CEO's Expectant Secretary(42)
“Lenora, we’re glad you could come. This is my wife, Elle.”
“Nice to meet you, Elle. Something smells delicious.”
“Just a little home cooking. I figure a hardworking woman could use a little home cooking every now and then,” Elle said.
Lenora studied her for a moment, then sighed. “Comfort food,” she said. “I never indulge, but I just might tonight.”
“It won’t hurt you,” Elle said. “As my mother would say, you could use some fattening up. Come into the dining room. You’ve earned your dinner.”
Lenora smiled. “I’ll pay with the elliptical tomorrow, but you’re tempting me.”
“We all gotta live,” Elle said, and the three of them entered the dining room.
After Lenora consumed chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, biscuits and green beans, she groaned as she sat back in her chair. “That was delicious. So bad, but so good.”
“Give yourself a break,” Elle said. “You obviously work like a dog.”
“I like her,” Lenora said to Brock. “Where did you find her?”
“In my office,” Brock said. “I got lucky.”
“So you did,” Lenora said, one of her over-Botoxed eyebrows rising just slightly. “Tell me, Elle, how do you plan to approach aging?” she asked. “Not that you’re anywhere near it.”
Elle sighed. “I’m conflicted. I want to take care of my skin, but you know, Catherine Deneuve doesn’t believe in staying too thin. We women have a tough road to hoe, but I don’t think I want to kill myself after forty-five. I mean, the truth is, no one is paying me to look good.”
Lenora gave a short laugh. “So true. So your theory is to look good without overextending yourself. Make it as easy as possible,” the woman said.
“The kiss method,” Elle said. “Keep it simple, sweetheart.”
“Ooh,” Lenora said. “I like that.” She clasped her fingers together and leaned forward. “Okay, Mr. Maddox, I want to sign with your company. And our campaign will be ‘Keep It Simple, Sweetheart.’ It works for any age, from teens to young twenties to new moms to women of a certain age.”
Brock shot Elle a cryptic smile. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Three hours later, after everyone—including Lenora—ate a slice of hot apple pie à la mode, Brock led Elle to bed. “I’ve missed you in the office,” he said, taking her clothes off.
She felt her heart beat faster. “Are you ready to trust me again?” she asked.
“You did get me a new account tonight. Maybe I should hire you as a copy writer,” he said, grinning. “Did I remove your fears about any possibility of attraction to Lenora?”
“I thought she was lovely,” she said, lifting her hands to sift through his hair.
“She’s a barracuda,” he said. “You’re very sharp, but you’re also compassionate. I’ve always been drawn to you for those qualities.”
“Hmm,” she said, enjoying the way his hands slid over her skin.
“You are irresistibly sexy. I can’t get enough of you,” he said, skimming his hands over her belly. “Hey, Elle, I owe you one. You really did land me that new account, you know. She wasn’t convinced until she met you.”
His acknowledgement made her stomach twist. “Take it out in trade,” she whispered. “For what happened with my grand—”
His mouth covered hers, keeping her from finishing the word. “In the past,” he said, sliding one of his hands over her swollen breast.
She savored the sensation of his mouth on hers. “I want to please you,” she said, even though what she really wanted to say was I love you. But she couldn’t say that. Not yet.
“You do,” Brock said.
“How?” she asked.
“Just by being here with me,” he said.
The following Sunday was Father’s Day. The day was always rough for Brock. Even though his father often had been out of town, the two of them had always talked on the phone. Brock would say how lucky he was and his father would laugh, but his gratitude and pride had been clear.
Since his father had died, Brock spent Father’s Day remembering his dad. Staring out the window as he sipped a cup of coffee, he felt Elle come up behind him and wrap her arms around him. Something inside him eased. He covered her hands with his.
“What are you thinking about?” she whispered.
He inhaled deeply. “My dad,” he said.
Silence stretched between them for several seconds. “Father’s Day,” she said.
“Yeah,” he said, nodding.