Page 18 of Ruthless Mr. Ricco
Despite the feminine cut of her suit, it belongs in a courtroom, not a casual meeting.
A wicked glint joins the anger in her rich brown eyes as she lifts her hands.With a few practiced moves, she pulls the pins from her hair before fluffing her locks and slipping the pins into her pocket.My mouth waters as she unbuttons her coat, shrugs it off her shoulders, drapes it over her forearm, and meets my stare.
She holds me captive as her graceful fingers unwind the knot of her tie and slip the strip of fabric away from her neck.With sensual ease, she unbuttons the top three buttons of her off-white shirt and parts the fabric to reveal creamy flesh.
Last night’s release was nowhere near enough.Need pulses at the base of my spine and lava swirls in my balls.
Brook tugs the fabric of her shirt away from her torso until only the bottom hem remains tucked in, creating a relaxed fit in otherwise professional clothing.When I finally peel my stare away from her hips, the satisfaction in her eyes as she reads my interest arrows straight to my cock.
Fucking hell, she wins this round.With her dark locks glowing in the early morning sun and victory lighting her face, she’s the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.I long to discover if she makes the same expression after coming all over my cock.
Unwilling to concede so easily despite my obvious loss, I don’t hide my interest as I nod my approval.
“Much better, Ms.Simons.”
Electing to have the last word just to rile her up, I dismiss her by walking toward the wall of screens.As I grab the system remote and prepare the monitors, Brook approaches my assistant and accepts the tablet and his directions without balking.
I expected her to arrive at the time I gave her, but I forgot our history.
In the earlier years of high school, we battled over who could show up to class the earliest.I rarely won.No matter how early I walked into class, she’d already be in her seat with her head buried in her classwork, but she flipped the script in our senior year one morning when she walked in half a second before the bell rang.As composed as ever with condescension clear in her expression, she pinned me in my seat with her chocolate eyes and declared she could earn top scores without cramming before class.
She was never the first one into the classroom again.Her arrivals always seemed so sporadic, but I got used to watching her walk in from the hall after sitting down.The sight of her always outweighed her comment.I forgot her previous punctuality.
It was a mistake I won’t make again.I assumed she’d show precisely on time to make her point, but she showed up early and called out the flaws in my plan.I was foolish to tamper with my assistant’s hard work.Liam Brunswick has devoted almost seven years to me and my company’s success.Without him, my day-to-day life would be a chaotic mess.I won’t fail him again.
My resolve waivers as she smiles at him.
I shove my jealousy aside and select the whiteboard feature on the monitors before heading toward the hall.Mr.Brunswick heeds my beckoning with a nod and follows me out of the room.As Brook studies the tablet and familiarizes herself with the coffee order, I lead my assistant to the far side of the hall and speak in a voice too low for her to hear.
“Give Ms.Simons everything she needs to take over meeting preparations for the foreseeable future.”At his troubled glance over his shoulder at her, I realize he might be the best person to put her in her place, so I say, “Treat her as your assistant and give her responsibilities as you deem her capable.”
He hesitates before nodding.I cross my arms over my chest.
“What’s bothering you, Mr.Brunswick?”I ask.
In an uncharacteristic display of uncertainty, he runs his hand through his hair before straightening his spine.My brain struggles to remember a time when he didn’t have a stack of papers or a device tucked against his side.This may be the first time in seven years he’s stood before me empty-handed.
“She seems overqualified to be an assistant’s aide,” he says.
I quirk a brow.
“What gives you that impression?”I ask even though the same thought echoes in my mind as she slips the tablet behind her back and quietly recites names as she points to the different coffee cups.
“She’s nothing like all the other interns we’ve interviewed,” he states.
“You’re right.She’s not an intern.I hired her already,” I say.
He stiffens as though I stabbed him in the back.
“Are you unsatisfied with my work performance?”he asks.
Fuck.I didn’t consider the repercussions of hiring my little rabbit beyond getting to keep her close to me.
“No, I’m not.You will remain as my personal assistant unless you submit either a resignation or a title change request.Brook, I mean, Ms.Prescott, erm…” I curse my wayward tongue and force her new name through my lips.“Ms.Simonsis an old acquaintance in need of employment, so I hired her to temporarily fill the assistant aide position we discussed several months ago.”
“So she’s a temporary placement?”he asks.
“Yes, but don’t limit her responsibilities.I hired Ms.Simons to work, not to waste space,’ I sneer.
