Watch Me (Private Listing #1)

Movement at my door captures my attention. Madison stands there with her fist up, preparing to knock on the open door. She’s tucked her blond hair into a bun. Little tendrils escape to dance around her shoulders. Her cream shell top goes well with her black skirt.

She smiles tentatively as her blue eyes meet mine. “I didn’t want to interrupt, if you aren’t ready for me.”

When her arm drops to her side, I wave her in and gesture to the chair before me. Her floral scent wafts by me as she sits.

“Have you ever signed a nondisclosure agreement before?” I go to the door and close it. Much as I want to stay near her, this conversation might be easier if I sit behind the desk.

“Yes.” She crosses her legs.

“We deal in a very specialized field, and you’ll have access to proprietary information.”

She nods seriously.

“We are also very private men, and as you’ve seen the apartment, you’ll be privy to our lives. We expect discretion in all of this.” I pick up the agreement from my desk and move it over to her.

She pulls her chair closer to the desk and turns it to face her.

“Before we can talk any further, I need you to sign the NDA.” I recline in my chair.

“I can do that.” She reads over page after page.

It gives me time to study her and wonder if this will actually work. It almost worked once before, but issues we couldn’t have foreseen popped up. Not just on the personal side, but on the business side as well. Andrea got greedy and not in a good way. She threatened to post her story online unless we agreed to a payoff.

There’s still talk, but we’ve made sure it doesn’t affect our business. It could have destroyed our reputations. I’ll do whatever I can to prevent that from happening.

“Do you have a pen I could use?” Madison’s light voice draws me back to the present.

I take the pen from my inner pocket, the one my father gave me on graduation from high school. I use it in all my business deals. It hasn’t failed me yet.

She signs her name and dates the NDA. She offers me the pen back and sits upright in her chair. Crossing her legs, she runs her hands over her skirt.

I pick up the contract and slide it into my drawer for later. I center the other papers on my desk and exhale. Here we go.

* * *

Madison

“Blake told you there was another offer we had for you.” Seth’s blue eyes are just as intense as yesterday.

I manage to keep my breathing stable even as my heart races in my chest. I have no idea what this is about, but Seth seems so serious. Does he ever really smile? What would he look like smiling and relaxed, without the weight of the world on his shoulders?

“We’re very busy men. As our business continues to expand, our careers take up most of our time and probably will for years to come.” Seth rests his interlaced hands on his desk as he meets my eyes.

“Yes, sir.” That’s clear from them working and living in the same place and the type of hours they expect from me. I’m fully prepared to give them whatever they need of me. The salary and experience are worth anything.

He looks down at the desk for a moment before lifting his eyes back to me. He seems nervous almost. That doesn’t help my own nerves.

“I want you to understand that you have this job as the executive assistant, whether or not you agree to the next conditions. They will not affect your employment.” Seth takes a deep breath and releases it.

Suddenly I’m not sure I want to know what these conditions are. I clasp my hands in my lap to keep them from trembling. I mean, it can’t be anything too bad, right? This isn’t like the Mafia where it requires blood to get in. Right?

“I’m doing this all wrong,” he mutters. He walks around the desk and sits in the chair beside me. The sensual fragrance of sandalwood mixed with his unique scent penetrates my senses.

My pulse throbs as he’s close enough for the heat of his skin to warm mine. I bite my lip and try to settle down this overwhelming attraction. What if they know and want to make sure I won’t try to slip into their rooms at night?

I can’t lose this job. I can’t go work for Taylor’s and deal with Hunter’s groping. Going home is out of the question. I’ll never be able to pay off my student loans.

“Madison.”