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The Intern
A Lesbian Office Romance Series

By

SCARLETT GRACE
COPYRIGHT © 2020 SCARLETT GRACE
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or
introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior
written permission of the copyright owner. The author acknowledges the
trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced status
and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which
have been used without permission. The publication / use of the trademarks is not
authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are
products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual
events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

This book is intended for Adults only (age 18+). This book may contain explicit
sexual content, graphic languages. The content may be offensive to some readers.
Please be considerate before reading this book.

Special thanks to all the volunteer readers who helped with proofreading but
wished to be anonymous. Thank you so much for your supports.
Content
MY FREE GIFT TO YOU
Book 1 Double Life
CHAPTER ONE First Day
CHAPTER TWO Rising Star
CHAPTER THREE The CEO
CHAPTER FOUR One-on-One
CHAPTER FIVE Tickle Your Fancy
CHAPTER SIX The Masquerade
CHAPTER SEVEN Bound
CHAPTER EIGHT Rough Day at Work
Book 2 Take Over
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE Dominating the CEO
CHAPTER TWO Reality Hits
CHAPTER THREE Monday Blues
CHAPTER FOUR The Celestial Plane
CHAPTER FIVE Questions and Answers
CHAPTER SIX What’s for Lunch?
EPILOGUE
Book 3 Fall Out
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE Heart-to-heart
CHAPTER TWO A Tough Call
CHAPTER THREE Parental Guidance
CHAPTER FOUR Formal Introductions
CHAPTER FIVE Aftermath
CHAPTER SIX Face-off
CHAPTER SEVEN An Unexpected Visit
CHAPTER EIGHT Giving In
EPILOGUE
Book 4 Give In
CHAPTER ONE Blindsided
CHAPTER TWO Dinner for Two
CHAPTER THREE Not Your Usual Walk in the Park
CHAPTER FOUR The Hard Truth
CHAPTER FIVE Bad Kitty
CHAPTER SIX So Long
CHAPTER SEVEN The New Life
EPILOGUE
Working with her enemy CHAPTER ONE A New Year
NEW SERIES West End’s Moonlight
MORE FROM SCARLETT GRACE
DON’T FORGET YOUR FREE BOOK
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LEAVE ME A REVIEW
MY FREE GIFT TO YOU

Hi there!

Thank you so much for downloading my book. I hope you love it.
And as a HUGE thank you, I want to give you
a FREE copy of “The Client” – A Lesbian Romance Short Story.
Get your FREE book here! Or click image below.
BOOK 1
DOUBLE LIFE
CHAPTER ONE
FIRST DAY

“Big day today, huh?” Gwen says, before scooping some Cheerios
into her mouth, “Is that what you’re wearing?”
I look down at my outfit. A gray pencil skirt, a light blue dress
shirt that’s a tad too big for me, and my mom’s old office blazer.
“What’s wrong with it?” I ask, “It might not be the trendiest, but
it looks decent for a budget!”
Gwen’s eyebrows rise and try to hide a grimace. She seems to
have other thoughts, “Chloe, honey, this is Midtown Manhattan. Not
to mention your first day at Pretty n Peach, a game-changer in the
cosmetic industry. You aren’t going to impress anybody with a
polyester suit.” She stands up, abandoning her cereal to go soggy,
and that’s when I know she means serious business, Gwen says
“Come with me.”
I’m forced to leave my breakfast as well, a half-eaten peanut
butter and banana sandwich and a mug of black coffee, to follow
Gwen to her side of the house.
In my two months of being Gwen’s roommate here in a two-
bedroom loft in SoHo, it’s my first time entering her room. Suffice to
say, I am blown away by the fanciness of it all. Gwen’s a painter so
she knows her aesthetics and it’s evident in her choice of décor,
mixing thrift store antique pieces with her own contemporary
abstract paintings. The centerpiece of her room is huge. A Frida
Kahlo portrait hung above her queen bed.
I’m not quite done ogling her room when she drags me to her
walk-in closet. And holy cow! It’s like a packed mother lode of fabric
and leather, bursting at the seams. I run my hand over the dresses
on a rack and check their labels. Balenciaga. Burberry. Chanel. Dolce
and Gabbana. They’re all designer!
Yeah, Gwen pays most of our rent so that means she’s at least
financially stable, but I really wonder how she is able to afford all
these things.
