After embellishing her resume, Valerie-a single mom-lands a job as an administrative assistant to the hottest, most entitled and obnoxious man she's ever met: Preston Cartwright, the CFO of the prestigious Cartwright & Sons Enterprises.
Several yea...
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It's five in the morning when the alarm goes off on my phone. I turn the buzzing off and glance over at Valerie. She's still asleep. Her leg is intertwined with mine, her mouth is slightly open as she breathes softly in and out. I watch how her chest rises with every breath she takes. It's calming and makes me want to pull her closer, bury my face into her neck and go back to sleep, but I can't.
I untangle my legs from hers and sit up. Valerie stays asleep but rolls over to her side, so she's facing me. Her blonde hair is a mess on top of the pillow, and that makes me smile and kind of proud. She looks thoroughly fucked and satisfied. And she should be. We went several rounds—at least five—until I was out of condoms and then fell asleep in each other's arms.
I didn't get many hours of sleep, but the ones I got were better than any full nights I've had in a while. Having her warm, soft body cuddled next to mine and her flowery scent around us was more calming than I thought it'd be. I'd always thought sleeping—just sleeping—with someone was overrated, but after last night I'm a believer. I want to have Valerie in my arms again. Preferably soon, in my bed.
Valerie stirs when I kiss her cheek goodbye, but she doesn't wake up. I tip toe through her dark apartment and close the front door, making sure it's locked.
The landing is small. There's only one light above the middle door, which is barely functioning. Yet it illuminates enough for me to see the peeling gray paint and the ratty condition of the stair railing. It looks anything but safe. I don't like that Valerie has to walk these stairs every day since there's no elevator. And I wonder how she manages with two kids in tow.
I push open the front door and hurry through the empty courtyard towards the parking lot. Relief floods through me when I see my car is still there. I get it started, give it a minute for the engine to warm up, and check my phone. There are many messages from my brothers. I open up our chat and chuckle when I find they're just ripping on me.
Easton: Bro, are you coming back? I ordered you another drink.
Hayes: Who has you running out of here like a bat out of hell?
Easton: Good one, Hayes.
Hayes: You like that, E?
Andrew: I'm pretty sure he's driving. And speeding.
Easton: Speeding goes without saying. How many speeding tickets you got now, Pres?
I snort out a laugh. I've gotten quite a few speeding tickets, but not as many as Easton. For being the most conservative one of us, except for Andrew, of course—Andrew is just something else. The poster child for a law-abiding citizen—Easton drives like a maniac.
Hayes: Yeah, I heard the squealing tires when he peeled out of here.
