"Oh I think the message was received loud and clear." I bit my lip, remembering Mia's face. "I'm just trying to ensure that the right message is sent if she decides to use our services."
I was banking on her desire to prove Missy wrong, but the fact was it was anyone's game. I wouldn't be surprised if she never walked through Whitmore and Creighton's revolving door ever again. In the event that she did, a new strategy needed to be implemented.
Jacob walked to the front of the desk. There was still ten, fifteen feet between us, but I felt as breathless as if he was up close.
"What are you suggesting we do to fix this situation?"
I was so relieved that I couldn't help but let out a sigh that rippled through the silence. There were no guarantees, but all I wanted was an opportunity to be heard. Nothing more, nothing less.
"She fired her manager recently, right? She's untethered and has no clue what she's doing. She's in no position to manage herself. So first, we need to find her someone that will hold her accountable. Keep her on the straight and narrow. Chew her out if necessary. Be the bad guy."
I stopped, wondering if he had something to add, but he was just listening intently.
I swallowed and continued. "We need to focus our energy on getting her back to the fun, girl next door that the world fell in love with in Carolina, California. Right now she just looks like a child acting out for attention. The story people see when they see her should be that she’s still young, but she’s not naive. She’s in control of herself. Of her destiny. Not an edgy young woman who maybe dipped too far onto the dark side. She’s small town. She’s relatable. The fame overwhelmed her, but she’s learning from her mistakes. She’s grown up. She belongs here.”
I stopped. Finished. I’d finally put out the vision I’d been honing since we first took her on as a client. The vision I tried to share but was pretty much laughed out of the room. It was straight from my mouth to someone who could actually do something about it.
“Did you share this with Missy?”
“I tried,” I said honestly. “She thinks the best way to proceed is to stay the course. Strip Mia down to nothing and build her back up.”
“And what do you think?”
“I think that’s a mistake. I think that instead of helping her, we’re just bringing her fears and demons to the surface.” When he turned his back to me, moving back to his desk, panic gripped my throat. “I’m not trying to start trouble. I just don’t agree with our current course of action.”
He picked up his phone, punching the speaker button before a series of numbers. I just about died when I heard Missy’s voice answer.
“This is Missy.”
“Hello, this is Jacob.”
The line went quiet, her voice going from the ‘what is it’ edge to something infinitely more accommodating. “Mr. Whitmore! What can I do for you?”
“There’s going to be a slight change with the Kent case.” Jacob’s eyes settled on me. “Leila Montgomery is your second. I’ve just heard some great ideas from her end and I like the direction she’s taking.” His eyes fell to the phone, narrowing to slits of blue like he was putting the fear of God into her face to face instead of over the phone. “I want her opinions to be valued and heard. I trust you both to ensure our client’s needs are met. That’s all.”
He ended the connection, leaving me and surely Missy, equally flabbergasted.
“I’m her second?” I walked around the desk, needing to be up close. Needing to hear it again.
“That’s right.” He gave me a look. “And don’t start on the promotion kick. You want to earn your place at the table, this is how that gets done. Show them you’re exactly where you belong.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I threw my arms around his neck, squeezing tight. “Thank you for this opportunity, Jacob.”
“Thank you for coming to me,” he answered. “I know you’re worried about nepotism, but this has nothing to do with the fact that I’m crazy about you. I disagree with Missy’s approach and I know you’ve been working hard on this case. I think together, you two can really do good work. As long as you’re on your best behavior,” he added with a wink.
“Me?” I said, pinching his arm playfully. “You should talk to Missy. She wasn’t even talking about me and I almost cried.”
“Well, it’s settled then. Wherever she goes, you go. You give it to her straight. If you think she’s being too much, say so. I’m just so happy you’ve come to me, finally proving that you trust me.” He brushed a wayward curl behind my ear. “Didn’t think I’d see you as some power hungry overachiever.”
That alone meant as much as being Missy’s second. I knew what everyone thought of me. That I slept my way into my position. That I didn’t have anything of any real value to contribute. And I knew Missy wouldn’t hesitate to say that I begged for a new position, but I didn’t even care about all that right now.
He looked down at me, his tongue darting over his bottom lip. “You know how sexy it was watching you march in here, expressing yourself? Going to bat for someone, damn the fallout?”
I smiled as I reached down, gripping the curve of his arousal. “I think I have an idea.”
Lust heated his gaze before he nodded at the door.
I walked briskly to it, engaging the lock. “Can we--?”
He peeled off his jacket, rolling up his sleeves. “We can...and we will.”
****
My back was against his chest. I could feel him breathe me, his heart racing even though his voice was calm. Sultry.
"You have no idea how sexy it was to see you take charge. Speak out for your client."
I drew an unsteady breath as I felt his fingers unbuttoning the front of my blouse. There was no urgency in his movements. Always the picture of calm, the Dom in charge. I couldn't say the same for myself. I'd passed calm when I saw that look in his eyes--that look of carnal need. That special spark where I knew we were throwing the employee handbook and decorum out the window. This wasn't an office, with rules and regulations. This was our space. A room made up of all the ways he could have me. Up against the wall. Pressed against the floor to ceiling windows. On the chaise. On the floor.
All of the above.
I looked down, not believing there was still several buttons to go. I was dying for him to just rip it from my body. Send the buttons flying and push me back onto the desk. I didn't even care that I'd have to hold it together with a prayer after we were done. I didn't care about anything except his body and my body, colliding until we were both too spent to notice that we weren't the only two people on the planet.