“Hey, try these on,” Gwen says, looking up from a blouse she just
picked out, “I think we are the same size.”
It doesn’t take very long for Gwen to get me fixed up; Gwen
really knows her stuff. So, she gives me a flattering Isla black shift
dress, reminiscent of the late Jackie Kennedy. She has me try on
these charcoal-colored suede pumps, my eyes widen at seeing the
label. Manolo Blahnik! If looks could kill, these shoes are murderous!
Gorgeous but comfortable on my feet. For my makeup, I go for a
light, natural look. When I’m through putting on some lipstick, Gwen
hands over a cream coat to round off my look.
“Alright girl, you may leave now,” Gwen says.
I glance at the full-length mirror near our front door and “Damn,
don’t I look like a million bucks”, I says to Gwen.
She is pleased with the outcome. “Good luck today, you’re gonna
knock ’em dead,” she says before shooting me a wink.
Pretty n Peach’s reputation in the marketing industry has grown
so much since it started about a decade ago. It has become one of
the country’s most trusted marketing firms for cosmetics. If you
want your brand on the map, you have to go to them to champion
your goods.
When I found out I qualified for the internship, I literally
screamed into my pillow, too excited to function. An internship
means work exposure and having ‘Pretty n Peach Ltd.’ on my resumé
will make me look good once I completed my internship.
There’s always a catch, though. They only pay minimum wage.
Barely enough to cover rent and food, but hey, at least they’re
gonna pay me.
Right now, I’m alone in the elevator with my thoughts as I rise up
to the 33rd floor where the firm’s offices are. When I step out, I don’t
know if it’s because of my nerves or my inadequate breakfast, or
maybe just the mere height of the place, but I feel incredibly dizzy.
It’s probably the high altitude. Well, it’s my first time being this high
up. We don’t have any skyscrapers in Midpost Springs.
I meet the receptionist, and he directs me to a small meeting
room with a four-seater conference table. There, I gather myself and
wait for my supervisor to show up. The dizziness has faded, and I
feel my good ol’ confidence returning to me. A rather portly man
enters the room. I don’t really recognize him from my first time
here, when I was interviewing with the human resources officer. I
stand to meet the man and we shake hands.
“Oh, good morning! Miss Hatcher is it?” he goes brightly.
“Yes, but just Chloe would be fine.”
“I’m Ferdinand, the Marketing Manager here at Pretty n Peach.”
He motions me back into my chair while he takes a seat himself.
“You’re really lucky. Bagging an internship here is a feat. With the
number of applications, we got, one would think we were an Ivy
League School.” He chuckles to himself and I join in, amused by his
jolliness.
He discusses my roles and responsibilities briefly before handing
me an employee handbook, “I’ll leave you to Deborah and Gordon to
show you around. I hope you enjoy your first day, Chloe,” he says
kindly as we exit the conference room.
If all my supervisors here at Pretty n Peach are as nice as
Ferdinand, adjusting to this environment would be a piece of cake. I
just hope that would be the case.
Two people my age are waiting for me in the hall. I assume the
girl is Deborah. They nod appreciatively at me for some reason
before breaking into smiles.
“So you’re the new intern from Midpost Springs,” Deborah says,
“It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Small town girl with uptown fashion? We absolutely have to be
friends!” The guy’s voice is high-pitched and cheeky.
“Don’t mind Gordon,” the girl says, “he just wants to steal your
outfit.”
Gosh, Gwen was right. Apparently, an outfit does hold power. I’ve
sort of impressed them and I haven’t even opened my mouth yet.
It’s all the clothes’ doing!
“I’m Debbie, by the way. Gordon and I have been interning here
for the past four months. We’ll show you around, Chloe.” And so
they do, taking me around the whole floor, showing me the different
departments and different faces under them. It’s so much to take in
that I wish I brought a notebook with me. Oh well, I still have a year
of interning here. I’ll have all these names and faces down-pat
eventually.
Before I realize it, the three of us are right back where we
started, “Well, that’s that,” Debbie says, hands on her hips, “If you
need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
I do, in fact, have something to ask them, “Where’s the CEO? Am
I supposed to meet her as well?”
Debbie and Gordon then share a look that says, uh-oh.
“I’m not sure. Us interns don’t really have a chance to interact
with her. So, I doubt you have to give her a courtesy call. I mean,
Gordon and I didn’t have to when we arrived.”
