Company Ink by E.L. Lewis

f i v e

Oh my God, someone please say something!

Adrian studies me intently before shifting his gaze to my skittish colleagues. "Kitty, Manpreet would like to see you," he finally says. Kitty nods feverishly and scatters away, David close behind her.

Traitors!

And then there were two.

Adrian turns his attention back to me. "You must be Miss Carrington," he states in a low hum, his dark brown eyes giving me a slow once over. I'm acutely aware that my hand is slightly trembling, and hot water is spilling down the side of my mug and onto my fingers, but I keep a straight and calm face despite the fact my skin is burning off.

I smile confidently, refusing to look shaken. He didn't hear me. He couldn't have. I was whispering...right?  "Cassie is fine."

"Cassie." My name slips out of his mouth like liquid honey. His groomed eyebrows perk up as he rubs his clean-shaven chin. "I'm Adrian Cavallero." After a beat, he extends his hand towards me, almost daring me to touch it. "It's nice to finally meet you."

His soft yet gruff hand encircles mine so slowly that my breath hitches. His palm feels like a plush blanket, so warm and comforting, but there's a certain aggressiveness to his grip that sends a blast of heat into the pit of my stomach. I imagine his lean fingers creeping up my bare arm and onto my shoulder, slithering down my heaving chest and... oh Jesus fucking Christ.

No! Nope. Nope. Nope. It's just a handshake. A sensually arousing one, but a handshake, nonetheless. He's being professional. He is a professional.

And so am I.

... I hope.

"Let's go chat in my office," Adrian suggests, his slight Spanish accent sending shivers down my spine. "Seeing as we'll be working closely together, we should get to know each other."

"Definitely," I agree in a steady smooth tone. "I'd love to get to know you."

Every single part of you.

Adrian's top lip curls into a faint smirk. "After you."

  I let out a tiny inaudible breath and flip my hair as I saunter down the hallway to his office. Swaying my hips methodically side to side, I pass Kitty and David who both toss me an apologetic look. Honestly, if I was them, I'd run off too. Self-preservation and all.

  Adrian's office is bigger than it looks on the outside. A sturdy black wooden desk sits against the floor-to-ceiling windows, two cream-colored chairs with black piping positioned in front of it. An extravagant bookshelf fills the adjacent wall, stacked with leather back books and nautical figurines. I make a mental note of the charcoal mid-century sofa tucked into the corner of the room. I'm sure that will come in handy at some point.

I stare at Adrian as he takes a seat across from me, his glistening eyes glued to mine, taking me in, observing me as I lower myself down on the guest chair. I straighten out my emerald-colored blouse and adjust my black pencil skirt. I desperately want to cross my legs, it's my go-to power pose, but this damn skirt is too tight, so I'm forced to sit like a proper little princess, knees pulled together and tilted to one side, ankles crossed. Just toss a fascinator on me and call me Kate Middleton.

"So, Cassie," Adrian begins, holding a document in his hand which I can only assume is my resume. "What brings you to Pearson & Associates? It doesn't look like you have any legal background."

Got canned. Now I'm here.

I clear my throat and mentally crack my knuckles. Golden Globes here I come. "I've worked primarily in event coordination since I graduated with honors from the University of Washington, however I recently decided to explore different career paths. I've been fascinated with law ever since I was a little girl and watched Erin Brockovich with my mom for the first time. But before jumping into a new degree, I thought I'd get my toes a little wet and really see how the industry works."

I say bull. You say shit. Bull– shit! Bull– shit!

My mother always said I had a flair for acting, perhaps I should get into it because boss-man looks convinced.

Adrian's eyebrows perk up. "A career change so early on in life? Most people wait until their midlife crisis to jump ship," he laughs, his eyes crinkling. "You seem a little young for that."

"Well, I'm almost twenty-five; we can call it a quarter life crisis. I might not be able to buy myself a shiny red Porsche, but I can change jobs," I retort playfully. I'm literally just talking out of my ass right now, but there's no way I'm going to tell my employer that I've been laid off.

"That's one way to look at it." Adrian lets out a low husky chuckle. "However, you should know that changing careers can be quite challenging, especially if you're thinking about becoming a lawyer."

My lips perk up into a smirk. "Oh, don't worry Mr. Cavallero, I like a good challenge."

What am I doing? This is your boss, Cassie. Simmer down for the love of God. Monique would straight up slap me right now if she heard that flirty tone. PG, keep it PG, Cass.

"Hmm," Adrian hums, his mouth slightly parted, the tip of his tongue on the fringe of his full lips. "I see, in that case, I'm glad to have you here. I'll be sure to give you an in-depth look into the industry."

"I look forward to it," I smile sweetly, forcing myself not to bat my eyelashes. "I've heard you're one of the best lawyers at this firm. I'm sure you'll be able to provide excellent insight." 

Adrian's lips twist in amusement as he lowers my resume and reclines back into his chair, resting his hands on his torso. He's emitting a strong aura of power that makes me feel some sort of way; if his gaze lingers on my lips for a second longer, I'll be tempted to leap across the desk and test how far his ergonomic chair can recline.

Oh my god, what is wrong with me?

Hormones. Must be hormones.

