Keep Me Going: An Office Romance Read online

  Keep Me Going

  An Office Romance

  Mia Ford

  Copyright © 2019 by Mia Ford

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  24. Sneak Peak: Claimed

  About the Author

  Also by Mia Ford

  Blurb

  Seattle meant safety. A new start for me and my little girl.

  I didn’t anticipate falling for a new guy.

  Especially not my boss.

  It was the dream job – in a city miles from my jerk of an ex.

  I just wanted to get on and work, make a fresh start.

  But Alex is the kind of guy you can feel in a room.

  Perfect body, dark tousled hair just begging for my fingers to entwine in the curls.

  Sultry blue eyes that send electric shocks to my core.

  Nah-ah. We’re not going there girl.

  I’ve got baggage – the perfect kid… and her abusive dad.

  I don’t need the complications of an office romance.

  But… what if this man is my future?

  When things get tough he picks me up.

  When the calls start, and danger stalks me, will his love keep me going?

  Chapter One

  Soledad

  I relaxed as the panel interview ended, hoping I did well. I was new to Seattle and needed a job. I had experience for this advertising agency and a lot of it. I opened my bottle of water and took a sip, letting the cold water slide down my dry throat.

  “Miss Fleury?” I looked up to the man that was seated in between the others. “I am impressed with you and your experience. I am going to make a few calls for references, but I can tell you that you’re our top applicant at this time.” He was older but attractive in that distinguished way. “I expect that we’ll be calling you this week.”

  “Thank you. I can’t wait.” I said as I looked at the group that interviewed me. Joy filled me at the chance of a new start as I made a point of thanking each of them. They ranged in age from about thirty to late fifties and the way they described the company made it sound wonderful to build a future there. The youngest was attractive with bright blue eyes and dark tousled hair but I pushed those thoughts aside. I wasn’t here to date. I couldn’t date.

  We said our goodbyes and I left the huge conference room. My heels clicked on the marble floor as I made my way to the lobby of the modern building, looking around at the quirky but classy decor. There were couches scattered through the main lobby and each executive appeared to have an assistant in front of their offices. There were also rooms for teams to work together as well as two large and welcoming break rooms that offered all the amenities. It was gorgeous here and I tried to imagine working here as one of the team members, getting all the great benefits and generous pay. I said goodbye to the main receptionist and walked out to the curb, feeling the strong wind blow my dark hair around my shoulders.

  Seattle weather was often overcast skies and what some would consider dreary weather. Not me. I enjoyed it and was looking forward to getting a job and finally looking for an apartment. I hurried to my worn blue Rav4 and started the engine, needing to get back to the hotel I was staying at with my daughter. We’d met a fellow resident that instantly took a liking to Lindsay and I grew to trust her within the two weeks we’d known Rosie. I pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the small hotel, picking up a pizza to celebrate the good interview. I knew it might be a little early, but I was happy in this moment. When I walked into the small room, I saw Lindsay and Rosie sitting on the bed with a cartoon on the TV. They were playing dolls and I paused to smile at the sight.

  “Hello, ladies.” I greeted them as my daughter turned her big blue eyes towards me. “I have pizza.”

  “Yay, Mommy! I’m starving.” She told me as she jumped up, knocking a doll to the floor. I managed to set the pizza down and catch her as she jumped into my arms, laughing as Rosie cleaned up the mess.

  “Please stay and eat with us,” I pleaded with her as she took me in with observant eyes.

  “It went well?” Rosie’s voice was lightly accented as I nodded.

  “I’m not hired yet, but they just have to do the reference checks and I’m in. I am so glad that I finished my degree in ad work. That and Lins are the best choices I ever made.” I said softly as I reached for a plate, so Lindsay could get a slice and sit at the small table to eat. “I feel like everything else has fallen apart around me.”

  “There, there. You’ll get this job, Soledad. We can go from there.” Rosie assured me as we got our own pizza and sat down with Lindsay at the table. We talked about light subjects as we ate so Lindsay wouldn’t get too excited about what might not happen. I wanted this job more than anything but refused to get ahead of myself. Rosie went to her own room to get to bed early and I locked my door, giving my daughter a bath in the small, standard tub before tucking her into the bed that we were sharing. I watched TV quietly beside her as my phone charged, glancing over at it. I wanted that call to come through so badly, but it wouldn’t be tonight.

  I sent my mother a text on the phone I bought at a convenience store with the money I’d saved. She was in Oregon and sounded happy to hear from me, sending me messages for an hour. I moved to Seattle from a little town in Mendocino where I’d been assisting in the startup of a new ad agency that was going to cater to cities all over the West Coast and beyond. It was my dream with my best friend Michael, but I’d left him in charge and ran away. I had no idea what might happen but trusted that he could handle things.

