Page 39 of The Executive Assistant

Deep down, I knew this wasn’t some fleeting crush or bout of lust. This was something more.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Alright, everyone. Let’s keep up the pace.”

My department leads nodded and stood from the conference table, a mix of determination and panic charging the air in the meeting room.

I breathed in deeply through my nose, ignoring the ache in my head. Last week, the chief marketing officer of LearnQuest, Henry Johnson, had asked for a full campaign. I had been excited to win a new client, until he told us he needed the campaign ASAP — in two weeks, to be exact.

It would be a close deadline, but my company had finished bigger projects in less time, so I knew that we could handle it. That didn’t make the past week any less gruelling though.

Exhaustion weighed down every muscle in my body, making my steps drag a little when no one was watching.I’d taken more than a few micro naps during lunch breaks, and with all the caffeine I had been drinking, my heart raced while I still felt exhausted.

I was in a constant state of discomfort, but I forged on because it was my job and my company’s reputation on the line. I couldn’t falter, especially when I was leading the charge and motivating the others to keep pace with me.

When I was the last person left in the conference room, I started to head toward the door, but Cameron walked inside before I could get there. I sighed as he shut the door behind him. “Not now, Cameron. I need to call Henry and give him an update on the campaign.”

Cameron held his arm out to keep me from leaving the room. “It’s time for lunch. He’s probably eating right now, so you can take a break and eat something too. You can call him when we get back.”

I shook my head, taking a step back from him. He meant well, but I couldn’t let him distract me from what I needed to do. “I’ll feel better if I call him first.”

Cameron reached out and took my hand, gesturing to how it slightly trembled. “You’re jittery. You’re drinking too much coffee and not eating enough.”

I parted my lips to argue, but I couldn’t think of what to say. He was right, but sitting down and eating a full meal during the day ate up too much of my work time.

Cameron sighed and pulled me closer, holding both of my hands now. “It’s lunchtime. We’re going to walk acrossthe street and eat at that café that has that chicken salad sandwich you like.”

A faint smile formed on my lips. He knew me so well, which also made me a little sad. We could’ve been getting to know each other much more lately, but I had to keep turning down our plans after work. I didn’t have time to go out on dates, not when I had so much work to do. This client was pumping so much money into this campaign that it could be a disaster if we didn’t deliver what we promised.

“I can do a quick lunch,” I agreed, figuring it wouldn’t kill me to get some fresh air and a change of scenery before diving back into work for the rest of the day. I could always make up what I didn’t finish when I was at home.

He looked relieved, and his hands moved to my hips, stealing a quick moment while we were in the conference room away from prying eyes. “Good. Let’s try to limit your desk lunches, okay?”

“There’s nothing wrong with a desk lunch,” I replied stubbornly.

Cameron flashed me a pointed look. “All the crumbs on your desk beg to differ.”

I swallowed a laugh. If someone out in the hallway heard me laugh, they would know that something was up. That was probably kind of sad now that I thought about it.

There just wasn’t time for jokes when we were in the middle of a stressful campaign. Cameron got a pass,though.

“Let’s go to lunch then,” I said, giving in to his suggestion.

Cameron leaned down and captured my lips in a sweet kiss, his smile pressing against mine. I melted into him, forgetting about everything else going on for a few blissful seconds. The weight on my shoulders lifted. The ache of my tired eyes faded away. Just for a few moments, it felt like things were normal.

When we broke away, the weight returned. The warmth on my skin faded. All of my worries filled my mind again, but with Cameron next to me, the volume was at least turned down a little.

Cameron left the conference room first. It would’ve still looked innocent if we left together, but we needed to put as much distance between each other as possible unless we were actively working on something together. Even if we were overdoing it, we still had a better chance of not being caught.

I waited a few minutes before leaving the conference room, keeping my eyes forward and my expression casual as I headed to my office to drop off my things. Afterwards, I met Cameron outside, waiting for me on the sidewalk. Together, we walked across the street where the little café was located, already smelling fresh bread and strong coffee.

“If you’ll grab us a table, I’ll get our food,” Cameronoffered as he opened the glass front door for me.

I nodded and picked a small table by the window at the front of the café. I took a seat and peered outside, watching cars drive by and people walk by on the sidewalks. Downtown was always busy.

As a kid, I loved going to downtown, feeling entranced by the busy people, the chaos, and all the things to do. Now, I got to work in the place I grew up loving. Obviously, it wasn’t as magical as I thought it was back then, but I made it here. That was what mattered.

“Chicken salad sandwich and a water for you,” Cameron said as he placed my lunch in front of me. He sat down, with a Reuben and a water for himself.

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