Rose of Thorne (7 page)

Skylar

I am a nervous wreck by the time Mr. Thorne is ready to meet with me. The same sweet lady named Sara leads me down the long hall to his office. I take a deep breath as the large wooden doors open. I silently coach myself, ‘
Come on Skylar, you can do this!’
When I first step in, I am confused
.

Wait…
What’s Sebastian doing here?

H
e stands there looking magnificent in a dark gray suit and deep ocean blue silk tie. His normal sexily tossed hair is now styled sleek and neat. Then it dawns on me. He’s SEBASTIAN THORNE!

I don’t miss a beat as I extend my hand out to him and introduce myself.
I can see the pained look on his face and then he does the unthinkable…. he whispers my name. Hearing his crisp voice say my name is truly my undoing. I try to compose myself quickly before he motions to the large leather chair in front of him.

“Please sit down, Ms. Rose.”
I am frozen in my spot by his words. It’s as if my legs have totally stopped working.

“How have you been
, Skylar?” he asks me with a dry tone.

“You’re Mr. Thorne?
But how? I thought your last name was Kohlson.”

“Yes, my name is Sebastian Kohlson Thorne.
Kohlson was my mother’s maiden name. I’m used to people always wanting something from me once they know my real name. I didn’t mean to deceive you.”

“Did you know it was me
coming today?” I nervously ask him.

“No, sweetheart, thi
s is fate or karma working in our midst here. I had no idea if the candidate was female or male when I accepted the interview today. Although, it seems you have made quite the impression on my board. And may I say, my dear Skylar, that is something even I have yet to accomplish. So, tell me why you think you would be good for the internship position?” He asks coyly as he leans back into his chair.

“Mr. Thorne, I want this internship more than anything.
Thorne Enterprises is my top choice for the internships that I have applied for. You are the leading design firm in the South. Using and marketing the most advanced technology available. It will be a phenomenal chance to learn from the best, sir. Anyone who gets this opportunity is blessed to be a part of the Thorne team. I think if given the opportunity I will prove to be an asset to your company.  I….” he interrupts me.

“So, Ms. Rose, may I
look at your design portfolio?”

“Yes, of course,” I reply, handing
him the black leather portfolio folder. I continue staring at his gorgeous face in disbelief.

God, how I have missed him!

Sebastian

Is this some cruel joke? Is
she really sitting in front of me? Does she have any fucking clue just how hard it’s has been to stay away from her all this time? NO! She couldn’t or she wouldn’t be here right now torturing me.

My head is
full of questions, and I truly didn’t hear a word she has said. At this moment, I am too busy studying her perfect face and body to give a fuck. Those fucking perfect raspberry plump lips of hers are just begging to be kissed right now.

And DAMN IT
, did I ever want to kiss them. I mean, what are the chances that she is sitting here in my office?

Realizing that I have
been staring for too long, I open up her portfolio. Honestly, I am skeptical, but as soon as I open the book, I am truly taken aback by what I see. Her ideas and drawings are spectacular. She has designed several freelance jobs while in college, and one was even featured in a national design magazine.

She is sexy as hell and incredibly talented. Fuck, what’s next? There is no way I can hire her. If she is working here, then how am I supposed to keep my distance from her? I MUST keep my distance. No, simply said, she can’t work here. Now, to deliver the news.

“Ms. Rose, I am most impressed by your work, but honestly
, I don’t think you will be a good fit here in our firm. I will be more than happy to make a few calls and get you an internship at another company. Perhaps one that is more suitable for you,” I say as I lift the phone.

She is nervously wringing her hands
.
Oh fuck me! What am I doing
?

              She bites her lip and looks down into her lap.

“Sebastian, what happened?
Why are you acting this way?” she softly asks me. When she speaks, the intense pain in her voice makes it hard for me to remain composed.

“What do you mean?
How am I acting?” I pretend to misunderstand her words.

“I thought when you came back into the café that day and after our time on the roof together that I would see you again, but I never heard from you. I get
that maybe you aren’t into me, and really, that’s fine. But this… this isn’t the Sebastian I know. Maybe it’s best I don’t work here because I really don’t like this person.” She stands and makes her way to the door. Her shoulders are shaking, and her head remains hung low.

FUCK! She is crying.

You are such a bastard Thorne. You’ve upset her. Fix this!

“Thank you for your time
, Mr. Thorne. I am truly sorry to have bothered you,” she manages in sobs, and she turns and pulls on the bronze handle. But before she can open it all the way, I am there behind her, pushing the door closed.

