8

Well. This was a fucking disaster.

Rae. Rae Buxton. His new assistant. Caleb’s new assistant Rae Buxton. She was the woman from Friday night. The woman who’d charmed her way into his bed only to leave it cold come morning.

And yet, even after tearing his hair out over her vanishing act on Saturday, he was so stupidly happy to see her. To be shaking her hand, even if she was pretending not to know exactly who he was. But he could see right beneath that cool, calm exterior, and she was panicking just as much as he was.

And that was some relief.

“Likewise, Rae,” he said smoothly, and released her hand.

Benji slid in front of me. “Hi, Rae. I’m Benji.”

“Hi, Benji.” Her greeting was polite but didn’t hold any warmth. Just courteous and professional. Perfect.

“Benji is Mr Wolfe’s younger brother. He works down the hall in the sales team.”

“I hope we get to see more of each other.”

Caleb glared at his brother. “More than she’d like, I’m sure. Now, go find out when your new best friend is free for a meeting with me this week, and coordinate with Rae to book it in.”

Benji rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll come find you later, Rae-Rae.”

“Appointments can be made by phone or email, Benjamin!” Caleb called after his retreating sibling. “Don’t waste time coming all the way down here.”

Benji didn’t answer.

“Well, since we’re all acquainted, I think I’ll leave you to it,” Sara announced. “Miss Buxton if you need anything, call Becky. She’s been here the longest.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Caleb took his leave, holing up in his office. He turned his computer on but didn’t bother looking at anything. Instead he stood in the large window, hands in his pockets and gazed out at the city spread before him.

How could this happen? What were the chances that his new assistant was the woman he’d bedded three days prior? Hell, he’d even got the call from Sara that they’d hired Rae while he was waiting for a car to take them home! It must be a cosmic joke.

It was too early to hit the Lagavulin, as much as it would settle his nerves. A coffee wouldn’t help, although he was about due one.

He spent so long dithering, his phone rang before he realised the time.

“Wolfe,” he answered.

“Mr James and Mr Brown are here for your 9 o’clock appointment, Mr Wolfe,” came Rae’s sweet voice. That was going to take some getting used to.

“Thank you, Rae.”

He hung up before he could keep her on the phone longer for no reason other than just to listen to her talk. He found notes from the last meeting with the men waiting outside and quickly refreshed his memory. Then, with a smooth readjustment of his cufflinks and a hand through his hair, Caleb opened the door to greet his first appointment.

“Gentlemen. Good to see you again.” He shook hands with each of them. “Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Coffee?”

Once they’d decided what they wanted, he turned his attention to Rae. “Miss Buxton, will you run that through for us? Two lattes and a black americano for me.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you,” he said, and gestured the men inside. “Oh, order something for yourself.”

“O-kay,” she stuttered, and it was the first time he’d seen her look unsure. “Thank you.”

With a nod, Caleb closed the door again.

The meeting went by without a hitch, and he saw them out once they were done.

Rae was busy writing away on a notepad when he came back, so he chose not to bother her, which was probably for the best. Back behind his desk, he did what he should’ve done first thing this morning and checked the rest of his appointments for the day.

One in particular stuck out like a sore thumb. Ed Dingle. Lunch meeting.

Caleb groaned and let his head fall to the table.

This was a problem. Ed had seen Caleb with Rae on Friday night. With his tongue down her throat and his hands on her ass. If Ed came in today and saw her sitting at the desk his assistant sits in, he’d assume Caleb was banging his staff. He couldn’t take that into a potential collaboration. Not least because he couldn’t allow Ed to hold it over him, but because it just wasn’t true. Caleb didn’t know Rae would be his assistant come Monday morning, but Ed Dingle wouldn’t believe that.

She needed to disappear for an hour. Or he did. Caleb could try and catch Dingle in the lobby and drag him out to a nice place for lunch, but that would be illogical. He’d need his laptop, notes, all their previous arrangements. It was a faff.

Hopefully, if he levelled with her, she’d understand.

Either that, or he’d come off like a complete dick.

There was only one way to find out…