Watch Me (Private Listing #1)

I clutch my heart at Robert’s loud voice. “You startled me.”

My neighbor has a few inches on me, and while he isn’t toned, he has some muscle and enough weight behind it to be intimidating. His brown hair is long and shaggy, and his brown eyes follow me wherever I go.

When I first met him, he creeped me out, but he hasn’t done anything bad.

I finish the few steps to our floor and dig my keys out of my purse. I definitely won’t miss the stairs if I get that job and the apartment.

“How did your interview go?” Robert follows me to my door and stands a little too close, but I’ve gotten used to it. He’s harmless, just a little lonely. It still makes me wary.

“It went well.” I unlock my door but don’t dare open it yet. Robert has followed me in before, and getting him back out is a hassle I don’t want to deal with tonight. He doesn’t seem to understand boundaries.

“We should celebrate.” Robert’s brown eyes widen, and he gestures for me to come with him to his place. “I have a cake we can eat. I picked it up special today.”

Even though cake sounds good, and I’ve only got a package of ramen noodles waiting for me inside, I still don’t feel comfortable going into Robert’s apartment. Even in my apartment, he made me uncomfortable. He may feel harmless, but something holds me back from being too friendly with him.

“I’m exhausted, Robert. But maybe another time.” I open my door and slip through without opening it wide enough for him.

It’s almost shut when Robert says, “I’ll bring you over a piece.”

Closing the door, I lean back against it and engage the locks. I’ve lived in this building for the past two years. It’s cheaper than living on campus and gives me a space to call my own. Well, mostly my own.

I have a roommate who is sometimes here, but most of the time she’s gone, giving me a larger apartment all to myself. I set my purse and bag in my room and head to the fridge. I’m running low on funds, so the fridge is pretty bare.

I have some back-up cash saved, but I don’t want to touch it if I don’t have to. It’s just enough money for bus fare and food on the way back to the Midwest. It’s my get-out-of-jail-free card, in case the city becomes too much or I just can’t cut it.

I pull out my pan and put water on to boil. I’ve made ramen so often, I don’t even need to measure the water anymore. It would be great if this position actually comes through. With the extra income, I could eat whatever I want every night. I have a couple more interviews next week. There’s still the offer from Taylor’s, one of my internships. The offer would barely let me continue to scrape by here, but it would mean not having to leave the city.

It would also mean having to work with Hunter Adams. He’s a good-looking guy. I’ll admit I thought he was attractive more than once when I first met him. But just because he’s good looking doesn’t mean he’s nice. He bullies the other employees and harasses the women.

Remembering the day he cornered me in the copy room makes me shudder. I got away from his inappropriate touching, but if I work there again, he’ll keep coming at me. Hunter is untouchable. How do you tell the boss that his son is making unwelcome advances?

I shake Hunter from my head and think about the interview today.

Four very hot men. I don’t know their personalities yet, but if they’re anything like Hunter, I’ll have no problem cooling my thoughts toward them.

After dumping the ramen into the pot, I stir it. I have to admit, at least to myself, if one of them backed me into the corner of the copy room, I might not be inclined to get away. In fact, combining that with my earlier fantasy of all four of them and the conference table might be what I get off to tonight.

There’s something about them that draws me. Maybe it’s just attraction. There was never a spark with Hunter, just this feeling of needing to stay away from him. But these men… They make my heart pound harder and set off butterflies instead of alarms.

Tonight, I’ll let the fantasy run its course one time before I get the position and have to maintain my composure so I can be the best professional executive assistant I can. It’ll be my new focus.

When I add the seasoning and pour my ramen into a bowl, my phone rings. Expecting it to be my mom, I answer it without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello.” I set my bowl on the table and stare down at the noodles floating in the broth. Suddenly my appetite isn’t quite there.

“Ms. Harris?”

I almost drop the phone when I hear Mr. Wagner’s deep voice on the line. Did he know I was fantasizing about him?

“Yes?” I reply breathlessly. Did I get the job? How do I play this cool if I got the job?

“We wanted to extend an offer to come in for a trial run, starting Monday. If you’re still available?” His voice is smooth and flawless and drags against my skin in a very unholy way.

“Yes, I’m available and would love to work for you.” I want to jump up and down, but I need to keep it together until I get off the phone. Suddenly my ramen doesn’t look so bad, knowing I won’t have to stomach it much longer.

A knock at the door draws my attention.

“Good. There are some forms we would like you to fill out beforehand.” Mr. Wagner rustles some papers in the background.