I nod, trying to process this, “Why though? What’s she like?”
“Well, to put it nicely…” Gordon sucks his lips in, “Fuck it, I can’t
put it nicely. She’s a bitch.”
“Gordon! Shhh!”
“What? I said it, it’s true. She could wear a bikini in the Arctic,
and she wouldn’t bat an eyelash. That’s how cold she is, Chloe.”
“Oh.”
“Gordon aspires to be her, actually.” Debbie rolls her eyes.
“I really do, I really do,” Gordon quickly agrees. Then a thought
appears to come to him. “But Chloe, you have to steer clear of her.
Don’t try and play the hero by volunteering for extra work. Last
time, she made a department head redo a quarterly report because
it was, and I quote, ‘not up to standard’. Poor guy worked on it for
weeks only for her to read one page and reject it.”
Then Deborah speaks up, “And don’t expect her attention. She
doesn’t give us interns the time of day. We’re lucky if she even gives
us a glance.”
“Which she never has.” Gordon crosses his arms.
There’s a solemn silence before Debbie claps her hands. “Alright!
Let’s get some real work done!”
I follow Debbie and Gordon to the intern’s area—a meeting room
with a long table, some cubicles with computers, and a couple of
whiteboards lining the walls. There, I think about what they said
about the CEO. Is that really true? Is she really the polar opposite of
kind, angelic Ferdinand? If she is, I shouldn’t let it get to me. This
internship is a serious opportunity and I should stay a hundred
percent focused and at the top of my game.
No way am I going to let anything come between me and my
goals.
CHAPTER TWO
RISING STAR

It has been two weeks since I started my internship, and the


work is both exciting and challenging. Every little thing I am
assigned, whether it’s archiving files, building client lists, or assisting
in presentations, I make sure to give it due diligence. The
department heads took notice and offered me little affirmations.
It feels so incredible when they tell me I’m doing well or that they
like my ideas. It certainly helps that Deborah and Gordon look out
for me and are always ready with a helping hand. Earlier this
morning, Ferdinand asked me to meet him. I have no idea why it’s
just me at this meeting. Why didn’t he ask the other interns along
too? So now I’m here outside the affable assistant manager’s office,
kind of nervous, because what if I am actually in trouble?
I check my mom’s old Casio. It’s 3 o’clock now. One deep breath
and I’m knocking on Ferdinand’s door.
There’s a faint “Come in!” from the other side, which is my cue to
enter. Ferdinand rises from behind his cluttered desk, and without
his suit jacket closed over his middle, I can see his very pronounced
belly. “Oh, Chloe! Come in and have a seat.”
“Right,” Ferdinand starts, “well, you might be wondering why I
called you in—oh, don’t look like that, you’re not in trouble!”
I sigh and relax, thankful that I wasn’t going to be reprimanded.
Ferdinand continues, “We’ll be having another one of our weekly
board meetings tomorrow.”
“Okay? So where do I come in?”
“I would like for you to attend the meeting tomorrow. Chloe, in
your two weeks here, I’ve noticed how quickly you’ve taken to the
work and to the people. You show lots of promise and it will do you
good to be at that meeting.”
“Wow. Thank you, Sir,” I reply earnestly. It feels fantastic to be
validated for my efforts and it motivates me to do even better. “I
would be honored to be there.”
“Excellent!” Ferdinand stands, flattens his tie, and hands me the
files. “Here is a copy of the itinerary so you can study up. There you
go, Chloe. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Meeting’s at 9 o’clock sharp.
Don’t be late. Don’t let me down.”
“Of course, Sir.” I’m beaming. “I wouldn’t think of it.”
Gwen is over the moon when I tell her about the important board
meeting I got invited to. “Oh my God! This calls for another trip into
my closet!” she sing-songs, clapping her hands excitedly. Once more,
I find myself surrounded by high-end glamor and style. I let my
hands run over the line of clothes, enjoying the texture of the
different fabrics.
My curiosity gets the better of me. “Gwen? Can I ask you
something?”
“Uhuh, sure,” she says, pulling out a pair of violet pants, “here,
try this on.”
I take the pants from her and hold it up to get a better look at
them. I’m not really feeling the color. “Like, how do you afford all
this? New York isn’t exactly the cheapest place to live but you can
still buy all this fancy stuff.”
