Page 13 of Texting the CEO's Obsession
Before I can so much as nod my agreement, Sloane makes a happy sound, even though she’s glaring daggers at me.
“Mr. D’Amico, it’ssokind of you to give Riley a chance like this.” She rounds the edge of his desk and reaches out to smooth a hand over his shoulder, but he leans back before she can get close enough to touch him, arching an unamused brow at her and pushing his chair further away as she drops her hand awkwardly back to her side. She’s not dissuaded, though, simply leaning back to rest her hip against his desk as she smiles at him. “She could really use the experience on big projects like this. It’ll help her understand the scope of?—”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion on my decision. Get off my desk,” he says coldly. “I’ll ask you a question if I want you to speak.”
It’s a brutal rebuttal, and Sloane’s face goes red enough to match her top as she slinks out from behind his desk.
Internally, I’m absolutelythrilled.
It’s high time Sloane got put in her place—she walks around acting like she runs the place when she can’t even manage thework she’s assigned, giving most of it to me because she doesn’t want to bother doing it. I’m tired of her acting like I don’t know how to do my job when I’m the one picking up her slack.
The flash of amusement that comes with Nick telling her off doesn’t fix the discomfort that settles unpleasantly in my gut. Sloane is glaring at me like this is somehowmyfault, and Nick is staring her down impatiently. I’d rather be anywhere else right now.
Even if that coldly disinterested look on Nick’s face kind of does it for me.
If he looked down at me like that while I was on my knees for him, I’d—nope. Those are journal thoughts, not standing-in-front-of-my-boss thoughts.
“Riley,” he says, turning his attention back to me once he feels Sloane is sufficiently cowed.
“Yes, sir?”
“I’ll have my assistant add you to the scheduling emails for meetings regarding those two projects. It would also be a good idea for you to meet the teams you’ll be working with. Send me your availability for the rest of the week, and I’ll have her pencil you in.” He leans back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap as he rakes his appraising gaze over me. “Any questions?”
I almost say no out of force of habit—I’m used to figuring things out on the fly, thanks to Sloane and her refusal to do her job—but the thought of the elevator snags in my mind. A sheepish smile pulls at my lips as I glance off to the side apologetically.
Asking for anything, especially from a boss, has never been my strong suit.
“Ah, well, would any of the meetings happen to be held above the thirtieth floor?” I ask hesitantly. “It’s just—I don’t have a clearance badge, so I might wind up being a bit late to some of the meetings if they’re scheduled just before or after lunch, since I have to ask the guards to buzz me up every time.”
Nick’s brows furrow slightly in a frown as he glances at Sloane standing beside me.
“So that’s why you’re here,” he says to Sloane, sighing. “You’ll be up here too often to not have clearance. Sloane, you can handle getting Riley a badge since you’ve got enough free time to sit in on meetings that don’t involve you.”
Sloane and I both startle at that. I have to press my lips together to stop myself from grinning at the fake, icy smile she sends his way.
“I’ll raise a ticket with HR.”
Nick has already tugged the papers he was looking through closer to him, obviously intending to go back to them, but he looks up with an aggravated sigh and says, “No. You’ll handle getting Riley a badge,like I said. In fact,” he glances down at his watch and then back up to her, “you can head to HR right now and get it sorted.”
Sloane gapes at him, fury lighting in her eyes as he directs his attention back to the paperwork.
“I’m really busy for the rest of the day, actually?—”
“Then you should have thought of that before lingering where you aren’t needed. This isn’t a discussion.” He doesn’t look up from his desk as he cuts her down with nothing but a few well-chosen words. “Time is money. Don’t waste mine for somethingthat could be handled in five minutes by just going down there in the first place. You’re both dismissed. Riley, I’ll see you this Friday.”
Sloane is at a loss for words, her red-painted mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. She’s going to take out her frustration on me regardless of what I do, so I don’t hesitate in offering Nick a beaming smile.
Showing a little excitement in the face of such an opportunity can’t hurt.
“Yes, sir. I’ll see you on Friday.”
Sloane whirls on one stupidly high stiletto before the words are even out of my mouth, storming out of his office. I close the door gently behind us, not looking up in case Nick catches me staring for longer than is appropriate.
My mystery man may have kept my mind preoccupied the last few days, but Nick has my mind twenty-four-seven.
I barely manage to catch up to Sloane and slide into the elevator beside her before the doors start to close. She tosses her bouncy blonde curls over her shoulder and levels me with a glare.
“I don’t knowhowyou’re up to Nick’s standards when you can’t even reach mine.” There’s thatNickagain. “Do something special to get his attention, little girl?”
