The Billionaire's Assistant

Chapter 42

By 2:30 they'd gotten almost no more work done, their easy and light conversation meandering away from their purpose more times than they could count. Kat was now curled in one of the more plush chairs of the seating area with Jove's laptop on her knees while Jove had dragged his desks' leather loveseats over to her, propping his feet up on the side table while they talked.

"I just don't see how you could claim to love nature so much but you've never had a dog."

"Jove." Kat overenunciated her words for emphasis. "I am telling you, that makes literally no sense."

"How does it make no sense?" Jove cried, throwing his arms up.

"Dogs aren't nature!" she argued with a laugh. "I like being outside and interacting with and watching nature. Dogs are cute, but they aren't a part of nature."

"They're animals," Jove retorted. "How are they not?"

"They're not even natural animals!" Kat exclaimed. "They're domesticated, they wouldn't make it in nature."

"They'd figure it out," Jove said dismissively. "You're just a hater."

"I am not a hater!"

"You're a hater."

"I love dogs!"

"Doesn't seem like it."

"They just aren't part of nature."

"...cause you hate them."

Kat rolled her eyes. "How did we even start talking about this?"

Jove grinned at her. "You asked if I had any pets."

Kat sighed. "And for some reason, I feel like you didn't answer the question, asked me the question, and then went on a 10 minute conversational detour about whether or not dogs are part of nature."

Jove nodded seriously. "That does sound like me."

"Jove c'mon," Kat pleaded, starting to giggle. "We're never gonna finish this, I don't even have all the information I need to get started."

"All right, all right," he conceded. "I'm sorry Kat," he said in a lower tone, the coy smile still on his face, and she felt her heart flutter.

"Just do better," she said in a voice she hoped sounded cold.

Jove laughed. "Yes ma'am."

"Ok, ok," said Kat. "Let's do some rapid fire questions, just get everything out of the way. Only," she started severely, pointing at him. "Answer the question. Don't ask me the question, don't make a joke about the question, dont say my name, just answer the question."

Jove's coy smile grew. "Don't say your name?" he repeated inquisitively.

Kat instantly flushed a deep auburn.

"I can't say your name Kat?" he asked, the deep rumble of his voice swelling in her ears. "Why not? You don't like it?"

Kat was stuttering, stumbling over her words and trying to catch her breath.

"Um, she managed. I, um."

"It's ok Kat," he said, his blue eyes running over her face as if trying to memorize it. "I won't say your name."

Kat was feeling lightheaded now, like all the air in the room was slated towards forming Jove's words and there was none left for her, nothing but scraps she could barely subsist on.

He leaned closer to her now, the overwhelming scent of his cologne mingling with the heady intoxication of his energy.

"But you can say my name," he all but whispered. "I don't mind."

Kat took a shuddering breath in, feeling as if she may dissolve in front of him, and he smiled as if satisfied.

"Go ahead," he said. "Ask your questions."