“Oh.” Gwen stops rifling through her drawers and turns to me.
“Well, I do some odd jobs here and there.”
The way she casually says ‘odd jobs’ doesn’t sit well with me at
all. “You don’t deal drugs, do you? Tell me I’m not roommates with
some drug lord.”
Gwen snorts and slides the drawer shut. “Me? No, of course not.
What is it, honey? Do you need more money? Aren’t they paying you
enough at Pretty n Peach? You can always tell me, I’ll set aside some
for you. No need to pay me back.”
“No, no. That’s not what I want. I wanna earn, okay? No
handouts.” I duck my head down, remembering how my parents just
wanted to rely on the community soup kitchen to feed us. I’d rather
go hungry than go through that again, to have my survival
dependent on the kindness of strangers. “Thanks, Gwen. But it’s not
my way.”
“Right, I forgot how proud you are. I get you. We had a tough life
back in Midpost Springs.” Gwen offers me a rueful smile. She pulls
me in for a hug and there’s so much comfort and warmth in it. I
can’t help thinking how Gwen truly is like a big sister to me. She tells
me softly, “I’m glad we’re here together. We can put that behind us
now.” Gwen pulls away to squish my cheeks and I just let her. “And
don’t worry, Chloe. If you wanna make a good buck, I’ll hook you
up.”
The next morning, I walk into our building lobby and know
immediately that Gwen picked out another killer outfit. All eyes fall
on me. Appreciation from the men and perhaps some envy from the
ladies. Before I left our loft, Gwen told me I was the “picture of
poise” and a “beacon of sophistication.” With all these people paying
attention to my flowy Armani blouse tucked into a fitted Fenty pencil
skirt that accentuates my, as Gwen puts it, “cheeky” bottom, I could
see she meant what she said.
I enter the elevator alone and I press ‘33’ and wait for the doors
to close.
“Hold the elevator,” a deep voice says which immediately prompts
me to hold down the “open doors” button.
It’s like magic, what happens next. A woman comes in, most likely
in a hurry, breathless to the world but breathtaking to me. Her eyes
meet mine and she smiles, showing gratitude.
I know it’s rude to stare but holy hell, I just couldn’t stop looking,
drinking in the sight of this woman in her impeccably tailored
maroon pantsuit with a strong-shouldered jacket. Her blonde hair is
in a neat pixie cut, and it brings out her sharp jawline and her high
cheekbones. And damn if she doesn’t have the dreamiest green
eyes.
I fan myself, feeling the temperature grow hot for some reason.
She leans in, her perfume a sensual blend of citrus, vanilla, and
cedar, and for a second there, I think she might just go ahead and
kiss me. Stupid me! I realize a little too late that she was only trying
to reach the control panel which, it turns out, I’m somewhat
blocking. I step aside with an embarrassed smile, giving her room to
press the elevator buttons.
When the doors start closing, she gestures to my chest area. Is
she checking out my boobs or something? In that case, this pretty
lady can look all she wants. She can even have a special show if she
asks. But when I look down, there’s my company ID, out for the
world to see.
“So, you’re at Pretty n Peach?” She sounds impressed, which she
should be! Pretty n Peach is the best there is and I hope that
association makes me more attractive in her eyes.
I swell with pride and answer her in a chipper way, “Yeah. I’m just
doing my internship.”
“Oh, that sounds nice.”
“It is.” I bite my lip, wanting to say something that will leave a
lasting impression on this woman. “So you know where to find me,
yeah?” I step into her space and level my eyes with hers. “I’d love to
buy a stunning woman like you a drink sometime.”
My voice was just the right level of sultry. Not too weak and not
too pushy either. The last thing I want is to come off as desperate.
She just blinks at me, though. Oh my. Is that too much? Have I
come on too strong?
DING!
The elevator doors open to the 33rd floor before I can get her
answer. I remember I have to stop by Ferdinand’s office before the
board meeting, so I have to hurry out. I turn to the woman. “It was
nice meeting you. I’ll see you around?”
With a slight shrug of her shoulder and a smirk, she says, “Yes.
And sooner than you think.”
I smile at her once more before going on my way, loving the
thrill of this unforgettable encounter.
