thankfully, I had one on the second floor of my penthouse. It would have to do.
The sun was barely over the horizon, which made the room just light enough to distinguish the outline of each piece of equipment. I enjoy running on the treadmill when it's still early. Looking over the NYC skyline from the 53rd floor gave me an adrenaline spike to start my day. I pressed the buttons on the machine for one of the harder workouts involving many hills and sprints in between. I barely lifted anything except for a coffee mug while I was away, so I wanted to make up for lost time.
Using the small remote for my Bose system, I turned on my rock metal playlist. The hammering drums helped keep me on pace.
The pounding of my feet against the belt created a monotonous rhythm that cleared my head. It was the only part of the day that was truly mine. No one disturbed me while I was working out. Unless I was with Alex. As my trainer, he tended to work my muscles harder than I could on my own. Every penny I paid for him was worth it. I was in the best shape of my life. Not many other thirty-six-year-olds could say that. Especially those in my field. The only thing missing was a woman to worship what I’d created through sweat and pain over the last few years. I’d return the favor of course. My body hardened at the mere thought of finding the right one, though it was getting a bit bleak.
I cleared my thought and headed to the kitchen after running and doing three sets of circuit exercises. I liked my solitude in the mornings. Getting my head straight for the day was a big priority for me. I worked hard enough all day and most nights, which is why I consistently wake up so early for personal time. It seemed like everyone needed a piece of me during the day and for that, I had to be in the right head space.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs, the aroma of coffee filled my nose. I grinned. There was nothing quite like Milly’s home-brewed coffee.
Entering the kitchen, Milly’s back was to me as she cleaned the marble counter-tops with her back facing me.
“Good morning, Milly,” I said to my housekeeper.
She started and whipped around while letting out a sound of alarm. “Jeez Michael! You scared me.” She pressed her wrinkled hands to her chest and took several gulps of air.
I laughed and held up my hands in front of me. “Sorry.”
She smoothed her hair back behind her ears. “You can’t do that to an old woman. Sam will have a hell of a time finding you a new me.”
“I would be lost without you,” I said smiling. “And your coffee.”
She waggled her finger at me. “Don’t be smart.”
Milly was a born and bred New Yorker. While some of my staff tended to keep to themselves while working, I always enjoyed Milly’s company. She was down to earth and I enjoyed talking to her. When people met me and realized how wealthy I was, they treated me differently. Milly, however, did not. She was the sweetest woman in the world yet thick-skinned as well. That’s what New York did to people. It was one of the many reasons why I loved it so much. The world could get so much more done if emotions could be left out of the equation. It might not be as fun, but shit would get done.
I lifted a mug from the shelf above the breakfast bar and crossed the room. “How was your Thanksgiving?” I poured myself a cup of coffee before adding a little bit of milk to the mug as well.
“Oh it was lovely,” she said in a sincere tone. “Seeing my kids was so good, though I’m happy they’re back in their own homes. Every time they come to visit, it seems like they have forgotten how to do everything. Cook, clean, laundry…” she trailed off.
I took a sip from my mug and winced as the searing liquid burned my tongue. “I’m sure you love doting on them too. Tell the truth now.” I smiled as her cheeks burned pink.
“Of course I do. But I can only do it a few days at a time. These joints aren’t what they used to be. How was Bar Harbor?”
Milly kept me company while I finished my cup of coffee and I told her all about the event I’d helped plan. Talking about it with her made me have the same sense of calm that I experienced when I was away. It was refreshing.
And even though she continued to clean around me, she was attentive and prodded me by asking more questions about my visit. She was the closest to a mother-figure that I had in the City.
After about ten minutes, she excused herself without another word to get back to work.
I needed to do the same.
I lifted the blender from the cabinet and placed it on the counter. I poured a packet of protein powder into the container along with several other items. I was on autopilot since Alex insisted I drink it after every workout. He swore by it and I never questioned him. It wasn’t the most flavorful smoothie but I trusted his advice.
I blended the shake and poured it into a tumbler. I rinsed the blender container in the sink, leaving it for Milly to wash. I had to shower and get to work.