“Wait,” I whisper into her hair.
I inhale her sweet candy scent. Shit, that smell makes me want to rip every stitch of her clothes off and lick every magnificent inch of her. She is trembling as I take her by the shoulders and turn her to face me. Her tears freely fall as I lift her chin to look up at my face.

What are you doing
, Thorne? Stay strong. You are not going to be affected by her. You will nicely send her on her way.

              I prepare myself for what I am going to say, but the minute her eyes lock with mine, I am rendered speechless.

“I need this job
, Sebastian. It’s just me and my little sister, and I have to graduate. This is my best opportunity. Please reconsider. You won’t even know I am here. I promise to remain invisible,” she pleads. All the while, I am thinking to myself, “
Yeah right, sweetheart. You can never be invisible to me.”

I am torn between what I want to do and what I need to do.
I open my mouth to let her have the unfortunate news, and it’s as if she can read my expression. She turns back to the door.

WAIT. Don’t let her leave
, Thorne!
Where did that inner voice come from?

"Goodbye, Sebastian,"
she says.

B
efore I realize what I’m doing, I blurt out, “Welcome to Thorne Enterprises, Ms. Rose. I will see you Monday morning. You can see Sara on the way out. She will get the paperwork started, and make the badge that you will need.”

She beams a huge smile and leaps into my arms. My breath hitches as I catch her by her waist.

She feels so damn good in my arms. I’ve missed her so fucking much.

Her hair brushes my face
, and she exclaims, “Oh, thank you so much! I promise you won’t regret your decision.”

I highly doubt that, Ms. Rose.
Oh HELL! What have I gotten myself into?

Skylar

My afternoon flies by quickly as Sara explains all of the basic information in the folder. She shows me around the floor where I will work. I become a little overwhelmed when she begins to introduce me to everyone, and I hope I will remember their names. She walks me down to security where I am fingerprinted and photographed for my badge. I really like Sara, and I look forward to Monday because I will be working closely with her while I learn the ropes.

S
ince I have taken the day off from work for the interview, the rest of the evening is mine. I am excited to actually see Sophie’s home game. Her braided honey blonde hair falls down her shoulder as she kicks another winning goal into the net. I beam with pride as I scream out, “GO, SOPH!!” She winks at me as she runs back across the field.

She has
really grown into a beautiful young woman, and I am so proud of her. We are both the perfect blend of our parents. Other than our hair color, you couldn’t help but know that we are sisters. I have my mother’s dark hair, and she has our father’s light brown color. It seems she has blossomed overnight, and I have been so busy with school and work that I am just now seeing it. In just a short while, she will be going away to college and our lives will never be the same. At least mine won’t.

After the game
, Sophie finds me waiting near the metal bleachers at the soccer field.

“So, how did it go
today?” She asks excitedly.

“I got it! I start Monday,
” I say, and she nearly knocks me down as she wraps her arms around me.

“That is WONDERFUL
, sis!! I knew you would get it!” She smiles revealing her beautiful genuine spirit that I love so much.

“Want to go celebra
te over pizza? I’m off tonight,” I ask her, but her face frowns.

“Crap, I promised Rylan and the gang we would go out after the game.
You want to join us?” She offers, but I shake my head at her. Although my life is pathetic, I don’t feel up to hanging with a bunch of giggling high school girls. I hug her and tell her I’ll catch her later at home.

I decide
to take a long walk to try to clear my head. I can’t wrap my mind around what happened today. He was so cold and different when I saw him earlier, and I realize that perhaps I never knew him at all. What I thought of as something magical between us turned out to be nothing but a lie. His words were all lies. Shit, even his damn name was a lie. There was no warm look in his amber eyes today; they were nothing but cold and harsh. Obviously, I have been played, and I am just glad I hadn’t let the game get too out of hand. Thinking back, I must have been some sort of charity case, some innocent girl to swoop in and rescue so he could boost his ego.

Well, FUCK YOU
, Sebastian!!! I am no one’s charity case.

No, I simply
don’t know the arrogant asshole that stood in front of me today, and I sure as hell don’t want to get to know him. When I stared into his eyes as I was leaving, I thought I saw a brief softening in them. It is as if he is fighting against himself, but I will not be a part of the battle. My Sebastian is gone, and I am left with Mr. Thorne, my new boss. I just have to learn how to separate my feelings for the two.