CHAPTER THREE
THE CEO

When I get to the board room, a woman, blonde and in her late
30s, is pulling the blinds up and letting the morning light into the
entire space. There is a huge glass conference table with ten chairs
surrounding it. I focus on the chair at the head of the table. It
occurs to me now that I will finally meet our CEO, the infamous Yvie
Johnson.
“Good morning, Miss Hatcher.”
It’s the woman fixing up the room. Oh, gosh, how silly of me to
have just been standing here. I should help her! “I’m so sorry. Let
me give you a hand.” She gives me some folders to distribute for
later and has me oversee the refreshments. Typical intern work.
“Thank you for all the help. I’m Kim, by the way, Miss Johnson’s
secretary.”
Oh, I’ve heard about her. They call her the “all-knowing.” Being
Miss Yvie Johnson’s right hand, she is privy to every little thing that’s
going on in this office. And she must be a tough woman if she can
put up with Miss Yvie’s frigid personality.
“It’s nice meeting you Kim,” I say, and we shake hands.
She gives me a comforting smile. “Ferdinand seemed pretty
excited to include you in this meeting.”
“Oh, yes. It’s very kind of him to vouch for me.”
“Means he must see something special in you.” She gives me a
small pat on the shoulder before exiting the room.
I am left baffled by what Kim meant. I don’t have time to mull
over it, though because Kim returns with Ferdinand and the rest of
the board members. After a round of casual hellos, we all settle into
our seats. The empty chair at the head of the table sparks intrigue
and mystery.
But then she walks in. My breath hitches. Blonde hair. Maroon
suit. The greenest eyes I’ve ever seen…It’s the woman from the
elevator. She catches my eye after she greets everyone. It’s like
she’s saying, from across the room, “Surprise!” Then she takes the
CEO’s seat, all confident and professional.
Oh. My. God. She’s my boss? This is Yvie Johnson!
“Chloe? Everything alright?” Ferdinand asks me.
No! Everything isn’t alright! I just heavily flirted with my own
CEO! Oh, dear Lord. I swallow thickly. “Yeah, I’m alright,” I say in a
chipper voice, managing to regain some composure.
“That’s our CEO. Miss Johnson,” he adds brightly, “if it all goes
well, I’ll introduce you after this meeting.”
His proposition mortifies me, to be honest. I don’t know if I’ll be
able to face her after our little moment in the elevator. For heaven’s
sake, one does not hit on their boss!
Miss Johnson commences the meeting and despite my emotions
and thoughts going haywire inside of me, I try to focus. But all I end
up doing is getting lost in the way her rosy pink lips move when she
speaks, in the way her long, slender fingers move as she makes a
point. Her cool, commanding disposition as she sits there is just so
damn sexy. We’re going over serious company matters here but my
mind is drifting off to a place where I’m helping myself to Miss
Johnson’s gorgeous body.
“Does anyone have a better idea?” she asks the room.
Ferdinand, eyebrows furrowed, shuffles in his seat and rubs his
chin. He’s clearly deep in thought. I follow suit, wanting to
contribute something too. Concentrate! Concentrate, I will myself. I
completely lose it when her emerald eyes lock on mine. That’s when
a need, an urge, to please Miss Johnson ruptures within me.
The next thing I know, I’m speaking up, “If I may, I’d like to share
my thoughts.”
Everyone turns to me then, looking at me curiously, as if I were
about to do a magic trick. Then their eyes shift to Yvie, waiting for
her call. I’m afraid I’ve spoken out of line in front of all these
important people, Miss Johnson especially. To my surprise, she
doesn’t show any signs of annoyance at my little intrusion.
She actually seems pretty calm about it, just shrugging her
shoulders and saying, “Care to elaborate?”
I gather my courage and will my voice to stay firm and clear. This
shouldn’t be that hard. I went over the agenda last night and
studied the talking points. I have the ideas down. All I need now is
the confidence to share one of them. A wave of calm washes over
me and I finally speak my mind. There’s a tense bout of silence then
as everyone processes what I just said.
Then Ferdinand says, “Chloe has a good idea. I believe we can
develop a solid plan around it.” After Ferdinand, other members of
the board sound off their support.
“Alright, then. We’ll go with that.” Miss Johnson’s voice is cool and
whole, magnetic, easily drawing everyone’s attention. “Ferdinand, I
trust you’ll iron out the details. I would like a revised draft of the
plan on my desk by Thursday.”
