Desk Job (London Menage Book 2) (9 page)

He gripped his throat then swung a glare around the room. His gaze settled on mine. “You’ve got a right knobhead for a boyfriend.”

“Get out of here,” Tristan said in a dangerously low voice.

“Yeah, hop it. You’re barred.” The barman pointed at the door.

“But—?” The drunk man looked horrified.

“No buts, I’m not having blokes in here who can’t take a hint. I heard you hassling her.”

The guy lunged for a chair to his right. The woman sitting there flinched as he snagged up a suit jacket that he must have deposited on the back earlier. “You’ll miss my fucking business.” He sneered at the barman. “I spend a fair packet in here.”

“I think we’ll survive,” the barman said.

The man loped off, muttering and staggering as he went. People parted to let him through.

When he’d disappeared from sight, I reached for my wine and took a large gulp. So much for a quiet after-work drink.

“Are you okay?” Tristan asked as he studied my face.

“Yes. Fine.”

“Sure?”

“No harm done.” I half shrugged. “I’ve coped with idiots before.”

And why do you suddenly care anyway?

Tristan pulled up a free stool and sat next to me. He caught the attention of the barman. “A bottle of Sol if you have it.”

“Sure thing.” He reached one from the fridge and popped the lid. “On the house. That guy has been a pain hanging around here for the last few weeks and drinking more than he should.”

“Cheers.” Tristan smiled and it was the softest I’d seen his expression since I’d met him. In fact, it changed his whole face from one of sharp good looks to one of a mellow gentleman.

His knee touched mine as the crowd’s conversation picked up again and the people who’d stepped aside bustled back into position.

“Do you know him?” Tristan asked, then licked a drip of Sol from his lips.

“Nope, never seen him before in my life. He was just trying out a few cheesy chat up lines on me.”

“As if cheesy chat up lines would ever work on a woman like you.” He huffed.

I raised my eyebrows. “A woman like me?” Blimey, he had an opinion on what sort of woman I was? He couldn’t even remember my name a few minutes ago.

“Yes.” He tipped his head. “Pretty, classy, clearly way out of his league.”

I opened my mouth to reply then shut it again. Words just wouldn’t form. Was this the same curt man I’d spent the day working for?

He must have sensed my surprise because he set down his drink and held out his hand. “We should start over.”

“We should?”

“Yeah.”

Tentatively, I took his hand and allowed the heat from his palm to seep against mine. “Is that why you came here? To … start over.”

“To the wine bar?”

“Yes.”

“I suppose so.” He paused and released me. “I saw you come in here, from the office window.” He nodded outside. “Realized it was probably me who had driven you to drink.”

I laughed. “This is not the first glass of wine I’ve ever had in my life.”

Again he smiled, lightening his dark face.

“So have you ever been in here before?” I asked.

“No, as a rule I’d have another hour in the office.”

“So what happened tonight?”

“I guess…” He frowned and shifted on his seat. “I realized I might not have been the most gracious new employer today and despite what you may think, I’d really like you to stay and, on top of that,
enjoy
working for Andre and I.”

“I enjoyed working for Andre last week.” I took another drink hoping the way I’d spoken Andre’s name didn’t reveal more.

Has Andre said something to Tristan?

The thought sent a tingle up my spine and heat spread over my chest. I could feel a flush rising on my skin and prayed I wouldn’t blush.

What the hell would Tristan think if he knew Andre and I had gotten sweaty and naked over the weekend? We’d had a spark between us, hit it off straight away and tumbled into bed within days, but so what, we were both free agents. If doing what felt right was a sin, shoot me now.

“I can see that you’re more than qualified to handle us,” Tristan said, his expression unchanging as thoughts rattled around my brain. “And it’s clear you’re already getting to grips with our diaries and the system we have going on.”

I took a deep breath and stroked the stem of my wine glass. “I’ve been doing this kind of job for several years now. I like to think I’m pretty efficient at it.”

“Which is great news for us. Our company is flying high, it’s a fast turnaround for projects and we made this year all about gaining new business that we’ll see the fruits from within twelve months.”

I nodded.

“And we’ve got some great talent working for us. We’ve invested in people, everyone in the office is damn good at their job, excellent in fact.”

“I see.” I pressed my lips together.

“What?” He took a drink, the bottle making a small popping sound as he removed it from his lips.

I said nothing.

“Tell me?” He frowned.

What the hell.
“Do they know you think they’re excellent?”

