Whatever He Asks (Writer for the Billionaire) (7 page)

“
You'll
work
right
next
door.
There's
a
little
office
there
next
to
my
administrative
assistant's
office.
Each
has
its
own
space,
though,
so
you
won't
be
bothered.
”
Magnus
smiled.
“
Let's
get
you
settled.
”

I
felt
lightheaded
at
the
pace
at
which
this
was
moving.

You're
corporate
now,
baby.
This
is
going
to
be
your
life
—
for
a
year
anyway.

He
showed
me
into
the
adjoining
office.
It
had
the
newest
and
best
of
everything.
My
pulse
raced.
I
couldn't
believe
I'd
be
working
somewhere
like
this.

“
This
is
fabulous,
thank
you
so
much.
”
I
walked
around
the
room,
resisting
the
urge
to
run
my
fingers
over
everything.

“
Of
course.
I
want
you
to
have
a
comfortable
space
to
work.
The
intern
situation
downstairs
is
too
bad,
and
I'm
going
to
see
to
it.
”

I
gazed
at
him.
“
Really?
”

“
Yes,
really.
My
top
priority
is
the
people
of
this
company.
”

“
Right.
”

Uh
huh.
Don't
they
all
say
that?

But
somehow
I
dared
to
hope
Magnus
Gray
was
different
from
the
CEOs
I'd
seen
on
television
bilking
companies
for
golden
parachutes
after
they'd
already
run
them
into
the
ground
and
taken
shareholders'
monies.

“
You'll
see.
”
He'd
moved
to
stand
just
behind
my
shoulder,
and
I
shivered
at
the
warmth
of
his
breath.

I
said
nothing.

“
I'll
let
you
get
to
work
now.
”

I
gave
him
a
look.
“
On
what?
”

“
Whatever
you'd
like.
You
have
free
rein.
”

I
gaped
at
him
as
he
walked
out,
shutting
the
door
quietly
behind
him.

When
I
was
sure
he
was
gone,
I
did
a
little
jig
there
in
the
middle
of
the
floor.

It
was
almost
5:00
p.m.,
though.
I
imagined
he'd
expect
me
to
keep
late
hours.

I
should
have
asked
him.
I
could
work
all
night
if
he
needed
me
to,
now
that
I
’
m
not
due
at
the
bar
later.

I
pinched
myself
as
I
gingerly
sat
down
in
the
blond
leather
chair.

“
Oh,
heavenly,
”
I
said.
A
new
laptop
and
printer
sat
there
waiting
for
me
to
use
them.
So
I
did.

A
knock
on
the
door
a
few
minutes
later
brought
me
from
my
raptures
of
brainstorming
for
a
new
ad.

“
Come
in.
”
I
sat
up
straighter
for
Magnus.

Instead,
an
icy
blonde
woman
who
might
have
been
his
twin
walked
in.
“
Hello.
Who
the
hell
are
you?
”

I
stammered
for
a
moment.
“
I
-
I'm
Melinda
Louis,
the
new
writer
here
for
Mr.
Gray.
”
I
clutched
at
my
desk.

“
I
see.
I'm
his
administrative
assistant
—
Claudia
Prokovich.
”
The
woman
flipped
her
hair.

“
Nice
to
meet
you.
”
I
decided
to
play
it
friendly,
though
it
was
clear
the
blonde
goddess
had
already
taken
a
disliking
to
me.

“
Stay
off
my
turf.
”
She
snapped
the
words
at
me
and
slammed
the
door
shut.

Okay.
Apparently,
she
and
Mr.
Hotness
are
an
item.

Disappointment
rose
inside
me
at
the
thought.

Time
moved
on,
and
as
absorbed
as
I
was
in
my
work,
I
didn't
even
notice
it
was
7:05
p.m.
A
door
shut
softly.
I
waited
for
a
moment
and
then
gathered
my
stuff.
Surely
I'd
put
in
a
day
and
Mr.
Gray
would
even
be
long
gone
or
fine
with
me
leaving.

I
slicked
on
some
fresh
lip
gloss
on
the
off
chance
that
I
ran
into
him
as
I
left.

Dream
on.

I
exited
my
office,
a
big
smile
on
my
face.
What
an
amazing
first
day.
On
my
way
to
the
door
that
led
out
through
the
impressive
waiting
area,
a
sound
stopped
me.

Was
that
a
sob?
A
man
crying?

I
halted,
wishing
I
were
invisible.
I'd
walked
into
something
or
heard
something
I
wasn't
meant
to
hear.
I
looked
to
my
left
where
Magnus
Gray
stood,
his
face
drawn.
His
stooped
shoulders
suggested
dejection
and
perhaps
tears,
too.

Like
an
idiot,
I
stayed
glued
to
the
spot
—
staring.