Undeniably His(3)
“Thank you.” My cheeks are warm.
The elevator opens. “You’re welcome, Miss Ried. We’ll be in touch.”
“Thank you, Mr. Davis.”
I step into the elevator and place the back of my hand on my forehead, feeling for moisture. For some reason my body is warm and I am sweating. I fan myself with my portfolio, wondering if the interview went well while trying to ignore the sexual tension I felt from his domineering and suggestive presence.
When I get back to the apartment, Lia is having lunch. She knows I am struggling to meet my half of the rent, but has been nothing but supportive. She has an Italian flare of dark hair, thick lashes, and dark brows that highlight her big gray eyes. She always seems effortlessly gorgeous.
“Hey, Belle. How was your interview?”
I sit down and smile at her, shaking my head.
“What?”
I put my hand out in disbelief. “He was so freaking hot.”
“Really?”
“Oh, my God, Lia. I didn’t know if he was talking about advertising the product or sex or what. I was just watching his mouth move, talking about fulfilling his clients’ needs.”
“Oh, my God, Belle, you are so bad!”
“Me! He was doing it on purpose, Lia! He was pure salacious evil in a five-thousand-dollar suit.”
“So he is gorgeous and has money. Doesn’t sound too bad to me.” Lia quirks her mouth and takes a bite of yogurt before pointing her spoon at me. “Advertising is full of sexual connotations, Belle. He’s just trying to show you the way the business works. How do you know he wasn’t just making sure you understood that? Maybe you were the perv.” She gives me a teasing smile as she presses the spoon to her mouth.
“I don’t. There was just something about him.” I shake my head and recall the undefined tension that permeated the conference room. “He’s the owner of the company, and I would be his assistant.” My eyes dart to Lia. “He’s smoking hot and brimming with sexual overtones. He probably has a bondage room in back of his executive suite.”
“You should be so lucky.” We both giggle.
“What are you going to do if he calls?” Lia molds the back of the spoon to her mouth, savoring the taste.
“I’m going to take the job, of course. You of all people know how badly I need the money. Rent is due again, and I don’t have the cash.” My stomach tightens at the thought.
“It’s okay, girlfriend, I know you’ll come through.”
“I’m not going to let you pay my half of the rent, Lia. If I don’t get this job, I’ll serve coffee, wash cars, whatever. I don’t care. I’m not going to freeload off of you.”
“I know. I’m just sayin’, don’t worry. I got your back, and I know you’ve got mine.”
“I know. You’re the best. If money drops from the sky, I’ll be sure and cut you in.”
Lia chuckles at me. “That’s very reassuring. Stop worrying. Besides, it sounds like this job pays well.” Lia scrapes the plastic container for the last bits of yogurt.
“He said it paid more than your typical marketing associate job.”
“See? Money, money, money!” she chants with a mock push of her hands.
“I don’t have the job yet, Lia. I’ll send him a thank-you letter letting him know I’m very interested in the job, but after that it’s out of my hands.”
I continue to apply for jobs in a desperate bid to get some kind of cash flow coming in. Many jobs posted are temporary jobs that pay close to minimum wage. I keep looking and find the ad I’d already applied to for TALVIS Advertising. I search the company and find it is one of the top ten advertising firms, representing wealthy clients all over the world. Kalin Davis, MBA in marketing from Northwestern University. Founder of TALVIS Advertising, twenty-nine years old. His photo is next to his bio. His firm, full lips and smiling brown eyes are frozen in the portrait, safely contained from the animating sexual energy that made me fidget in my chair.
I close my computer and take deep breath. Single, no doubt. I don’t recall seeing a ring.
I go to my Pilates class to keep my energy up and lighten my mood, offsetting my fruitless job search and tenuous finances. More endorphins in the brain keep my spirits light.
Some of the girls want to go out for drinks, but I just don’t have the cash to shell out twelve dollars for an apple martini. Lia is out with Trevor tonight. They met in college and should probably be getting married soon, though Lia has grown impatient with the commitment level. Trevor’s parents own a chain of restaurants, so he seems financially secure, even if it takes him awhile to land a job with his newly acquired engineering degree. His parents can see him and Lia through any bad times.