Page 6 of Cupcak
“What?”
“Don’t keep calling me Ms. Townsend. I’m just Emmy.”
Grinning, I close her file and lean back, looking into her face and noticing, almost unconsciously, that her upper lip is slightly fuller than the bottom. Momentarily distracted, I have to force myself to look away.Just because I want her, doesn’t mean she wants me. I’m much, much too old for her.
“Well then, just Emmy.” I clear my throat as I push off my desk to standing. “When can you start?”
“Oh, you don’t need me to finish my GED first?” She stands with me and slings her bag back over her shoulder.
“No. I don’t need you to be a high school graduate to learn the trade.”
“Oh, but I will be in a couple of months,” she says proudly. “I really want that certificate to put up on my wall.”
“I understand,” I say, gesturing for her to head toward the door since I have a meeting I’m actually running late for now. “And as long as your studies don’t interfere with your work, I have no problem with you studying anything you like for as long as you like. Just be here at eight-thirty on Monday.”
“OK. But, Mr. Grant…” She pauses in the doorway. “There’s probably something you should know about me first.”
“What’s that?”
“I have a big mouth,” she blurts, and I blink. My cock stiffens.
“You have a big mouth?”
She nods, looking a little miserable now. “I can’t help it, Mr. Grant. Really. I do try. But, you see, I don’t have a filter between my brain and my tongue. My grandfather keeps telling me it’s OK and I should never be afraid to tell people what I think, but, well… people don’t seem to like what they hear. My previous employer, not Mrs. Morgan from the cake shop—she was nice enough, and in the beginning, she’d let me take leftover cupcakes home when I didn’t sell out. But then I told her I could sell them to my neighbors for two bucks a piece and she made a rule that anything not accounted for came out of our own pockets. So no more free cupcakes. Then there was the one before that, a Mr. Price. He said he had to let me go because he didn’t like me telling him what I thought of his no cellphones rule, even during breaks. I mean, what if Pop—that’s my grandad—had an emergency? You’d never know it, looking at him, but he is getting on. And I never talked or texted while working, but when I explained that I had to be available should Pop call me, Mr. Price said,no exceptions!So I told him his rule was as obtuse as he was. So that didn’t go down well…” She twists her lips to the side as she looks up at me.
“I’ll bet it didn’t.” I watch, full of mirth, as her cheeks redden.
“I’m rambling again, aren’t I?” she says. “That’s a part of me having a big mouth. I never know when to use it and when to keep it shut.”
I can teach you. The things I could get you to do with that mouth. Opened and closed…
I clear my throat and rub my hand across the back of my neck.
“Does this…affect my chances at all?” she asks, her worried eyes on mine. She could tell me she set a previous workplace on fire and I’d probably still give her a job. I’m a little spellbound here.
“Not at all,” I start. “It’s commendable that you want to be there for your grandfather. Family should always come first. If you work hard and work smart, I believe you’ll make a great addition here, Emmy. I’ll introduce you to your supervisor on Monday, and we can get you sorted.” My words come out a little abrupt as I fight to control my arousal.
She looks taken aback. “You’re definitely giving me the job?” I nod, and she squeals, throwing her arms around my neck in a fit of joy. Her soft body molds perfectly to mine and I have to resist circling my arms around her and drawing her in closer. “Thank you! Thank you! I’m so happy right now. You don’t know what this means.”
“Oh, I have a tiny idea.” I laugh as I place my hands on her waist and shift her slightly away. If she keeps bouncing against me the way she is, I’m likely to show her howhappyI am.
“I’m sorry.” She steps away from me, and she touches her cheek. “I just got a little over-excited there. Are you sure you still want me, Mr. Grant?”
“Call me Drake. And of course, I still want you, Emmy.”If only you knew how much.
“OK. Then I suppose I’ll see you Monday.” She flashes me a smile and then she’s turning away and practically bouncing out of my office. I just stand there and watch her, mentally working out how many minutes and seconds I have until I see her again.
“Should I prepare the new employment documents for Ms. Townsend, sir?” Alice asks, snapping me out of my spell.
“Huh?”
“Employment documents for Emmy Townsend. You just hired her, right?”
“Oh.” I clear my throat. “Uh. Yes. Yes, she starts Monday in sales. See to it they make space for her, and ah…bring her in at the third payment tier.”
“At her age? That’s one level below management.”
“I’m aware,” I say. “Just make it happen. I have a good feeling about this one.”
