THE ASSISTANT

EMILY

Day One

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I should’ve never agreed to this arrangement ...

I was still glaring at Nicholas as he glared at me. I was tempted to leave him and his ridiculous business dealings behind, but my pride wouldn’t let me. That, and the promise of ending my employment contract.

If he were my real fiancée, I would let my guard down and tell him that I was still feeling upset about how our engagement leaked to the press before I was able to spin a believable story to my coworkers. I would tell him about all the hurtful, “She’s not even that cute,” and “He’s dated hotter women than her,” posts from strangers I’d seen on social media. How I felt completely unprepared and overwhelmed by being thrust into the sudden spotlight with someone who was beyond used to handling it.

The only silver lining in all this was that my parents hardly ever watched the news or read magazines. I was clinging to the hope that they wouldn’t find out about this charade until it was long over.

“Ladies and gentlemen who are assigned to Flight 6715 with service to Blue Harbor, we are about to begin the boarding process here at GATE A17.”

I pulled my boarding pass out of my pocket and stared at the massive engagement ring on my left hand. I shook my head every time I looked at it because it was so over the top, gaudy, and unlike anything I’d ever consider wearing. It was a four-carat diamond ring with glittering tiny pink diamonds stuffed onto its double band.

I knew this arrangement was fake and temporary, and that the idea of Nicholas ever remembering that I loved emeralds was a long shot, but I was a bit miffed that he didn’t. Especially since I remembered almost everything that he’d ever mentioned to me.

“Oh, great!” Brenton walked over to us. “You’re both still alive! Now, the flight is only four hours, so can you try to keep this civility theme going without my supervision?”

“Wait, what? Aren’t you sitting in the same row as us?” I asked.

“Ha! Please!” He laughed. “I don’t fly commercial, ever. Besides, I have all the original and updated Watson contracts, and I need to keep them as safe as possible. Don’t you think? I only bought a plane ticket so I could see you two off together, but I’ll still meet you at baggage claim when you land.”

Nicholas shook his head at him, and I let out a sigh. It wasn’t until now that I’d realized it, but Brenton had always been the perfect stabilizer between us over the years, the necessary tool that kept us from killing each other.

Or crossing the line ...

“A reporter with Town & Country will serve as the first welcoming press in Blue Harbor,” he said. “She’ll have a few minutes with you on the way to the hotel, and we’ll worry about Mr. Watson and an updated itinerary later.”

“I would now like to invite all first-class passengers onto the aircraft at this time,” the gate agent called over the speakers.

I tucked Luna into her bag and stood to my feet. I headed toward the boarding door, but Brenton suddenly grabbed my hand from behind—forcing me to spin around.

“Wait a minute,” he said, pulling a box from his pocket. “I meant to send this one back to the jeweler. I forgot about it until just now.” He looked at Nicholas. “Give her the right ring.”

Nicholas pulled a red ring box out of his pocket and flipped it open.

I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t gasp, so he wouldn’t get any reaction from me, but the one in his hand was exactly the type of ring I’d mentioned to him before. It was a bright emerald ring with miniature diamonds around its clasp, and it was surrounded by a simple silver band with my name etched onto the metal.

I twisted the gaudy ring off my finger and exchanged it for the simpler one.

“Thank you, Brenton,” I said.

“Don’t thank me,” he said, patting Nicholas on the back. “Thank your fiancé. He called the jeweler and personally requested that particular design all by himself. I’ll see you two in Blue Harbor.”

I muttered a soft “Thank you,” to Nicholas and he muttered a “You’re welcome” in return.

We boarded the plane without saying another word to each other, and we both requested scotch before takeoff.

As the alcohol burned its way down my throat, I decided to check my Wolf Industries email account one last time.

Subject: I KNEW YOU WERE DATING HIM!

Subject: Seriously? After all this time, you’re marrying The Wolf?

Subject: TRAITER! TRAITER! TRAITER! TRAITERRRRR!

Subject: TRAITOR* (I misspelled it before) TRAITORRRRRR!

I didn’t bother opening any of them. I shut down my inbox and sighed.

“Is something wrong, sweetheart?” Nicholas asked.

I ignored him and asked the flight attendant for another shot of scotch. I downed it within seconds and plugged in my iPod as the pilot announced he was preparing for takeoff.

As the plane ascended into the sky, I shut my eyes and tried to get some sleep. It was three songs later when I felt Nicholas gently pulling my left earbud from my ear.

“Yes?” I opened my eyes.

“I need to talk to you about something important.”

“No.” I groaned. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait until we get to Blue Harbor. It’s probably about work anyway.”

“It’s about sex.”

I sat up—half confused, half aroused. “What?”

“I made some amendments to our contract last night,” he said, pulling the stapled sheets from his briefcase. “I need your signature so we can both ensure we’re on the same page.”

I gave him a blank stare, not wanting to ever look at the document that got me into this situation again.