“What do you mean?”

“What I said. Do you tell the staff you’re pleased to have them, that you value their skills?”

He was quiet for a moment. “Probably not often enough. That’s Andre’s thing, he’s the people person.”

You don’t say.

“You think I should tell them more often?”

“Hey, I’m just your PA, it’s your company. Does it matter what I think?” God, were we really having this conversation? Sian told me to bite my tongue on occasion but sometimes I couldn’t help it going wild.

“Of course it matters what you think.” He poked at the label on his beer. “Your ours now.”

I was theirs?

“Part of the team, you know.” He shrugged.

“I’m pleased to hear it. Can I ask you something though?”

“Fire away.”

“Are you always as manically busy as you were today?”

“Today wasn’t busy, that was an average Monday.”

“But you barely had time to drink a coffee, you didn’t eat, hell you couldn’t even spare a few minutes to go through things I needed to clarify to make your life easier over the next few weeks.”

He rubbed his temples. “I really was a shit, wasn’t I?”

I laughed. “Well…”

He set his gaze on me. “And you’re not denying it.”

“Afraid not.”

“Tell me what I should have done.”

“Well, remembering my name would have been a start.”

“I know your name.”

“Only because I’ve told you twice.”

“Fair point.”

“And a thank you for coffee would be courteous.”

“I apologize. Thank you for the coffee.”

“Accepted.”

“What else?” He drained the last of his beer.

I sighed. “I need to get to grips with your diary and your way of doing things. Perhaps if you let me type up some of the documents you were working furiously on all afternoon it would take some of the pressure off and we’d have time to make some plans for going forward.”

He nodded slowly.

“You’re paying me to work for you, so let me work.”

“I hear what you’re saying, really I do.”

“Good.” I drank the last inch of my wine, then stood and reached for my cardigan.

He got to his feet. “Here, let me.” He took it and held it out so I could slip my arms into it.

“Thank you,” I said.

“So you will be in tomorrow?” A flash of anxiety crossed his face as he looked down at me.

“Yes, I will.”

“Thank goodness. Andre would kill me if I’d scared you off.”

“Takes a bit more than a grump in a suit to scare me.”

He laughed and again, that softness crossed his face. “I’m glad to hear it.”

Chapter Eight

The next morning before leaving for work, I topped up the water for my roses. They were becoming more beautiful each day as the blooms opened. The velvety petals were the color of blood and their powdery scent filled the air.

“Bye, Lullabelle, be good.” I blew her a kiss, though she didn’t acknowledge me, and then slipped out of the flat.

The weather had changed, which it so often did during an English summer, and I’d opted for light gray trousers and a sheer cream silk blouse with a bow detail on the collar. Teamed with patent cream heels and a thick silver necklace, I was pleased with the look.

As I’d expected, Tristan was in his office when I arrived. Once more he was talking on the phone.

I booted up my computer, then went to put the kettle on. I’d make him a coffee and see if he was true to his word about starting afresh.

Jenny wandered in and smiled my way. “Hey Stella, how are you?”

“Good, you? Sort it out with your boyfriend?”

“Yeah, he came groveling back when he’d calmed down. It’s always the same. He gets mad, shouts and swears, then when I’ve ignored him for long enough he begs for forgiveness. He’ll do it again in a few weeks.” She shrugged as though resigned to the cycle.

It wasn’t my idea of fun. I preferred a quiet life with a man who knew how to treat a woman—like Andre. “What does he do?”

“He runs a boxing club in the East End.”

An image of a big, beefy heavily tattooed guy came to mind.

“Though he says he’s going to sell it,” she went on, “and start up a new business, something where he can wear a suit each day, make enough money to buy us a villa in Spain. Maybe then we’ll get married.”

It sounded to me like Jenny was being spun a yarn but I didn’t know her well enough to comment. Had it been Sian, that would have been different, she would know exactly what I thought of a loser boyfriend.

“So how are you getting on with the big bosses?” Jenny asked, scooping coffee into a mug.

“Okay.”
Mmm, yes, one of them was quite big.
I
suppressed a smile. “They’re very different.”

“Chalk and cheese.” She grinned. “Everyone says Andre is their favorite, he’s just so sweet and … well he’s not bad on the eye either. All that tousled blond hair, his come-to-bed-eyes and sexy smile. His ex-wife was one lucky lady to get her hands on that body.”

