In His Service

chasing

Derek's POV

At the restaurant, I idled smoothly under the awning and stopped at the valet podium. Ginny's door was opened for her and the valet offered his hand to help her out, but the idea of some random guy touching even so much as her hand made me want to rip the poor kid's throat out.

I jumped out of the car and was there in a flash to step in front of the young valet, who quickly stepped aside, a look of foreboding on his face as I stared him down.

Ginny placed her hand in mine and stepped out of the car, straightening her legs slowly as her body-hugging, sunrise colored dress clung to her thighs. 

Mesmerized, I let my eyes wander slowly up her voluptuous, hourglass frame as her chest rose and fell, round, firm breasts straining against the smooth fabric.

Derailed by the sight, I vaguely questioned whether the skin tight, long sleeved, low cut number was interview appropriate or not. I sure as hell didn't mind it. I would definitely enjoy seeing Virginia at work every day in something like this—

"Excuse me, Mr. Galloway," Virginia murmured, pressing her back against the car to put distance between our bodies. I blinked and realized I was standing far too close to the car, making it impossible for her to close the door.

I stared at her for another moment, gathering my thoughts--damn she made it difficult to think-- my gaze never leaving her face as I took a minuscule step backwards and gestured with an outstretched hand for her to move past me. "Virginia," I conceded, my voice rough.

I watched, fascinated, as her cheeks lifted a fraction of an inch and her eyelids fluttered down against them. Was she acting coy on purpose? I couldn't tell yet. I inhaled deeply as she sidestepped me, her breasts grazing my upper arm and making me stiffen. Ok, that was on purpose for sure. And good god, she smelled amazing. Like citrus, but also something softer.

By the time I collected myself and turned around, nodding to the intimidated valet and tossing him my keys, she was already at the top of the steps to the restaurant, where she paused, straightening her dress as it had ridden up her generous thighs again.

Damn.

I took the stairs two at a time and grabbed for the door handle, but she was too quick. She was already ducking inside the dimly lit restaurant ahead of me, a mischievous smile on her full lips.

Catching the door just before it swung closed again, I lunged inside the small, dark entryway and froze as I waited for my eyes to adjust to the dim light. Just then something sharp jabbed me between the ribs.

"Ow!" I shouted, jumping at the pain and whirling around on the spot to stare blindly into the darkness in search of my assailant. A giggle from my left made me spin back that direction, where I could make out the sultry outline of Virginia's body.

My hands instinctively went to her hips, attempting to steady us both, but then I felt a hard, heavy wooden wedge heel smash down on my toe through the soft suede boots I wore.

"ARGH! FUCK!" I yelped, grabbing her tighter as my nerves sent the message of pain pain pain ow fuck ow ow ow fuuuuck to my brain.

"Sorry!" She whispered in the semi-darkness, the word leaving her lips in a huff of laughter and exasperation that made me doubt the sincerity behind them. "I didn't mean to elbow you, I just can't see!" She laughed again, the sound echoing merrily in the tiny foyer.

"And you stepping on my toe!?" I growled, pulling her tight against me so I could control where her feet—and elbows—went next.

She was silent, but my hands around her small waist could feel the trembles of laughter that she was still suppressing. I couldn't help it. I let out a hearty chuckle and dropped my hands from her body, immediately missing the feel of her under my fingertips.

I cupped my hand under her elbow and lowered my head so that our eyes became level just as they adjusted to the light. Hers were indescribable, a galaxy swirling with shades of blue and gray, warm amber centers and a cobalt arrow-like shape in one of her irises. They danced with silent giggles as she breathed deeply through her nose, her mouth clamped in a thin line.

Blinking a few times to regain my train of thought, I shook my head and whispered, "You have a very sharp elbow, Virginia. That hurt." Playing the victim was definitely not my forte, and I knew she could see that I was full of it.  I jutted out my bottom lip for good measure.

She had stopped laughing, but her eyelashes did that thing where they flutter and rest on her cheeks when she's trying to hide a smile. And that was enough.

But then one of her eyebrows hitched up a millimeter and she shot me a challenging look. The sass was back. It made my knees weak.

"It's Ginny. I haven't accepted the job yet, so I don't have to answer to that."

She said it simply but with a firmness I found mesmerizing, shrugging one shoulder and hitching an eyebrow in unison.

She turned and grabbed the handle of the inner door and tugged, flooding the little 6x6 entry with light and sound from the restaurant. Before she slipped through the door she paused and considered me for a moment before speaking.

Then she said, "Well, what are you waiting for, Derek Galloway? Let's hear about this amazing, challenging job offer you're about to give me." And disappeared on the other side of that door.

I chased after her like an idiot in love, not like a successful entrepreneur trying to hire someone to fill the most important role in my business empire.

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