MichaelA half-hour later, I was at my desk. I’d only finished about half the smoothie. A few days away from it had made my taste buds turn against it. I choked down the rest of it, not delaying the inevitable. The chalky after taste was still in my mouth when I picked up the phone.I called Sandra first. She answered on the third ring.“Hello?” a muffled voice said from the other end of the call.“Sandra?” I asked, checking to see I had the right number.She coughed and loudly cleared her throat. I pulled the speaker away from my ear.“Yeah, boss. Sorry. I’m getting a cold.”Getting? She sounded like hell. I rubbed my forehead, feeling the beginning of a headache. She spearheaded all of the interviews for the assistant position; I needed her well, like now.“Are you healthy enough to chat?” I asked firmly. It was rhetorical and she knew that.There was a shuffling sound on the other end. “Of course I am. What do you need?”“How many interviews are set up for tomorrow?” My headache gr
RaineyAn ear-piercing alarm shattered my peaceful sleep. I sat up in bed and attempted to catch my breath after being startled awake. I’d set Killian’s ringtone to be the most annoying sound on the planet, so I’d know exactly who it was when he called. Hearing it that early in the morning wasn’t the most pleasant way to wake up. I grabbed my phone, ripping the charger from the socket. I pressed the END button and tossed the phone on the bed before throwing myself down on my back again. I shoved my hair out of my face and tried to calm my racing heart. It was a shitty way to wake up and he probably thought it was some sort of hilarious joke.Why the hell was Killian calling me so early? I glanced over at the clock and my heart ramped up again.Shit! Shit! Shit! I launched myself off the bed. Why didn’t my alarm go off? I grabbed my phone again and checked the clock app.Damn it!I accidentally set it for six p.m. instead of a.m. It was a good thing I pulled out my clothes for the inte
RaineyTwice on the way to the train, Killian’s ring tone blared from my phone again. I didn’t need his shit today. I pressed END every single time. Even though he wouldn’t stop calling, he didn’t leave a message or send a text. So obviously whatever he needed wasn’t that important or else he’d try to find another method of contacting me. The only emergency I cared about was Tanner and he was safe with my parents. If I picked up the phone Killian would say something stupid and mess with my head somehow.It was only during those last months of our marriage that I realized how much he held me back in life. He had been the one to go to college while I was stuck paying the bills by taking odd temp jobs. Then when Tanner came along, Killian didn’t want me to work. It was only later that I understood that he wanted to be the big-shot breadwinner with a wife at home who would be at his beck and call. I had drive once and it took spending everything I had (plus money from my parents) on a law
MichaelMy first interview wasn’t until nine. Normally I would have arrived at the office by seven. Today was different. I stayed up until midnight, catching up on all of the work that I missed while I was in Bar Harbor. I wanted to hold onto that last bit of vacation, so I took my time getting ready. Being the boss definitely had its perks.I chose one of my favorite Italian suits to wear today. It was comfortable and that’s what I needed to get through all of these interviews.On the way down to the lobby, I decided to treat myself to breakfast and I knew exactly where I wanted to go. While I enjoyed the fresh selections of food in Maine, I missed the typical New York staples in my diet. And the one at the top of my list was Beth’s Bakery.My phone lit up with emails the second I stepped outside. My driver, Constantine, was standing by the car waiting for me. The cold breeze chilled me and I hustled to the car.“Good morning, Constantine.”He tipped his hat to me. “Hello, Mr. Carrin
MichaelThe traffic downtown was heavier at this hour, but I wasn’t in a rush. I still had plenty of time before the first interview. And I ate the bagel slower than normal to extend the experience.While driving around Bar Harbor, the people smiled and waved as you passed. In New York, everyone’s heads were down, focused on where they needed to go. The friendly faces were nice, but I felt more at ease with the scowling New Yorkers. This city was full of businessmen and no one bothered to notice another suit or luxury car.Even in the traffic, Constantine managed to get me to my building by eight-thirty.He opened the door for me as I was dusting bagel crumbs from my coat. I stood up and took my briefcase from him.“Have a great day, Constantine,” I said, adjusting my overcoat.“You too, Sir. Six o’clock pickup?”“Yes. I will have Sandra call you if that changes.”“Have a good day, Mr. Carrington.”I nodded and headed toward my building. Another perk of showing up later was less traff
RaineyI couldn’t stop staring at the gorgeous man walking away from me. That was Michael Carrington? My almost-future boss? I remember seeing a small picture of him in the article I read and he was classically handsome, but he was even more attractive in person. And genuinely nice. His dark hair barely touched his shoulders and it looked incredibly soft. His eyes were so blue, like the ocean. He had seriously lucked out in the genetics department.Hell. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to apply for the job. He was dreamy on a level I wasn’t used to contending with. He’d be professional, right? I wasn’t at all his type. I was homely. Comely. Just me. My thoughts shifted and I realized I’d pushed on his receptionist in front of him.How long had he been standing there listening to me? I tried to think about what I said to the poor woman that had to put up with me. I hoped I didn’t say anything rude. Although if I had been rude, I doubted he would have given me the interview. Why did he give
RaineyMy mouth dropped open as I looked down. He’d spilled his coffee all over my coat. The liquid moved down my chest and I knew it had soaked through my brand new white shirt.“If I could be even sorrier than I already was, I would be,” he said, equally as stunned.Shit! I had no time for this. I picked up the two last pieces of mail from the ground and headed for the doorway.“Here’s a napkin,” he said, fishing in his bag for one.“I have to go,” I said.“Are you sure?” he asked. “Again, I’m so, so sorry. I can pay for the dry cleaning.” He was sincere but I didn’t have the time to get his number for him to pay. I had to go if I was going to pay for anything in the future. “It’s fine. It was an accident.”I pushed through the door and the cold air stung at my already tearful eyes. I couldn’t believe this happened to me! And before an interview that could change me and Tanner’s life. I steadied my breath while keeping a brisk pace to the building. If I had been paying attention to
MichaelEvery ounce of relaxation my body felt after Bar Harbor had been completely obliterated after the three interviews that morning. I wanted to have hope that at least one of them would be qualified but I didn’t get that impression from them. The first two were kiss-asses and while I didn’t normally care for a stroke of my ego, I didn’t need that from an assistant. We were to be in close quarters with each other on a daily basis, so I needed to feel comfortable with them instead of hiring a yes-man.Admittedly, I had been slightly distracted during all three, constantly thinking of Rainey and our meeting earlier that morning. She was able to carry herself professionally with a determination I didn’t see in many women. She had something driving her and I wanted to know her motivation for this job. Coming down to the office to fight for an interview impressed the hell out of me.Though selfishly, I offered her the interview having no intention of hiring a woman as my assistant. At