I agreed, though I wasn’t sure how comfortable I was with the man I was falling for being admired and discussed. I had a tendency to be the jealous sort once I’d staked my claim.

Hey, you have no claim on him. Early days
.

The kettle boiled and I poured water into my mug. I beat down the unpleasant, bitter-tasting emotion of jealousy.

“And Tristan,” Jenny went on, adding two scoops of sugar into her coffee. “Well, he’s the problem child, isn’t he?”

He was hardly a child, seeing him shove that drunk up against the wall in the bar and warn him off had proved that to me.

“I shouldn’t say that, it’s not very respectful.” Jenny shrugged. “But you know what I mean. He’s not the first one who springs to mind if any of us have a personal problem we need help with. Andre is much more empathetic.”

“I think Tristan is just busy. Perhaps once he’s handed some run of the mill work over to me he’ll lighten up.”

“Lighten up.” She giggled. “If he turned into a lump of lead he’d still be lighter than he is now. I can’t see that ever happening.”

For some reason I felt defensive on Tristan’s behalf. Okay he’d been a prat yesterday but he’d found me and apologized. We were starting anew today. I was giving him a second chance.

But I didn’t want to involve myself in gossip with Jenny, so after gathering up the two coffees, I left the kitchen.

Tristan was standing at my desk leafing through a file.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Stella.” He turned to me, his gaze drifting down my outfit, then settling on the mugs in my hands. “Good morning.”

“Coffee?” I smiled as I passed it to him.

“Thank you.” There was a twinkle in the depths of his black eyes as he’d spoken.

Damn, the guy was model-hot when his features softened. He could easily grace a catwalk or the cover of a magazine. Andre was boy next door cute with an easy smile while Tristan was chiseled handsome with a smile that clearly had to be earned by the recipient.

I stepped up to him and nodded at the file. “What have you got there? Something for me to do?”

“Actually yes, if you think you can manage it.”

“Well, tell me what it is.” It had bold black print across the top of the folder indicating it was minutes of a meeting with a lawyer.

“I need someone to go through this with a fine-toothed comb, make sure the contracts match what we agreed at the meetings.”

“I can do that.”

“Sure?”

“How about we look at it as a test.” And when I pass you’ll be able to trust the fact that I’m qualified for my job.

“Okay.” He took a sip of his drink and studied me over the rim.

“I’ll get to it this morning, right after I’ve checked my emails.”

He nodded, then turned to his office. He took one step and his phone rang.

“Tristan Wainwright,” he snapped into it, his voice back to the briskness of yesterday.

As he walked away from me, phone pressed to his ear, I admired the cut of his suit. It was the finest quality, dark navy with sharp creases. He’d teamed it with a navy shirt and the collar peeked over the jacket, just touching the dark hair at his nape.

When he was being charming he was pretty damn hot. But when he was being a dick, he was best avoided.

I sat and clicked on my emails. My heart did a little flip when I spotted one from Andre and I ignored the others and opened it first.

Hey Stella

Great call on the restaurant last night. The customers loved it. I’d like to take you there one day, the views were stunning.

I hope you and Tristan are hitting it off. Would you ask him to check in on the Gent account? There are some pending issues in the joint inbox.

Have a great day.

Andre x

I read it twice, visualizing his lips moving as he spoke those words. Mmm, his lips. I could imagine them on my body, his skin against mine, our limbs entwined and sex-sweat slick against our chests.

“Stella.”

I started and caught my breath. Tristan stood right behind me.

“Yes?” I spun around.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I pressed my hand to my sternum, my fingers catching in the bow on my blouse.

His gaze drifted to the silky ribbons. “I just…”

“Yes?”

“I just…” He looked back up at my face. “Wondered if Andre had mentioned the Gent account.”

“Er … he has. He said to check your joint inbox.”

“Excellent.” For a second, his eyes lingered on my computer screen.

I wondered if he’d noticed the kiss Andre had added after his name.

I twitched my finger, ready to shut it down, but resisted. Andre and I were hot for each other. How long would we be able to keep it a secret? Perhaps we could from the rest of the team, but Tristan? They worked so closely together.
We
worked so closely together.

No, you don’t want Tristan to know. It’s too soon.

By the time my thoughts had rolled like tumbleweeds through my brain, Tristan had returned to his office.

Oh well. If he suspected something so be it. Though chances were he wouldn’t. Tristan seemed so self-absorbed, other people’s affairs probably passed him by. Likely his own love life did too. I’d noticed that, like Andre, he didn’t wear a wedding ring.

