Chapter 1

• Mia made her way back down to the ground floor where the mailroom was located. It is a busy spot with lots of people going in and out on a regular basis. After all but one constant was sitting at the desk, happily humming to some song that she didn't recognise, shuffling through paperwork as though he would never want to be anyplace else.
• She stared at the man before hurrying up with her work even though she's met with a large grin.
• "Not so bad, was it?" Sean asked, a glint of mischief ever-present in his eyes. It was about his humming. She knew that.
• "Not at all, Sean." Mia lied while trying to get her work done. It shouldn't be her responsibility for crying out loud. There are so many people in the office, but she got entrusted with that. With a sigh she stared at the light beeping, her insides curling with the clock ticking.
• "A woman after my heart. You are the only one who appreciates my talent, Mia" Sean exclaimed like the overdramatic man he was, throwing his arms in the air. Sitting in the tiny stuffy office making copies of each and everyone from the floor does that to you. It's not a glamorised job, after all.
• "Yeah, yeah" Mia answered, although she can't seem to get her head around his words.
• Just then she heard the door push open. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed Lizzie. She was also working as a receptionist in the same office.
• "Hey"
• Lizzie shyly smiled. "Hi. Is Mr Rossi in today?"
• Sean made a noise. "The big boss?"
• Mia swallowed the little extra moisture in her mouth from thinking about those bright green eyes. The way they stayed on her. The way they widened and flared every time he's irritated. She never saw him smile. Bet he would look mesmerising with those eyes crinkling. His deep voice, so high strung and harsh, that almost made her insides melt.
• No! She cant be having such kind of thought about her boss. That's not very professional.
• "Not the only thing that's big about him" Lizzie wriggled her brows, leaning back.
• "Christ, Lizzie, you can't just say that," Sean made an affronted noise.
• Mia flushed at the implication. She had nothing to add to that aside from the fact that she understood the appeal alright.
• Damon Rossi, her boss, was everything a woman would want. Rich, witty and the CEO of one of the biggest companies in New York. Except charming. He severely lacked that. And always had a blank face and never smiled, also yelled at her a lot. The list could go on.
• Lizzie giggled. "He's really fit," She commented
• nonchalantly. And of course, her interest was immediately piqued.
• Mia wanted to know what's so appealing about him that charmed Lizzie. Not that she's interested or anything but merely curious. Focusing her eyes on the receptionist, Mia rolled her lips between her teeth.
• "I mean have you seen those arms? They're so powerful and big like I want them to hold me up while he fucks me against the wall. Or any surface, really. I just really want his dick."
• Mia snorted at that, resisting the temptation to imagine her boss. "You've been here for what, two months and already you want to fuck our boss?"
• Lizzie shrugged. "Who wouldn't want to?"
• She got the point. Mia hated that the receptionist got a very valid point with that and instead collected her copies and walked out of the room. Time to face the music.
• ***
• "Hello, Miss Grace" Damon was standing by the door to her office, his body pressed against the edge of the door. His voice was sharp, lips pressed together as his eyes raked over her body. A shiver ran down her spine at those moss green eyes following her.
• Mia has been having the worst day. After spilling water on her cell phone and somehow getting tangled in her bedsheets, she fell face first. As if that wasn't enough, she had a flat tire and had to take the subway, which made her few hours late. Like a fool, she kept the work of getting copies until last minute and was just done with them. Now she had to put up with Damon Rossi like a cherry on the top.
• Mustering a polite smile, the twenty-five year old replied the usual "Good morning, Mr Rossi", hoping he would respond with his usual nod.
• "Good Morning?" He scoffed. "More like 'good afternoon' Miss Grace? What time is it in your little world?"
• She clenched her eyes shut. Oh, so he caught on that.
• Mia couldn't help but think back to the day she was offered the job. It all started with a simple suggestion from her friend Jane, who knew several people who worked for the company and insisted that she could pull some strings to at least get Mia an internship. For a student struggling to make ends meet in New York nearly screamed in excitement.
• The Rossi Group was one of the biggest companies in the world. There were multiple branches everywhere, including LA and London, but the main branch, or what you would call headquarters, was right in the heart of New York.
• At the age of nineteen, she was already accepted to be interviewed for a paid internship during the fall semester. Everything that she had dreamed about since she was young worked out in her favour. Days after her interview, she got an email that summoned her to one of the tallest, most well-known office buildings in New York, at 8 am on Monday morning.
• Years later and she still worked there. Only with a new boss now.
• She blinked at him, aware of his icy gaze. He was much taller than her, and, before working for him, Mia had never felt so small. In order to meet his eyes, she needed to lift her chin to look at him. That clearly satisfied him if that certain sparkle in those green eyes was anything to go by.
• "I had a disastrous morning, Mr Rossi. Rest assured, it won't happen again." She swallowed, relieved that her voice came out without shaking.
• Mia has never been late before, but of course, her boss had to make a scene the first time it happened. Why can't he let it go away? More than a hundred people were working on the very floor, under him, but somehow he always took delight in targeting her. Walking past him, she put her briefcase and coat on the desk and turned on the computer. She tried to pretend he wasn't there, standing in front of the door, watching her every move.
• "A disastrous morning is a great description of what I had to go through in your absence. I did your job and mine this morning. I'm sure that even with a disastrous morning, you would be able to get here at eight, Miss Grace. Some people start working even before breakfast."
• At that, she lifted her head to face him as his eyes judged her with his arms crossed over his chest — all because Mia was few hours late.
• It was difficult for her to look away, not to stare how that dark suit wrapped his broad shoulders. Heartthrob was such an understatement when looking at him; he's dressed in a designer suit, with a flashy gold watch (that must've cost more than her apartment) fastened to his wrist. His black leather boots with a pointed heel. Under the piercing sunlight accompanied with the glow in the room he gleamed, his silky brown hair styled very casually. Like he had tugged on them one too many times.
• But of course, he had to ruin the moment by opening his mouth: "I hope you know this is the last time you are allowed to do this. Consider yourself lucky that I'm not firing you for your tardiness."
• Son of a bitch.
• She cleared her throat. "Sorry, sir. I understand the sacrifice you must have made to answer your calls in my absence. Like I just said, won't happen again."
• "Exactly, it won't." He replied, with the pretentious smile firmly in place. If only he kept his mouth shut, he could be perfect. A piece of tape would solve the problem. "And just so you don't forget about this little incident, I would like to see the whole situation of our three projects on my desk. And then you'll make up for this morning by doing a presentation in the conference room at five."
• Her eyes widened. Before she could open her mouth to argue he was already out of the office room. He knew very well that she had just started this project. She still had months to prepare the slides after the contracts had been signed, which had not happened. They hadn't even been drafted yet. Now, with everything else thrown in her lap, he also wanted her to arrange a presentation. The way she hated him!
• Cursing under her breath, she opened the project file and started working.
• ***