Miss Johnson meets my eye and we hold each other’s gaze. “That
was quite creative.”
She gives me a slight nod and this show of approval, no matter
how subtle, is enough to send me into the next dimension. That’s all
though. She goes back to being an ice queen and doesn’t even look
my way for the rest of the discussion. The board meeting eventually
comes to an end and the room clears out, Kim escorting the
executives to the lounge area, where the refreshments are. This
leaves just me, Ferdinand, and Miss Johnson. Crap, here is the part
where she and I meet, not as two women, but as boss and
employee. Jesus, am I sweating?
“Yvie! This is Chloe Hatcher, one of our new interns,” Ferdinand
says exuberantly.
Yvie holds out her hand and I take it. My body stiffens the instant
our palms touch. I relish in the warm current that runs through my
bloodstream. Touching Miss Johnson is as electrifying as getting
struck by lightning. Her gaze is steady on me and that gets my heart
pounding like crazy.
She offers the smallest of smiles. “It’s a pleasure to finally put a
name to a face.”
My cheeks go warm and I just know I’m turning tomato-red. I
release her hand. The sparks setting off when we touch is just too
much.
Ferdinand jolts at that. “Oh, you’ve seen her around already?”
“You could say that.” Yvie’s face reveals nothing, but her eyes tell
another story. They twinkle with mischief, and I feel myself grow
hot. She’s teasing me without saying a word, reminding me that I
made a fool of myself during our elevator ride where I shamelessly
asked her out.
Being in the presence of this woman just flusters me to no end. I
get my mouth to move, and I hope to God I don’t end up spewing
gibberish, “It’s nice meeting you too, Miss Johnson. I never thought
I’d get to. It’s such an honor.”
Yvie raises an eyebrow at me and my little speech. Oh crap! Did I
overdo it as I did back in the elevator? Ugh! I should have just shut
up. Kept it short and simple. Now she must think I’m an idiot.
Yvie doesn’t make a big deal out of it, though because she moves
on to pat Ferdinand on the shoulder, and the two begin talking about
some contract. Ferdinand is beaming, looking eerily like an eager
puppy while Miss Johnson is serious as ever.
Miss Johnson buttons up her suit jacket before leaving me and
Ferdinand in the conference room. “I’ll let you two go now. Thank
you for all your work.”
My eyes are glued to her backside as she walks out. I watch the
curves of her body and the sway of her hips. I even indulge myself
in the sight of her round ass. I have it bad for her. And it’s not just
her body. It’s everything. Her face made for the movie screen, her
lips when she talks, her green eyes when she’s looking at me.
“Chloe?”
I snap back to reality. Ferdinand’s already at the door. I must have
zoned out.
“Aren’t you coming? We still have a lot of planning ahead of us.”
“Yeah, sorry, Ferdinand.”
Geez. If I want to keep doing well here at Pretty n Peach, I can’t
let my boss be a distraction. I’ve got to keep my head in the game,
and more importantly, I’ve got to keep my lust levels in check.
CHAPTER FOUR
ONE-ON-ONE

Apparently, Miss Johnson’s schedule is such that I never get to


bump into her in the office. It is so frustrating because I’m dying to
see her face again. I go through every opportunity to try and catch a
glimpse of her, which includes passing by her office during lunch
hour on the off-chance that her door is open and she’s inside eating
sushi, or steak, or whatever it is that Yvie Johnson eats. Sadly, those
attempts failed and all I’m actually doing is making Kim suspicious.
Despite that, I’ve been on the lookout for a chance to be near her
again. Ugh! I sound like I have a hopeless schoolgirl crush.
Someone enters the little area us interns have set up for
ourselves in the break room. “Hey! I’m in a bit of a rush so can
anyone here have CEO Johnson sign these documents?”
My co-interns shrink away from the task, probably too intimidated
by Miss Johnson. Debbie and Gordon look at me expectantly, giving
me the confidence to volunteer.
“I’ll do it,” I say, presenting myself to him.
“Alright! Awesome, Miss Hatcher!” He hands me the files. “Here
you go, that’s six copies. Would appreciate it if you drop it off back
to us in Finance.”
Debbie and Gordon, being the absolute sweethearts they are,
accompany me all the way to Kim’s desk for moral support. They bid
farewell like I’m about to go off to war. God, they’re such drama
queens! I go up to Kim’s desk and ask if Miss Johnson is in.