The day passed quickly. The contracts Tristan had asked me to work on were complex and required a great deal of concentration. But I got there in the end and was happy I’d caught everything when I handed it back over to him.

He had the start of stubble shadow on his jawline and he’d loosened his tie. “Thanks,” he said, sitting at his desk and flicking over the file. “Was it okay?”

“There are a few things I’ve highlighted for you to double check. In the back, look.” I leaned closer and flipped the pages to my notes.

As he scanned over them, I inhaled his fading aftershave.

“Ah, yes.” He tapped one of my notes. “I’m pleased you picked that up, it’s happened before. Well done.”

A feeling of pride went through me. I’d done it to his exacting standards. “I’m glad you approve.”

“More than approve, I’ve got loads done today because I haven’t had to be pouring over this thing.”

I stepped back as he pushed his chair out from beneath the desk. “That’s the idea.”

“It is.” He looked out of the window then gestured at the road below. “Fancy a glass of wine? My way of saying thank you.”

I widened my eyes in surprise. “Another trip to the bar, that might be seen as a habit.”

“There are good habits and bad habits.” He twitched his eyebrows and a wicked grin tugged at his lips.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and studied his handsome face. Damn, he could easily become a bad habit when he smiled like that. All deep voice, wide shoulders and eyelashes a woman would kill for. “I don’t know.” What would Andre think of me going for drinks with Tristan?

Andre’s not your boyfriend.

No he wasn’t, but I wanted him to be.

“It’s a drink, Stella, not a marriage proposal.” He held out his hands, palms up. “Give me a chance, I’m turning over a new leaf, at your suggestion.”

“Well I don’t know if I suggested that.”

“We agreed to start over, this is the new me, being friendly and appreciating my staff’s hard work.”

“And are we going to invite Jenny, James or any of the other members of the team out for this drink?”

He leaned close, real close, until his mouth was right by my ear. “No.” His breath warmed my neck. “Just us.”

I swallowed. The urge to stroke my hand down his suit jacket was almost overwhelming. “Why not? They might want to come, too.”

“Because they’ve all gone home.” He pulled back but stayed close. “That’s why not.”

“Is it that late?”

“Yes. Just you and me here again.”

I glanced at the clock on the wall. He was right, it was half-past-seven. No wonder my stomach had started rumbling. “I should probably get home…”

He averted his eyes from mine and turned away.

I paused. For Tristan being such a fast-talking, quick-working guy, he was remarkably easy to read. And right now he was disappointed.

“But I guess a quick one for the road won’t do any harm?” I said.

He spun back to me, a slow smile spread on his face. “Excellent. Let’s call it a day, then, shall we?”

Ten minutes later we were once again seated in Ruby’s Wine Bar. Tristan claimed a small round table in the recess of the bay window, then bought us both a drink.

I sipped my wine. I really shouldn’t make a habit of visiting this place after work. Though it was quieter tonight, there was a low hum of conversation and I could make out piano music playing from speakers in the ceiling.

“So how did you and Andre get on last week?” Tristan asked, leaning back in his chair. He’d removed his suit jacket and turned up the cuffs on his dark shirt.

“Didn’t he tell you how your newest employee had performed?”

He tilted his head. “Of course he did. I just wanted to hear it from you.”

“Well, obviously I don’t know what he said…”
And it better not have included details about my performance in bed.
“But I thought it went well. His diary is complicated but I got to grips with it, plus I needed to sort out the filing system to make it more logical.”

“Ah, Andre likes logical.”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“I guess. He’s just very good at finding solutions to problems that suit everyone.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s a considerate thinker, he’s kind.”

“I’d agree with you there. He’s very popular with the staff.”

“Unlike me.”

I hesitated. “I don’t think you’re unpopular.”

He chuckled. “I’m just not popular. You’re very diplomatic you know that.”

“I try.”

“I like it. And, for the record, I’m trying to be more of a people person with the staff, as of today.”

“Good, though it might take a while for them to notice.”

“So you think I can do it?”

“What, lighten up?”

“Yes.”

“I think it will be a challenge, but yes, I think you can do it.”

He was quiet for a moment. “So, tell me about yourself, Stella. Do you have family? Brothers and sisters?”

“Is this you being a people person?”

He chuckled and pushed his hand through his hair. “Give me a break, I’m doing my best.”