Mr. Holt

Thanks but no

"Alexander, who is Naomi Pierce?"

"She is no one."

"Are you really not going to tell me?"

"I might be more willing to share intimate details with you if you'd sign the contract."

Did he actually just say this to me? No way. Sometimes I feel like this man has split personalities...

"I haven't even seen the contract, Alexander."

He reaches into the drawer and pulls it out, laying the contract on his desk. "There it is."

"Are you serious?"

He says nothing.

"Look, I'm not doing this right now. You offered me a job. I need the money. I told you I would think about the other. Okay? Can we just talk about the job?"

"Savannah, tell me why you need the money."

My eyes tear up and his face grows concerned.

"I already did. I need it to pay for school," I say.

"Why else? I know you're not telling me the truth."

"I can't tell you," I say and wipe my eyes.

"Why is that?"

"I just can't."

"I'll find out," he says and stands from behind his desk.

"Why do you care so much?" I ask.

"Because, Savannah, I care about you."

"You do? You hardly know me."

"I don't have to know everything about you to care about you. Do you care about me? You must if you cared enough to bake me a birthday cake and buy me a present."

"I do care about you. Of course, I do."

"Then why do you assume it isn't the same for me? Because rich men like me are supposed to be unfeeling assholes who don't know how to love?"

"No, I never meant..."

He walks to the door. "I have a meeting. Ms. Carter will show you to your desk and get you started on your new job."

"Lex..."

"C'mon."

"No. I want to read the contract first."

"Oh. You do?" 

"Yeah," I say. "What do I need to understand about it?" 

He walks back over to his desk and picks it up, handing it to me. "There's only a few things you need to know."

"Okay."

"You have to give up your apartment and live in the penthouse with me."

"Doesn't sound terrible," I say with a flirty smile.

"You can work for me but nowhere else. Also, no school for a while."

"And no theater."

"Correct."

I sigh. "Not like it matters anyway since our performance was canceled."

He doesn't say anything but he stands there watching me for a few moments with a look of contemplation on his face.

He finally kisses my cheek and says, "I have a meeting. I'll return in time for lunch. Read it and give me your answer by then." Then he walks to the door. He turns around in the doorway, placing his fingers on his lips and then gestures them toward me as though he's kissing me. Once he closes the office door behind him, I dive into reading this very long contract...