Page 53 of Alice Carver Manifests Her Perfect Life
I sat there trying not to look desperate and hoping that Guy Carmichael was consciously picking me, rather than someone who was genuinely good at their job.
Guy Carmichael gave Harry a look and Harry immediately realised his error; Guy is not the sort of man you question.
‘Of course,’ said Harry quickly. ‘Sorry, Guy.’
Guy turned on his heel, and Harry gestured at me to follow him out of the meeting room.
I studiously avoided eye contact with Drunk Stephen (he’d know full well this little power-play would have aroused me) as I meekly made my way after Guy Carmichael. Guy waited until we’d passed by the glass windows and then checked no one was nearby before speaking.
‘Alice, I’m going to level with you. Okay?’
‘Okay.’
‘You don’t get to my position in life unless you’ve taken a few risks.’
‘Nor mine,’ I said, thinking about the time I took a risk and guessed some of the figures for market research when developing new products at Carlsberg. It didn’t go down well. Neither did the new blueberry Carlsberg.
Guy Carmichael’s brow furrowed. ‘Not sure I follow, Alice,’ he said. ‘Bottom line: employer-employee relationships are a big no at Carsons. I need you to understand that.’
‘I do,’ I said, slightly concerned as to where this was going.
‘Good. Nothing could happen between us, Alice.’
Okay, I wasn’t loving this. I nodded politely.
Guy Carmichael looked in both directions and then leant closer to me so that we were both against the wall, his body angled towards me. He spoke with a low voice.
‘I hope you understand that I couldn’t have thoughts about what those alluring lips of yours could do, Alice. Because HR don’t like that kind of thing.’
Oh. My. Goodness. It was happening… I was manifesting Guy Carmichael. He was definitely going there.
‘Understood,’ I said, biting my bottom lip just a smidgen.
‘So if I ask you to lunch, Alice,’ he continued, staring at my mouth. ‘You understand that it would be strictly above board?’
‘Of course.’
‘And that whilst you could therefore tell anyone you wished to about it, including HR… ’
‘Best not to mention it? At all?’
‘Good girl, Alice,’ he said, his eyes glinting. ‘Very good indeed. Hard to understand why someone as sharp as you is still only Editor.’
‘Like I said, Guy, I’m a risk taker too. It just hasn’t always paid off.’
‘I believe in risk, Alice,’ said Guy Carmichael, leaning so close that I could hear him breathe. I could feel the faint scratch of the expensive made-to-measure woollen suit sleeve on my neck. Then he trailed a finger down my throat and along my collar bone. My stomach tightened in anticipation.
‘It’s a cliché for a reason,’ he said under his breath. ‘You’ve got to speculate to accumulate.’ Then I felt his tongue trail where his finger had. Good bloody gracious, he was going to accumulate me. My knees almost gave way, and I had to bite back a small moan. My boss, Guy Carmichael, was licking my neck in the corridor at 11am-ish on a Wednesday morning – this was even better than my fantasies. I leant back against the wall, willing him to continue.
A sudden burst of talk and a slight draft as the meeting room doors opened, and Guy Carmichael didn’t even falter – the man is brazen – he knows his potency. He nipped my earlobe lightly with his teeth and then said smoothly, ‘Thank you, Alice,’ before standing to one side just as Yaz and Adeola walked past, followed by Cool Jason from Design. Guy did a double-take.
‘What’s with the new little moustache, John?’ said Guy. ‘You look like a fucking Liverpudlian.’
‘The name’s Jason,’ said Cool Jason. ‘And I am a Liverpudlian.’
‘Are you?’ said Guy, frowning.
‘Yes,’ said Cool Jason.