  We woke up in the morning and I got some breakfast for us and walked Lindsay to the park. I couldn’t wait to have a kitchen and cook again. I knew how to make easy food taste delicious and last as well. I’d been a single mother to Lindsay since a couple of months before her birth and learned everything the hard way, since her father abandoned us completely. I was glad that he did because he’d shown me the violent side to him during the pregnancy, terrifying me.

  I smiled as Lindsay ran over to the swings, joining another girl around her age. I took a seat at the bench and watched her, exchanging a small smile with the blonde mother that looked like she just left a salon. I ran a nervous hand through my messy hair and swallowed the lump in my throat. I’d need to get a few clothes if I got the job to get me through to my first paycheck when I could purchase some more.

  If. I didn’t have it yet.

  I found out the following day that I did get the job. I was going to alternate between working on one of the top teams and assisting one of the top managers. I couldn’t remember which one it was having been so nervous at the interview, but I accepted in a trembling voice before I felt the tears stinging my eyes. I had a job, something that I could build a future on. I had the chance to start a new life and give my daughter eve
rything she deserved. Lindsay was sleeping in the small bed, having had a rough night with a slight fever. I cried quietly and prayed for everything to work out for me.

  I managed to get to the office to fill everything out while Rosie watched Lindsay, not ready to introduce her to the building yet. I was proud of her but hesitant about bringing her here when there was a chance it wouldn’t work out. I was starting Monday of the following week and Rosie agreed to babysit for me while I was there. I knew how much my daughter adored her and was so grateful to have her in my life.

  I spent every moment that I could with her. We went shopping at some thrift stores for work clothes, finding a nice beginning to my wardrobe. I took her for a happy meal for dinner Sunday night and watched her sleep as my nerves caused my stomach to knot up.

  Chapter Two

  Alexander

  I walked into the building early as usual. I liked to beat everyone here, so I could enjoy my cup of coffee in the quiet before the chaos began. I was up at five every day to take a long run or a bike ride to get a workout in since I was great at staying late at the office. I looked good for being thirty-three and intended to keep it that way.

  I sat at my desk in my office, glancing through the windows at the buildings and the water a few blocks away. This city was my home and when I moved to Chicago for college and to give my father a chance to make up for abandoning me when I was a little boy, I came back as soon as I crossed the stage and found out this company was for sale after a few rough years. I bought it and built it into the most successful ad agency in the pacific northwest and further. I hired the best staff and ran everything with a strict set of rules and observant eyes. I made my first million within the first year and banked it, since I’d bought the company with a trust fund. I was well over that now, but I loved work for the sake of feeling productive. I wanted to keep busy instead of traveling like friends, nailing girls all over the country that they’d never see again.

  I needed more to life than that.

  I glanced at the calendar on my monitor and remembered that Soledad was starting today. She was my assistant and I felt confident that she’d be a great addition to my number one team here. Her resume was impressive for only being twenty-three. I pushed away the thought of how much she’d turned me on during the interview, trying to focus on her skill. Soledad was about five feet six with thick dark hair and big dark green eyes that all but pleaded for the job. I didn’t know her story but there was a life behind that gorgeous face that had some pain in it. I appreciated that after the empty friends I made in school, people as rich as my family that had no drive in life.

  I sipped my coffee again and opened my email program, making a mental list of what to go over with Soledad. As my assistant, she’d have access to my emails and calendar. She’d know the names of clients and a big part of the job was keeping that private. We worked with some big names here.

  I heard voices and knew that everyone was arriving. I pinched the bridge of my nose briefly, willing the slight headache from the whiskey last night away. I went out with friends and had a drink or two too much, going home with a random brunette to fuck her senseless. I’d made it home in time to get some sleep for work, but I still felt a bit unsettled. I needed to get back to the program and focus on work. Training someone should be helpful in that process.

  I felt someone looking at me, glancing up to see my new employee standing in the doorway. She was wearing a clingy deep green dress that brought out her eyes. I slowly let my eyes drift up her body, pausing at her full breasts and the hint of cleavage that her outfit allowed me to see. It was nothing worth saying anything over, and if I was being honest I would ask for more. “Good morning, Mr. Callahan.”

  That was not going to do. I stood and smoothly made my way to her, offering my hand. “Please call me Alexander like everyone else does here. Do you prefer Miss Fleury?” I was curious to know if she was truly single and watched her blush. The pink took over her creamy skin as she pressed her stained red lips together.

  “Soledad is good. I prefer first names as well,” she assured me as I smiled. “This is my desk right outside of the door?”

