I looked at her, and the whole place froze. Everything froze. Now I have that moment playing over and over in my head.
The moment when she said she wanted me.
I want you...
She’s not the first woman to want me. No, it’s not that. What it is, is she’s the first woman to ask for me. To desire me for more than the money and my looks.
More than power.
I’ve been like this for the last two months, very aware that I just have another month with her and then our little arrangement of fun is supposed to end.
“Joshua.” Dad says my name with more insistence and it pulls me right out of my thoughts.
“I’m sorry, what did you say. I was thinking about that last thing you said.” I didn’t hear shit. I have no idea what he’s been talking about for roughly five minutes. I said thanks when he told me he was proud and I said yes when he asked if it was Giselle who took the lead on the last few cases.
He chuckles and sits forward. “Your miles away, my boy. I was asking you if you thought that maybe she might be ready to do some work on her own, with mild supervision. I think she’ll be great here once you go over to the other building.”
This time I’m paying attention. I’m damn well paying attention. He said when I go over to the other building like he’s made up his mind already. That sounded positive and reminds me of the first thing I wanted. My goals for my future, my career.
“She’s a brilliant attorney with a passion for her work. We have a real asset in her. She’s worked on the cases with heart,” I answer, purposely not mentioning the other building. Dad couldn’t look more proud.
“I see that. I do. That was especially why I wanted you to take care with her. I really wanted to train her myself, but duty called. I read her files and saw that she’d been through quite a bit in the last year. Her father’s death, and while the files never mentioned this and I definitely don’t tend to get involved in celeb gossip but I know she was with Kirk Ryan for years and he didn’t seem to treat her right.”
I narrow my eyes at him. This is the first I’m hearing this. I’m not into football the way Dad is, but I know who Kirk Ryan is. That guy is a prick and a half. One of our attorneys worked for him on a defamation lawsuit a few months back where he was suing some tabloid for publishing him having a threesome with a bunch of models at a Christmas party.
Okay… maybe I’m no better when it comes to scandals, but that guy is the kind that a straight up asshole with no regard for anything.
“She was with him?” I asked with narrowed eyes.
“Yeah, I know. Definitely not the type of guy I would imagine her with. They dated in college and broke up eight months ago.”
I hold my tongue. Christmas was nine months ago, so he was with her when that story came out. Geez. He cheated on her big time. Did she know?
I really hope it was her who broke up with him and not the other way around. Something deep down tells me it’s not. I think it was he who ended it.
She dated him in college… I bet she never thought he’d turn into an asshole. I can’t imagine he was the way he was now when she met him. Then again, she’s with me.
I’m not like him though. I don’t cheat and there’s no way that I’d cheat on her if she really was mine like that.
I’d keep her.
Shit… what the fuck?
What am I thinking? This thing I have with her is fun.
This arrangement we have, me and her is about fun. We literally come from two different worlds. One where I know we wouldn’t collide even if the earth shifted and made her bump into me.
She was at the club with friends. My observance told me they’d been before. The club was their thing, and it was her first time. Had she not gone, we wouldn’t have met that way.
“Well,” Dad says. “I guess now that you have some background and context you know why I was the way I was. She is talented, and I’d like to keep her. Joshua, you have a rep I don’t like. I won’t lie to you and tell you that I enjoy hearing about this woman and that woman you slept with and in the office too.”
I groan inwardly. Fucking hell. “Dad, I’ve changed,” I remind him for the millionth time.
“No, I definitely agree and I can see that you are trying. That’s the part I like.”
“Enough so I can be at the other building?” I ease the conversation back to that.
I want this promotion and the chance to be my own boss. Being in control of the other building is essentially him giving it to me. That’s why he’s been the way he is. It’s no mere thing to hand over. However, I’m more than ready to take charge. I am.