Page 3 of Keeping Her Safe

Stacey Lipton

Something is up with Darius and my brother. I’m just not sure what yet. The man does not belong in an office, and that lie he told about having experience as an assistant, was just that. The truth is having him around won’t be a hardship if I get to stare at him all day. The man is very muscular, and it's obvious he must spend hours in the gym each day. I’m dying to run my fingers through his dark brown hair and move it out of his eyes so I can see them better. But then I won’t get any work done. Now that I think about it, this is probably the worst freaking plan ever. I sigh and get back to the project I’m working on.

A few minutes later, Darius comes back into my office and places my coffee down on my desk. “Here’s your coffee, Stacey.”

I look at it and smile. It looks like he made it right. “Thank you, Darius.” I take a sip and wince at how sweet it is.

“Too much sugar?”

I set the coffee down and pinch my thumb and pointer fingers together. “Maybe just a smidge. Just two sugars, not ten.” I laugh.

He grabs the coffee and leaves again without saying a word, and I go back to what I was doing before he walked in.

When he returns this time, the coffee is just right. He doesn’t seem like an idiot, so I wonder how he managed to screw up my coffee order in the first place. We work in relative silence for the remainder of the day after I hand him a printed list of everything I need to be done.

The ladies on this floor pass by my office frequently, and I even see a few women who aren’t typically up here peeking in to get a look at my new assistant. I mean, I get it, but after a few hours, I’ve had enough and close my door to give us some peace and quiet. If Darius noticed the attention, he didn’t let on to it. Closing the door solves one problem but creates another—the vibe in my office shifts from quiet and productive to something on an entirely different level. The attraction between us is palpable, suffocating almost.

At ten to three, I just can’t take it anymore. “Darius, I’m going to get going. I have an appointment I need to get to.” I lie, not sure why I’m explaining the reason I’m leaving.

“You do? Do you need someone to drive you?”

I quirk my head? Drive me? This guy has no clue. “No, I’ve got this. Thank you, though. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow Stacey.”

The minute I step out of my office, I feel like I can breathe again. The further away I get, my heartbeat decreases, and I can think clearly for the first time in hours. I know my brother meant well, but he missed the mark. An assistant is supposed to make my life easier, not harder.

I get into my black Range Rover SUV and sigh, melting into the cool leather seats. I bought this baby as a birthday present to myself this year. I stop and grab a strawberry banana smoothie on my way home to cool me down. By the time I’m home, I feel like I’m back to normal, for the most part. I even contemplate working from home tomorrow, but I’m not that much of a wuss. I might not have much experience with men, but surely I can be in the same room with the hottest guy I’ve ever seen and go about my day as if the world didn’t just upend itself. It’s like the moment I saw him, my heart sent a message to my brain and said, ‘That’s the one. He’s the one who’s going to be everything to her.’ Stupid heart for wanting someone she can’t have. Stupid brain for agreeing with her.

Darius is my assistant, although I’m still wondering where Jason found him and if there’s anything else going on there. Be that as it may, he works for me. I can’t be seen lusting over my employee. I already have to work twice as hard as Jason to earn respect in my own company because I wasn’t an adult when we started.

I spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing with a good book. Around six, I start prepping for my night out with Franny. I’m so excited that I met her the other day. Over the past five years, I’ve been so busy developing apps and growing this company with Jason’s amazing mind for business that I haven’t made time for friends. When I talked to Franny, though, something between us just clicked, like two perfect pieces of a puzzle.

I suggested we go out to Flames since she’s new to town and I’ve heard great reviews about the place.

I pull up outside of Franny’s apartment, and she comes walking out in a red dress that molds to her beautiful body, flaring out at the hips, stopping several inches above her knees. I’m not into women, but damn if I were, I’d be all over her. She’s simply stunning. My brother better figure himself out quickly before another guy snatches her up, and he loses out. The man was like a fish out of water when he noticed her at the cafe. I’ve never seen him like that before. Usually, he’s the master of control and exudes confidence, but he couldn’t even get his name out that day. I’m hoping this little outing will not only be a chance for me to get to know Franny better but will light a fire under Jason’s ass.

“You look hot, like smoking hot. The guys aren’t going to leave you alone tonight.” I tell her.

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, stop. Look at you. That dress is barely covering your ass, and your boobs are almost popping out of the top. Where did you get this? It’s beautiful.”

“I found it online a couple of years ago. I never had the chance to wear it before, so when I was looking for something to wear tonight, I figured why not.”

“I love the shimmery gold color,” Franny says, eyeing the material.

“You should see it in the light. It’s actually rose gold. When I saw it, I just had to have it.”

“I can understand why. You’re going to have to tell me where you found it so I can look and see what else they have online.”

“You got it, babe. Now, are you ready to have the time of your life tonight?”

“Hell, yes! It’s been a stressful week, and it’s only Tuesday.”

I laugh and pull out of her apartment complex, knowing exactly how she feels.

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