  “It is, but there’s also space in here for you to work when we’re pushing deadlines. I pride myself on keeping the clients happy here and put in all the hours needed to do so. How do you feel about that?”

  She looked into my deep-set whiskey eyes and licked her full bottom lip as I resisted the urge to shift on my feet. “I can work any hours needed. I might need a little notice but I’m willing to give whatever I can.”

  Was she? I pushed the carnal thoughts away, wondering what it was about this woman that got to me so much. I was just inside of someone last night and should be happy for a while. “Notice? Do you have a boyfriend waiting for you at home, or a husband?” Pain flashed across her eyes and I stared down at her as she sucked her breath in slowly.

  “No boyfriend. I’m on my own but I have a daughter. She won’t interfere with the job at all, Alexander. I assure you of that,” she told me with her eyes wide.

  “I know. I can sense that you’re a hard worker. We are a company that encourages people to include their families, Soledad. We have tickets to several family events in town and there are a few company parties throughout the year that are quite family oriented.” I gestured for her to follow me to my desk and told her to take a seat. I took a long glance at her creamy breasts in their white lace bra, licking my lips.

  I’d never gotten harder faster,

  “That’s great,” she said with obvious relief in her voice. I showed her the programs on my screen one-by-one. Soledad was intelligent and picked up on everything quickly, watching as much as doing what I taught her. I was impressed. I’d had troubles in the past with assistants although my best friend and partner in the company told me it was because I was an asshole. Brent wasn’t completely wrong about that, but the women were useless to me either way.

  “Very good. You have all of these on your computer at your desk and there’s also a laptop in here to work on when needed. I also have a company phone for you as well as an iPad. We do work remotely if needed and I like to be able to reach you if needed.” I reached into a drawer and pulled out the two boxes, handing them to Soledad as her mouth dropped open.

  “This is a brand-new iPhone,” she told me as I raised a brow at her.

  “Yes, of course. Only the best for my staff,” I assured her smoothly as she blushed. “There are plugs at your desk that you can use to charge them and that should be done by the end of the day. I’m certain that you won’t need them right away but after that, I might call if needed.”

  She nodded, and I wondered how compliant she was in bed. I’d love to strip her naked and worship those curves, making her cry out as she surrendered to me. Fuck me. She made me want her in so many ways, but Soledad was my assistant. Beyond that, she had a daughter though I didn’t know how old. She looked too young to have anything close to a teenager, so she must have a little girl.

  I needed to regain control of myself.

  “Why don’t you come get some coffee with me and then you can familiarize yourself with everything at your desk. I’ll introduce you to the team after lunch.” I offered as she nodded with a shy smile. I told her to set the boxes down and I’d close the door before leading her to the spacious break room. There were three fridges for people’s food and drinks and I told her that she should label everything. There had been a few instances where lunches disappeared. I showed her the coffee in the corner, both single cup as well as large pots. I liked to offer a variety of options for my staff and we all ran on caffeine. There was also a large selection of teas for her to choose from. Soledad made a cup in one of the single cup machines and I chatted about the company as she fixed it with cream and sugar.

  I allowed her to lead the way back to the office, taking in her juicy ass as she walked in front of me. This woman was gorgeous, and I wondered how I was going to keep my hands away from her. She walked back into
my office to grab the devices to charge before excusing herself to go to her desk. I told her to keep the door open and I’d let her know if I needed anything.

  Soledad sat down and busied herself at the large desk as I watched her for a moment. I turned my attention to emails and replied to the important ones as I finished my coffee. Soledad knew that she was free to schedule any meetings for me after checking my calendar, but I’d give her a little time before that happened.

  I was set to have lunch with Brent and he walked by her desk before shaking his head at me. “Really, Alex?”

  “What? You know how great her resume was.” I reminded him as he smirked. While I was all dark hair and blue eyes, Brent was the opposite. He was tall and worked out as much as I did but offered bright green eyes and spiked blonde hair. We were a good team when we went out, but he was more into that then I was these days.

  “There’s a bit more to her that’s great as well. Those tits are incredible,” he murmured as something dark washed through my veins. Was that jealousy or me being protective? Fuck. This wasn’t like me at all.

  “Enough. She’s my assistant,” I grumbled as Brent gaped at me.

  “Huh.” Brent left it at that as we stood to leave. Soledad wasn’t at her desk and I wondered if he drove her away with his aggressive words. I hoped that she hadn’t heard any of it since I didn’t want any trouble with the lawyers, nor did I want him anywhere near her. Brent had a large group of women that he could reach out to, if needed. So did I, for that matter. “So, what about that girl last night?”