Page 7 of Consumed By You

The alarm sounds loudly in my ear and I whimper tiredly, placing the pillow over my head.

Just a couple more minutes…

The realization of what today is suddenly makes me sit upright in my bed in a panic.

It’s my first day. I’m no longer in training. A swarm of hyper butterflies slam against the rippling walls of my stomach.

God, why am I so nervous? I’ve sustained myself in this nocturnal playground of a city for quite some time now. I know I can do the work. I push aside the covers and gravitate toward the bathroom to shower.

While I lather my hair with foamy shampoo that smells of lavender, I think about the real reason for my recent daily panic attacks.

Benjamin Scott.

The most gorgeous, successful man I’ve ever met. My boss. The boss that I’m going to spend the entire day with. Alone.

Can I do this?

For ten thousand a month and weekends off? Hell yes I can.

I’ll finally be able to leave this hellhole of an apartment. I’ve always loved this city, but I’ve happened upon enough rats in my hallway to last me a lifetime.

I step out onto the cold tile and wrap the towel around me, mentally planning what to wear. I need to look professional. Professional but good.

I date, but I don’t date exclusively.

I remember the words he said in his office like it was yesterday.

Hmpf. I’m sure women fall all over him.

I gravitate to my miniscule poor excuse of a closet, searching hastily through my meager selection of outfits, determined to be early today.

Annoyed that nothing catches my eye, I pick a nude knee-length dress and move over to my dresser mirror to hold it up to my body, wondering if the material will complement the endless curves I can’t seem to get rid of. I slip it on, pull up the zipper, and turn to look at myself. It’ll do.

I stalk off back into the bathroom to try to figure out what to do to my hair.

***

“Good morning, Miss Fontaine,” Kate, the blonde receptionist at the end of the hall, calls out in greeting when I step out of the elevator.

“Good morning. Please call me Darcy.”

“He likes black coffee with a shot of espresso,” she divulges conspiringly the moment I’m within whispering distance.

“Oh shit, I didn’t even think of that. Thank you.” I grimace. “And I’m sorry I just said shit.”

She flicks her chin to the side, her Barbie locks swaying in the air as she laughs. I swear it happens in slow motion. “It’s not a crime to cuss.”

“Thanks for the tip. I appreciate it.” I make my way to my office to drop off my bags, immediately exiting to locate the break room. I hope I remember where Doris showed me.

After a few wrong turns, I step into the employee lounge that actually resembles something like a restaurant. There are colorful pastries and thick stacks of sandwiches lined up along one whole side of a wall, while a coffee machine hovers like a guard in the other corner. I resist running over to grab a powdered croissant and hurry to brew the drink for the boss.

I’m entering my office just as the phone on my desk starts to ring. I run over to get it. Before I even say anything, his forcible voice grumbles, “My office.”

He sounds mad. Am I late? I look at the clock and notice that I’m actually early.

What the hell?

I pick up his mug and tap on his door, bracing myself.