Page 10 of The Executive Assistant

“No, I’m fine,” I said.

“Well, let me know if you change your mind. You know that I’m happy to help.”

Because it was his job. Nothing more.

“I’m fine,” I repeated.

There was a moment of silence after that. Tension hung in the air like we were waiting for something to happen, for someone to say something.

I couldn’t stand it anymore. “Was there anything else?” I asked.

He blinked, then straightened up. “Vantage Tech wants to negotiate some terms in the contract, Mr. Richards has agreed to meet you next Tuesday at 11 A.M, and Anderson has left for his annual leave. Oh, I almost forgot.” He pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. “The tickets for the charity auction tomorrow came in.” He handed the envelope to me, an electric surge traveling between our fingers as they brushed.

“Charity auction?” I asked.

“You ordered them months ago for you and a friend,” Cameron replied.

I opened the envelope and took a look at the tickets.20th Annual Business Association Auction.

Right, of course. Months ago, Emilia and I had decided to go. These types of events were mostly for networking and showing off how much money someone had, but it was for a good cause and an excuse to dress to the nines. This year, the auction was donating money to cancer research.

I tucked the tickets back into the envelope and set it on my desk. “Is that all?” I asked, turning my attention backto Cameron.

“What are you going to wear?”

My brow furrowed. “To the auction?”

Cameron smiled and nodded. “Yes. I’ll run whatever you’re thinking of wearing to the dry cleaners.”

Right. He was simply being thoughtful, like always.

“I’m not sure yet,” I admitted. There were quite a few options in my closet that I used for other events, and I didn’t feel like shopping for something new in the limited time that I had.

“Wear the red dress,” Cameron told me.

The off-the-shoulder red dress with a fitted bodice that cascaded down to my ankles where I typically wore my best pair of heels. My favorite part was the thigh high slit at the front.

“It’s my favorite,” Cameron added.

My breath hitched as our eyes locked, warmth stirring low in my stomach as my thoughts took off. What ran through his mind when he saw me in that dress? Was it the thigh slit that he liked the most? Or the way the dress hugged my curves in all the right places?

Stop it, Alison.

I almost felt taunted, which made me that much more frustrated.

“I’ll think about it.” I told him dryly before turning back to my computer.

Cameron lingered. I thought he was going to break thesilence, but eventually he left the office and shut the door behind him.

The following day, I was determined to make the most of it. Not only was it the weekend, but I would get to dress up with one of my best friends and donate to charity.

As my coffee maker rumbled and hummed, I grabbed a white mug from one of my kitchen cupboards, breathing in the bold, smooth smell of freshly brewed coffee. My head subtly nodded to an upbeat tune stuck in my mind, sunlight washing over my open kitchen.

My phone rang, and I picked it up off the marble kitchen island, seeing Emilia’s name on the screen. I tapped the answer button and pressed my phone against my ear. “Excited for tonight?”

Emilia let out a weak laugh, her voice hoarse.

I frowned. “What’s wrong?”

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