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Leo
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Once Alexa has left for the day the tension coiled inside me eases. However, it does not leave me entirely. I cannot do this. A dozen times today my thoughts faltered because of Alexa Clark.
My day started out fucked when the elevator doors opened, and my eyes found Alexa. Her dress caressed every curve of her beautiful body the way I longed to. It confirmed my worst fear, the interview was not an aberration, it was not a one-time thing. This is an Alexa thing, and it is not going away until I either fuck her or get rid of her. Since fucking a married employee is absolutely not happening, I have to get rid of her.
How the fuck do I get rid of her when she is everything I want in an assistant? Her work is insightful, close to perfect, and she is already learning the way I do things. I watched her poking around on her computer desktop. It is a tool I had my IT department set up for me. I can watch what she’s doing as she is doing it, and she was making the right kind of notes to understand the work that went through her inbox in the last few months. Not a single PA before her did what she did today. She also has not done a single thing I can fire her for.
What am I supposed to tell Natalie? I want to fire the woman after a day because she makes my cock ache. Christ. I endured listening to Ebony bitching so I wouldn’t get hard when Alexa brought my lunch in. It had not worked.
I have wanted a woman I could not have before, only it’s been so long, and the desire passed so quickly I barely remember going through it. This desire for Alexa will pass as well.
For a moment, I consider another woman to relieve my tension then dismiss it. Using a woman to satisfy my needs is one thing, using a woman to take the place of another is abhorrent. I believe the saying is feed a cold, starve a fever. I will starve the fever until it dies, and I will push Alexa until she leaves. I’m not sure which will work first. I don’t care which one does, I just need her gone.
I start with getting rid of Alexa. Bringing up my email I see Natalie is still in her office and online. It’s surprising. Instead of the email, I planned to write I call her.
“Hello, Mr. Kaplan. How can I help you?”
“Alexa Clark, did you go over the dress code with her?”
“Well, no. I gave her the company handbook that has the dress code in it and asked her to read it. Was there a problem?”
“Yes, her dress was too short. I do not want it to happen again. Let her know I prefer longer skirts or even better slacks. I would also prefer she put her hair up or braid it instead of loose, her hair got messy toward the end of the day. It was unprofessional.” I had wanted to grab it and wrap it around my hand and—fuck. “Contact her tonight, before she comes in tomorrow.”
Natalie is quiet. “Sir, is there a problem with Alexa?”
“Just let her know. Why are you here so late?”
“I was just putting together everything for Alexa and another new hire, Keith Tanner. Their badges and insurance packets, that kind of thing. Lynn went home early because her daughter was ill.”
“Fine. Good night.” I hang up. I hope it helps. I don’t count on it.
***
Alexa
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I’m on my couch in a ball of misery when my phone rings. It’s Natalie, I don’t want to answer but I know I have to.
I strive for a light, surprised tone. “What’s up?” That wasn’t light or surprised, it came out as miserable as I feel.
“You tell me. What happened today?”
Oh god, my stomach twists all over again. I don’t know. I don’t know what happened today and I will not cry about it again. What had I done wrong? Why was Leo staring at me so intently he stirred up lava, hot longing one minute then scared the hell out of me the next? “I don’t know. I’m—hell, I don’t know. I have no clue. Why?”
“Leo just called me and wanted me to tell you the dress you wore was too short. He wants you to wear long skirts or even better slacks. Then he complained about your hair getting messy at the end of the day. He said he wanted it up or something. I have never gotten a call like that from him in the four years I’ve been head of HR here. Did you come onto him?”
“What?! No, that’s crazy. I—no. No.” Did he think I came on to him? Did he catch me staring at him too long? Why is Natalie not talking? I check my phone to see if the call dropped. “Natalie? What’s the matter?”
“Alexa, I’m just...if I didn’t know better. Never mind. It’s crazy. I’m sure it’s nothing. I guess you need to pull out whatever you have that screams librarian and not sexy librarian. I’ll be ready to go in another half hour. I’m almost done researching everyone in the company who ever worked at Miller Investments. How come you didn’t tell me Lynn worked for Miller in their HR?”
“Don’t put this on me, you were the one who hired her. How did you not know? She only left Miller two years ago.”
“Calm down, everything is going to be fine.”
My stomach is in knots all over again. I’m not in the mood to hang out with Natalie like nothing is wrong having dinner and watching Netflix with wine like we usually do. “Keep saying that, maybe that will make it true. I need an early night. I’m going to nuke something and go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Hey, chill. This will all be good.”
I don’t even bother responding. This doesn’t feel like it will be all good. It feels like this is going to hell in a damn handbasket. It’s only now I really take in what Natalie called for. Leo didn’t like the way I dressed? What about what Victoria said? Was I that ugly? Was I too fat that I needed to cover every inch of myself, so he didn’t have to see my fat? What the hell? And my hair too? Victoria said he liked long hair and he liked it down. But he wants me to put mine up?
Leo didn’t like me. He doesn’t think I’m pretty, not even a little bit. He doesn’t want me, and he never will. Why am I crying? I knew this is what I was getting myself into, this is nothing new when it comes to an attractive man not wanting me. I’ve gone through this before. It doesn’t make it hurt any less.