A long pause suffocates the room as we subtly study one another, making sure no imaginary lines get crossed. Even though nothing inappropriate has escaped his tempting mouth, there's something mischievous lurking in Adrian's body language and blazing eyes. There's an electrifying spark bouncing between our two bodies. But unfortunately, a spark can start a blaze which often leads to destruction, and I'm not yet certain if he's worth the damage.

"Other than your career aspirations, please tell me a little bit about yourself, Cassie," Adrian finally says, breaking eye contact. Oh, thank God. My ass is sweating through my silk skirt.

"What would you like to know Mr. Cavallero? I'm an open book," I say, adjusting my position. Thank God these chairs are lined with fabric and not leather; otherwise, I'm sure there would be a giant butt stain on the seat when I stand up.

"Are you?" he smirks, tapping his fingers playfully against the desk. "Why don't we start with something basic? Are you originally from Seattle? Or did you come here for college?"

"Born and raised in Seattle," I confirm. "The Evergreen State has always been home."

"So, you're a local then? You're very lucky. Washington must have been a wonderful place to grow up."

"Lucky? I'm not sure about that. After twenty-four years of constant rain, a girl gets a little bit jaded." Not to mention endless humidity which does nothing for my naturally frizzy hair. I swear I single handedly support the hair spray industry. "But I guess the ocean and mountains make up for it. Washington is a very beautiful state, I'll give it that."

"Yes." Adrian's eyes flicker briefly down the length of my body. "Simply breathtaking, isn't it?"

"I- I take it you're not from here?" I falter, my pulse quickening. Who knew the topic of geography could be so arousing?

"No, I was born in Madrid," Adrian explains. "But my family and I immigrated to the States when I was five. My parents moved back to Spain several years ago to run the family business, but I stayed behind for law school."

"So, you have no family in America then?" I frown. "Doesn't that get lonely?" I couldn't imagine not seeing my family. I mean, I can go months without seeing my parents, but there is no way I would be able to survive without my weekly lunch dates with my aunt Lucy and cousin Vanessa.

"I find ways to occupy myself, Cassie." Adrian lets out a soft chuckle. "Plus, this job does take up a lot of my time."

I press my lips into a thin line. "You specialize in Intellectual Property Law, right?"

It's not creepy that I know that it just shows I did my research. He'll appreciate that I did my due diligence. Even though I spent several hours browsing the website, my grasp on the actual day-to-day is lacking. I'm hoping he'll explain to me what exactly IP is without me blatantly having to ask.

"That's correct. I specialize in patent, copyright, and trademark law. Many of our clients are creatives, musicians, artists, and inventors. Our job is to ensure that the products of their intellect are protected under the law. Of course, we have several larger clients such as Sun Fire Technology, West Coast Bio Tech, and Olympia Records..." he trails off.

I try my damndest to listen to him as he drones on about the firm's clients and his day-to-day duties. I catch a little here and there, but I'm mostly focusing on the rhythmic bobbing of his Adam's apple and the melodic huskiness of his voice. Is it normal to be this affected by another person's presence? It's not like I'm drawn to his personality, I barely know the man, but he just exudes this undeniable sexual energy that even Mother Theresa would find irresistible.

"As for you Cassie," he says, snapping me out of my reverie. "Your job primarily will entail archiving documentation and handling my calendar. Of course, there will be some ad hoc duties such as planning meetings and events, some of which you'll be required to attend with me. The IT department has linked my email to your Outlook, that way you can forward the important ones on and handle the rest yourself."

What?! I shake my head, narrowing my eyes. Did I miss something? "How will I know which emails are important, and which ones aren't..." This is what you get for ogling instead of listening you stupid girl.

Adrian smiles softly, nodding towards the door. "Kitty will brief you on the protocols as well as give you a rundown of our electronic storage systems. You seem like a very competent and intelligent woman; I think you'll catch on quickly."

A coy grin spreads across my face. "I'm sure I will, Mr. Cavallero."

"Excellent," Adrian says, standing up and walking around his desk. "I have a conference call in ten minutes, but I'll check in on you in a few hours."

I lift myself up slowly and walk towards the door. "I'll see you later," I say, reaching for the doorknob.

Adrian hovers behind me, his body inches from mine. He extends his arms and twists the handle before I can reach it. "I look forward to working with you," he hums.

"Me too," I whisper, feeling his hot breath against my ear.

As soon as Adrian closes his office door I sprint to the washroom. Holy fucking shit. I grip the counter, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My pupils are dilated, and my stupid face is an annoying hue of pink. I take several deep breaths, hoping the color in my cheeks dissipate before I have to go and sit with Kitty.

I close my eyes, replaying our conversation in my head. 'I like a challenge.' Who says that? To their boss? On the first day?! In that suggestive tone?

Oh, Lord...

I have got to pull myself together. It's not like he's a god. He is just a man. A man that just so happens to look like a god, but a man, nonetheless. It's not like he has magical powers or anything. I can do this. I can fight these lustful urges. I'm not some weak little damsel. I'm Cassie motherfucking Carrington. And if I put my mind to something, I can do it.

That's right.

Mind over matter.

I will not have sex with my boss. I will not have sex with my boss.

I mumble my new mantra to myself as I wait for my heartbeat to slow down.

Images of Adrian's naked lithe body pressed up against mine pop into my head.

Fuck.

Okay, apparently the word sex and boss cannot be used in the same sentence.

New Mantra.

Keep it professional. Keep it professional. Keep it goddamn professional.