ADDICTED

8

LEAH

My eyes happened to cross the clock on the monitor as I clicked between documents, and I realized the time. Ten minutes after five. I promptly saved the spreadsheets and shut down my laptop. After I tucked everything back into my Spade bag, I stood from the rolling office chair and turned to the door. James leaned against the threshold with his hands behind his back. I sucked in a sharp breath.

"Do you enjoy sneaking up on all of your employees?" I asked.

"You're my only employee," he said. "For the moment, at least."

I figured that was why his tasks were relations-oriented. Everything had been beyond my scope of interest, but I finished them all. They weren't difficult and I was getting paid well to do them. Besides, I needed to prove to this asshole that I was game for anything since he suddenly wanted to fire me. That would kind of get in the way of my plans.

He leaned off the door frame and straightened his tie. "Tomorrow morning we'll go over your brainstorming ideas. I have a meeting with the finance committee at two and we'll present a plan."

"Alright, I'll be prepared."

"Excellent. I'll see you at eight then."

Nodding, I slid past his tall, lean form and headed to the stairs. His gaze burned into my back. I rolled my eyes but there was a small fire ignited between my legs. It was a sensation I hadn't felt in months.

"Oh, and Miss Harris?"

I paused on the second step to look back. In an exaggerated professional tone, I replied, "Yes, Mr. Muller?"

"We leave for a business trip on Friday," he said, those intense lime eyes fixed on me. "We'll be gone the whole weekend, so arrange your schedule accordingly."

My mouth parted while I processed this. Two weeks straight with this guy? It would be interesting, to say the least. I wondered if this was all bait to make me resent him so I would quit.

"I assume you'll provide all the details tomorrow?" I asked.

"I'll email them to you now and we can discuss the details in the morning if you'd like."

Guess I wouldn't be visiting Isabelle and Ryan this weekend.

"Okay." I nodded and continued down the stairs. "See you tomorrow."

He said nothing but his gaze weighed heavily on my back.

—(—)—

"But why?" Isabelle whined through the line.

"We're going on a weekend business trip," I told her. "He didn't make it optional."

I wanted to complain about what an ass he'd been today but I didn't want her to think things were going poorly. She couldn't talk me out of this job when I had barely even begun.

My chopping knife narrowly missed my thumb. I blew out a breath as I set the utensil aside. Cooking while upset was probably not a good idea.

"Can't you tell him to sod off? This band is never going to be around here again. My mind is blown they are coming in the first place."