Keeping it strictly Business (Completed)

Chapter 1

A shout out to @Ikbenaukje for helping me to edit this book! Thank you sooo much :)

Chapter 1

Juliette sat behind her desk, studiously finishing her reports, and then made a mental note to send reminders to the rest of the employees on the big presentation scheduled for next month. It may seem like a long time, but with all the work going on around the company, they all needed reminders that the day was approaching fast because there was still a lot of work to be done.

She was still typing when the phone on her desk started to ring. Giving the page one last browse she picked up the phone, not at all concentrating. "Mr. Blaze Matthews' office, what can I do for you?" She spoke politely into the telephone. "Yes, Mr. Crane, will you please hold?" She put the call on hold and dialed for her boss.

"Mr. Matthews, Mr. Crane has called to confirm your business dinner at eight tonight." She spoke firmly into the phone and was simply given a curt, "Tell him it's confirmed." and the line went dead.

"Mr. Crane, Mr. Matthews will meet you there," she waited while the man spoke then gave a final dismissal. "You're most welcome, have a wonderful day." and the call ended.

Being a secretary was time-consuming, there was always something in the company that was needed, filing, arranging appointments, recruiting and training, and a number of other tasks but she didn't mind she liked her job.

Juliette was in the midst of typing when the phone rang, it was only able to ring once since she answered the phone quickly. As soon as she answered, a calm deterring voice rang through.

"In my office now." The call ended, Juliette placed the phone down and unhurriedly got up and straightened her black and plain long-sleeved, knee-high dress that clung to her body.

It wasn't far to Blaze's office in fact she was stationed right in front. She opened the double doors and entered, she saw that he sat behind his desk, obviously at work. Juliette always admired that about Blaze; his strong work ethic, but at the same time she pitied him, he was never seen with a woman who didn't look like a model, always thin, beautiful woman with long legs. Whereas Juliette was a short five foot four inches and had the shape of an hourglass.

She stood a mere six inches away from his desk and waited, he would speak to her when he was ready. He finally looked up and stared at her, his blue eyes melding almost too perfectly with his suit. She tried not to think about the way the blue reminded her of the sea, filled and capable of enormous emotion or the way that his hard jawline and strong neck was emphasized by the melting of blues.                                                                        

"Have you emailed the reminders to the workers?" he asked, and was rewarded with a curt, "I have, but I severely doubt that you called me in here to ask that." She countered.

"How do you figure?" he asked once more and was unsettled that she seemed to look directly in front of him. Juliette never looked at him the way other women did, and he didn't feel like arm candy around her, but yet, the fact that she didn't at all seem to care about him made him uncomfortable, but then again that's what made her the best woman for the job.

"You could've asked me over the phone." She smiled politely. Normally, he would fire the man that had the backbone to talk to him like that but, she was different. He'd had one on one sessions with her to discuss presentations and conceptions, she challenged him, made him better at what he did; and he was already the best! She was an intelligent young woman. At only twenty-five she was an excellent secretary and handled her job with ease.

"You're right, as usual." He replied and inwardly panicked as she showed not a flicker of emotion, most women would smile seductively if he's said that to them. "I need a favor." he said, getting up from his desk to walk to the front of it; leaning against it, he folded his arms across his chest.

Juliette stared back at him with equal intensity and motioned for him to continue, turning her gaze away from him once again. "My sister is getting married in a month and I'm taking a trip home soon,"

"So you want me to schedule the date, put up reminders?" Juliette asked before he could continue.

"Not exactly, I would like for you to...pretend to be my girlfriend," he replied, watching her intently, this time her gaze shot directly at him to stare into his eyes, it was the longest she'd held his gaze since she entered, continuing to do so she replied. "What?" her voice small and slightly outraged, Blaze thought.

"I understand your hesitance, but-" he was unable to continue because she interrupted. "Why do you need someone to pretend to be your girlfriend?" She demanded.

"Ok, I'll give you the reason. You see four months ago my mother called, she and my sisters are always bugging me about having a serious relationship, she has even set up dates for me whenever I went home. Anyway, when she called and started talking, to get her to stop I lied and told her I was seeing someone and things might get serious so she could stop worrying. She then proceeded to enquire after the physical appearances of my girlfriend. You had just come into my office and dropped off some files and I couldn't help but use your description." he looked at Juliette then and all she said was, "Continue."

"They want to meet my girlfriend, want me to bring her along to the wedding. I know this is a lot to ask of you, and I promise you can ask me for anything and I will give it." He stared at her hopefully and Juliette had never seen him so normal...so human.

"If you want I can arrange something with Ingrid, she would be thrilled to play the part." Juliette offered the services of a woman Blaze was involved with only two weeks ago. He shook his head, "She'd enjoy it too much, I need someone who is detached and wouldn't expect an actual relationship, who understands that it isn't real but pretend. Besides I described you to my mother, what would I say when you turn up with blond hair instead of black?"

Giving a sigh, partly because she knew she would regret it. "Fine, I'll do it, but I want a raise." She spoke formally and slowly retracted her thought of him appearing human as he smiled a secretive sort of smile. "I see working for me is doing well for your negotiating skills. We have a deal." he finished.

"We leave tomorrow." He said, dismissing her, but a million thoughts ran through her head, they can't possibly leave tomorrow, they needed a replacement to hold on while she was gone and she needed to book a flight! Sensing her distress Blaze asked, "Is everything all right?"

"For starters, we need someone to hold on for me while we're gone, secondly I can't book a flight this late." she stopped and looked at him.

Blaze knew Juliette, she was so uptight, she needed to have everything planned in advance or else she'd feel as if the earth was falling away from under her. But this time he did plan in advance.

"I took care of a new temp, he'll be here tomorrow and Jonathon will be seeing to everything in my absence and he will train the temp for your job. As for a flight, I'm taking my jet, and if you ask nicely, you can come with me." Did he just joke with her? Juliette thought that she was way in over her head, "Seeing that it's your life that would be made into a living hell if I don't go, it's you who should be nice to me. Besides how long will we be away?"

"For a month. The family is flying in to prepare for the wedding, which means I have to be there early as well." he replied.

"Can I ask you something?" Juliette enquired and after he nodded his approval she said, "How did you describe me to your mother?" He looked at her then, then to her side as he always did when he was trying to remember something.

"Black hair, bright hazel eyes rimmed with a darker shade of brown, around five foot, and wears glasses,"  he said and dismissed her by giving attention to his laptop. Juliette turned around and wondered sourly, he didn't consider her even remotely beautiful.