Eason
I cleared my throat and stood from my desk. “Uhm…uh…nice to meet you, Ms. Albright.” I held out my hand to her.
Skylar stared at me then at my hand. All color had left her and she looked like she’d seen a ghost. I guess in a way she had. Never in a million years would I have thought my new assistant was the one woman who’d been plaguing my thoughts.
She blinked then placed he hand in mine. “Uhm…nice to meet you, Mr. Hill.”
We stood like that for long moments. Silence decended around us. The bubble was burst when someone cleared their throat.
“Did you need something, Mr. Hill?”
“Uh…what?” I forced my gaze to leave Skylar and focus on Edie.
“You asked if I was at the desk. Were you asking because you needed something or were you just checking that the intercom worked?” Edie raised her eyebrow at me.
“I need something.” What that something was completely eluded me now. My gaze wandered back to Skylar who was looking at the floor.
“Do you need the Winston report?” Edie offered.
“Yes that.” I snapped my fingers.
“We’ll get that right to you.” Edie smiled then left with Skylar close behind.
Collapsing into my chair, I stared down at my desk. What the hell was I going to do now? As I contemplated all of the bad things that could come, I came to a realization. Nothing had to happen. I could go about my business and she could go about hers. We didn’t need to remember that steamy make-out session we had or the how it played on repeat in my dreams.
“Mr. Hill!” Edie waved a file in front of me.
I blinked at her forcing myself out of the fog of my thoughts. “Yes?”
“Here is the Winston report.”
“Thank you, E-“
Edie cut me off. “Mr. Hill, what is going on with you and Ms. Albright?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I focused on opening the report.
“Uh huh. I saw what went between the two of you.”
“I don’t-“
She cut me off again. “I’m old but my eyesight is perfect. If this is going to be a problem, I can have her moved.”
“No!” My voice came out a bit too loud.
“Hmm…well, I don’t know what to say. All I know is you need to keep this professional. You don’t need to end up like your brother.” Edie left in a huff.
Fuck me. Maybe I should have just had her moved. It was too much to think about so early in the morning. I’d have to see what happens then I could always get her moved.
***
“Eason…” Wilder’s voice called from the door.
I looked up from my laptop. “What Wilder?”
“Can’t a brother come to visit?” He fell into the chair in front of my desk.
“Not if that brother is you. What do you want?”
He grinned. “I wanted to get the info on your new secretary.”
Dammit. For the last two hours I’d tried to keep her from my thoughts. I had only been mildly successful.
“What about Ms. Albright?” I attempted to sound unaffected.
“Come on, Eason. You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed her. She’s completely your type.”
“I’ve been busy all day. I can’t say I’ve seriously taken note of her appearance.”
Wilder stared at me then a mischievous grin curled his lips. “So you won’t mind if I ask her out?”
“What? No.”
“Uh huh. You didn’t notice her huh.”
I sighed and leaned back in my chair. “Fine. I noticed her. Can you go now?”
Wilder shook his head. “I’ll never understand you, Eason. You let too many chances pass you by.”
“And you take more than enough chances for the both of us.”
He stood from the chair. “That may be true but I’ll never be able to say what if.”
I watched as Wilder left my office but something made him freeze in the doorway. What the hell was happening now? I joined him to see what caused him to stop. He glanced at me over his shoulder with a strange look. Dylan was hugging Skylar. What the fuck?
“What the fuck is going on here?” I pushed Wilder out of the way.
“Hey, Eason! I’ve stopped by to take Skylar to lunch to celebrate her new position here.” Dylan smiled at me with his arm around her.
My gaze met Skylar’s. “I’m taking my lunch now, Mr. Hill. I will be back in an hour.” She grabbed her purse from the desk that Edie was sitting at.
“Have a nice lunch dear. It was good seeing you, Mr. Newman.”
I stood there stunned. Skylar was involved with Dylan. How the hell did I not know that Dylan was seeing someone?
“Be back in an hour, Ms. Albright.” I snapped.
Dylan gave me a quizzical look. “You ok, Eason?”
“Fine.” I spun on my heel and shut the door.
Through the door I heard Wilder say, “Missed opportunities.”