“Mr. and Mrs. Wolf?” The flight attendant stood in the aisle. “Would you like something to—”

“We’re not married,” we said in unison, cutting her off at the same time.

“Um, okay,” She looked confused. “Well, soon to be wedded couple, who is listed with the same last name on my manifest, can I get you something to drink?”

I requested a scotch. He requested a ginger ale and coffee.

He leaned over me and pulled out my tray. Then he set the contract onto it and flipped to the brand new “intimacy clause” he’d placed under the original clause number two.

The flight attendant set down my scotch, but Nicholas lifted it up and handed me the ginger ale instead. I leaned over and took away the sugar packets she’d given him with his coffee.

Sliding my reading glasses over my face, I held the contract a bit closer.

2. This arrangement will include public appearances, media sessions with both national and local press, and events with business associates. This arrangement will NOT include any sexual activity, wedding activity, and/or any other activities that will make the signee uncomfortable.

2a. Intimacy Clause Amendment. THE BOSS is allowed to engage in sexual activity (if he finds a willing partner to whom he is sexually attracted during this term) and he will keep this activity private from the aforementioned press and the employee. THE EMPLOYEE is NOT allowed to engage in sexual activity with anyone else (preferably ever), and she will notify the boss if she is ever tempted to step outside of this agreement and pursue (contract-breaking) relations.

What the fuck?

I was certain that I was reading this incorrectly. That there was a misprint somewhere between the first and last lines of all the bullshit, but after rereading it multiple times, I realized that he meant every word.

“Here’s the pen.” He placed it onto my tray. “Feel free to sign at any time.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” I asked.

The couple seated across from us gasped at my outburst.

“Nicholas ...” I lowered my voice. “Please tell me that this is a joke.”

“Your cat resting beneath my feet right now is a joke.” He rolled his eyes. “This is the best way that we can get through these next few weeks without the tension getting any worse.”

“You can have sex, but I can’t? How is that fair?”

“Because you haven’t had sex since you broke up with that waste of a boyfriend you were seeing a year and a half ago. And seeing as though you always came into work with the ability to walk straight every morning, you’ve clearly never been fucked right, so this amendment doesn’t really affect you.”

Ugh! I pushed the contract to the floor and unbuckled my seatbelt. I moved the tray away and rushed to the restroom so I could scream in peace.

Before I could shut the door, Nicholas stepped inside and locked the door behind him.

“Get out of the bathroom right now before I scream.”

“You won’t.” He narrowed his eyes. “That’s not your style.”

“Try me.”

He raised his eyebrow. “I can re-word some of that clause, if it bothers you this much.”

“There will be no sex for you or me during this entire ordeal. I know you’re secretly dating Samantha Hendrix, the supermodel—i.e., Miss Private Phone Calls Every Monday, but surely she’s aware of our engagement by now. She can survive without swallowing your cock down her throat for a couple weeks.”

“I didn’t know you had such a filthy mouth.” He trailed his fingers against my throat. “You have no idea what you’re talking about in regard to Samantha, though.”

“I don’t want to know.” I felt another pang of jealousy in my chest. “I’m not signing that clause and I’d appreciate it if you would drop it. Forever. You’re making it very hard for me to be the bigger person right now.”

“You honestly think you’re the bigger person?” He closed what little remained of the gap between us, pressing his chest against mine.

“Yes. I think I’m the only one who knows how to behave like an adult. You’re a goddamn man-child, and I can’t wait until this is over so I’ll never have to see your face again.”

“Is that so?” He slipped his hands around my waist, roughly splaying his hand against my hips and making my knees go weak.

“Yes. That is very so.”

“Hmmm.” His lips brushed against mine. “Well, that’s quite unfortunate. I honestly don’t want to argue with you for the entirety of the trip.”

“Then stop being an asshole.”

“Stop treating me like one. Unless ...” His voice trailed off, and I was pretty certain that the hard, thick bulge that was now pressed against my thigh was his cock.

“Unless what?” I whispered, feeling it harden even more.

“Unless that’s what you really think of me ...” His lips were so close to mine that I could taste them. He looked as if he was about to kiss me, but a loud knock on the door made him pull back.

“Hey, guys!” It was a female’s voice. “It’s your flight attendant, and I know there are two of you in there. Please come on out.”

He let me go, and I opened the door. 

One out at a time.” The flight attendant shook her head. “There’s no mile-high club on this flight.”

Nicholas motioned for me to go first, and I returned to my seat under the dimmed cabin lights.

I buckled my seatbelt and placed the unsigned contract on Nicholas’s seat. I made sure Luna was still okay, and then I plugged in my earbuds once more before trying to get some sleep.

A few minutes later, Nicholas pulled out my left earbud again.

“Yes?” I looked at him.

“That wasn’t the only clause I made an amendment to.” He smirked and handed me that damn contract. “Perhaps you’ll agree to one of the others.”

I looked down at the paper, saw the words “Second Intimacy Clause Amendment (just in case “the employee” rejects the first),” and lost my shit.