Kim doesn’t stop typing, but answers me back politely, “Yes, the
CEO’s in. Are those files for her signature?”
“Ah, yes.” My hands are trembling as I hold up the files for her to
inspect. “So should I just leave it with you or…?”
“She’s free right now. If you want the files right away, then just
walk right in.”
Just walk right in? Nah, that’s too good to be true. I ask Kim, “Are
you absolutely sure?”
Kim stops her typing to look at me and sighs, “Yes! Honey, just
go.”
She reaches out to tug the wrinkles out of my blouse. With a
smile and a quick nudge of her head, Kim sends me off to the CEO’s
office. Before I knock on Miss Johnson’s door, I steel myself,
preparing myself mentally to see her again. I must be cool and
poised and interesting in the two to three minutes it will take her to
sign these documents. Maybe I might even say something clever so
that she notices me even more. So, I put my knuckles to her door
and knock.
No answer. Did she hear? Or perhaps she may be busy with
something. I must not be timid. I knock with more force this time,
then wait. A beat later, I hear her deep voice from across the
wooden door.
“Come in,” she says, sounding a little distracted.
I enter her office with my best smile on. It goes unnoticed,
though, because Miss Johnson is busy poring over a report. This
time, she’s wearing thick-rimmed glasses. The top two buttons of
her shirt are undone, exposing her lovely collarbones, giving me a
glimpse of the dip between her breasts. I lick my lips. God, she is so
hot, all serious and concentrating like that.
To get her attention, I clear my throat. She looks up from her
work and if she’s surprised to see me, it doesn’t show. “Excuse me,
Miss Johnson. The Finance section sent me over to have some
documents signed.”
Miss Johnson leans back in her chair and laces her fingers
together, letting her hands rest on her stomach. There’s a certain
allure to her when she allows herself to relax. This is a side to her I
haven’t seen yet, and it feels like a privilege to be here, witnessing
it.
“Sure, bring them here,” she says.
Each step I take closer to her has my heart rate shooting up. I
gently pass over the documents and our fingers accidentally brush
against each other, making me breathe in sharply. Each time that
happens, I get a pleasant shock. Her touch is still so electric to me.
“Have a seat, Miss Hatcher.”
Whenever she says my name, a giddy feeling rushes around
inside of me, making my knees weak. Good thing she asked me to
sit down. I try not to be obvious as I watch her put her bold
signature on the papers, “Yvie Johnson” in elegant, thick strokes
scratched with power on each sheet. Even her signature is sexy!
How is that possible?
She’s still signing the documents when she says, “So, how do
you find it here, Chloe?”
I panic and blurt out dumbly, “In your office?”
Yvie grins. “No, I mean, here at Pretty n Peach.”
Oh. Well done, Chloe. Could it be any worse now? “Oh,” I laugh
nervously, wanting to facepalm myself for my little blunder, “It’s
been awesome.”
Awesome? Is that all you have, Chloe Hatcher? Whatever
happened to poise and clever?
She looks up from the papers and eyes me curiously. “Awesome,
huh?”
“Yes. It didn’t take long for me to adjust and the work is…
stimulating. My skills fit here and there are plenty of opportunities to
show my creativity.”
Miss Johnson lets out a pleased hum. “So, Miss Hatcher, what do
you want for yourself in this career? Five years down, where do you
see yourself?”
“Honestly? On my way to be with you.”
Her jaw drops ever so slightly. “I’m sorry, what?”
Oh shit, oh shit. I backtrack. Did I say I wanted to be with her?
Oh my gosh! It can be worse. You are amazing Chloe. Amazing.
“I mean, in five years, I want to be on my way to be you. One
day, I want to be in control of things. I know it sounds silly, too
ambitious for someone like me who grew up in a small town. But,
really, Miss Johnson, that’s what I want.”
She hands the documents back to me. “Here you go.”
“Thank you very much, Miss Johnson.”
She stares me up and down and it kinda feels like she’s peeling
the clothes off my body with her eyes. It makes my core ache and
pulse. Does she have any idea how hot and bothered she makes
me? Jesus, Miss Johnson!
Before I leave her office, she adds one more thing, “You know,
Miss Hatcher,” Miss Johnson’s voice is huskier than usual, “I wouldn’t
mind putting you in charge someday.”
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