Page 4 of Decoding Emma

Not a good feeling.

Miles put the employment contract in front of Emma.I’d read the contract; it was pretty standard.I watched her as she read it over.Every so often, she’d hesitate, then continue, turning each page face down and placing it on the table, her expression neutral, controlled.Then her brow furrowed just the slightest, and when she glanced at me I knew she’d reached the part that specified she would be working with me exclusively.

As she read the last two pages, the NDA, her hazel eyes widened and she tilted her head as she apparently read and reread the first page, then read the last lines on the second page.The momentary surprise gave way to the neutral expression as she picked up the pages, initialed each one, signed both documents in the appropriate places, then neatly stacked the pages and handed them to Miles.

“Thank you.”He quickly signed as a witness and placed the contract and NDA in the folder.“If you have no questions, we’re all set,” Miles said.“If you have any issues with any employee”—Miles glanced at me—“come see me, and I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you.”

I pushed back my chair and stood.

Emma followed suit.

“Shall I show you to your new work area?”

“That’s fine.”

“Asher, a minute please,” Miles said.

“I’ll wait outside.”Emma slipped out the door, and I turned to Miles.

“What’s up?”

“Do I need to remind you to keep your head on straight?”

What the…

“How…” I clamped my mouth shut.

“I can see the way you’re watching her.Like a nice juicy steak on Friday nights at Whistle Stop when you’ve been eating chicken all week.”

I laughed.“I promise.I’m all about consent.”

“Keep the lust out of the office.”

“Sure.Like Cassie and Marcus did?”

“Please.”Miles threw his hand up.“We all knew those two would eventually end up together.But Emma is a contractor and not technically an employee of Fantasies, Inc.”

“Consent and, if need be, a contract written up between us.”How would Emma take to a contract about a relationship between us?Why was Miles already going there?Emma and I didn’t even know each other…yet.

“Good.”Miles shook his head and moved back to his desk.

I left the room and found Emma standing at the window looking out at the Puget Sound.That was another nice thing about the building, the panorama of the Sound.“Enjoying the view?”

Emma jumped.“It’s nice.”

“Your workspace has a nice grouping of windows to look out.”I gestured for her to precede me to the elevator.I had a feeling she’d enjoy her new workspace.I would, too, but for the view of her.

Slow down, dude.You’re getting way ahead of yourself.

“We’re on the eleventh floor.”I tapped my card and pressed the button.“Or do you want the grand tour first?”

“Why don’t you tell me about the other floors?”

I regarded her for a moment, then started in.“Floor two is the employee lounge area, floors three and four are storage.Five is Customer Service.Six is HR.Seven through nine R&D.Ten and eleven Technology.Twelve and fourteen Finance.Fifteen and sixteen Operations.The C-suite seventeen.”

“That’s a lot.”