I
don’t realize how far I’ve walked, and the late evening air is becoming chilly. I see that I’m not far from Marie’s bakery, so I decide to head there to warm up next to the fire. The pedestrian light indicates for me to cross, and I only make it halfway when the bright lights of a silver sports car come to a screeching halt. My hand hits the hood of the car, but I lose my balance, fall back on my ass, and sitting on the ground, the bright lights blind me. As I try to stand, I lose my balance again, but this time two strong arms wrap around my waist and pull me up.

“
SHIT! Are you okay?” A warm deep voice asks. I shield my eyes from the light with my forearm. I’m now staring into sparkling emerald eyes. His handsome face is full of panic and concern.

“Are you ok
ay? Did I hit you?” He asks as he looks me over. Suddenly he presses his finger in the hole of my newly torn black skirt. The feel of his finger sends fire throughout my leg.

Good
grief, why is my body doing this again? Get a hold of yourself Skylar; you act like you’ve never seen a gorgeous man before.

“Damn it, I’ve
caused you to rip your clothes! I am so sorry! I missed my turn, and I am not familiar with this street. I was fumbling with my GPS and didn’t see you crossing until it was too late. Are you sure you are okay? I can take you to a doctor if you like,” he asks as I brush myself off.

“Really
, I am fine. No worries, okay?” I say, and he follows me as I walk to the sidewalk.

“At least let me buy yo
u a new skirt. I feel terrible,” he says as he hands me his business card.

LUCAS DRAKE CFO/CEO DRAKE CORPORATION.

“
Anywhere you go just give them this and it will be taken care of. Hell, buy a whole outfit, shoes and all and spare me no expense,” he says as he winks at me.

I smile and shake
my head as I handed him back his card.

“Thank you, but really
, it’s fine. This skirt is old anyway. Besides, I am sure I can fix it,” I lie to the hot stranger.

What is
it with me and gorgeous men today?

“No, I insist you keep the card and reconsider my offer,” he
says, slipping the card back into my hand and squeezing it.

“Can
I give you a ride somewhere?” he asks me with hope in his beautiful green eyes.

Good grief.
He is hot as hell!

“No, I
was just out enjoying a nice walk until I was nearly run over and killed,” I tease and he throws his head back and laughs an incredibly sexy laugh.

Sexy is the only way I can
describe him. Every single inch of him is beyond sexy as hell. Standing at least 6 feet tall he towers over me. He is wearing a black sweater that snugly fits his broad shoulders and shows off his athletic frame. Dark jeans fit tightly against his legs, and I can’t help but notice how they perfectly hug his ass.

Geez
, you would have thought I had hit my head and not my ass the way I am thinking.

“Can I at least have your name and number? You know, so I can call and check on you tomorrow and make sure you
don’t want to sue me, or anything,” he jokes, but I frown at his words.

“I would
never do something like that,” I spit at him and start to walk away, but he grabs my arm.

He laughs as
he pulls me back around. “I am only joking there, little tiger. But I would like to check on you if that is okay,” his voice softening as he speaks.

“Thank you, but I’m
fine. I really need to be going,” I say, and I walk away as he stands there illuminated by his headlights. He smiles his own ‘panty dropping smile’ and shakes his head as I quickly turn and keep walking. He stands there for a while watching me as I make my way down the street. I notice his silver Aston Martin zoom past me as I step into the warmth of Marie’s bakery.

Marie greets me with
a warm hug and takes my coat. She pulls me back to examine me as she sees a trickle of blood run down the side of my leg.

“Bellissimo! What happened? You’re hurt.
Sit down and let me look at you,” she insists and pushes me into the nearest chair. As she opens her first aid kit, I explain the drama of my evening. I don’t believe it myself as I begin hearing the words come out of my mouth. I can totally write a Lifetime movie on the stuff that keeps happening to me.

“That’s a nasty cut, but I don’t think you will need
any stitches,” she says as I wince at the pain of the antiseptic. Marie places a small bandage on my leg and pats the hole in my skirt.

“Your skirt, it’s ruined
is it not?” she asks, and I shrug my shoulders.

Marie knows
my situation better than anyone and knows I don’t have many dressy clothes.

“He offered to buy me a new one, but I’m not like that
, Marie. I’ll manage to figure something out. Kylie says she has some stuff that I can try to alter for my internship,” I explain. It is a shame we don’t wear the same size. I’m bustier and curvier than she is, so it is rare we can wear each other’s clothes.

“Well
, you just stay right there and relax. I’m going to bring you my newest creation. I know that you will absolutely love it! Let me finish with these customers and I’ll be right back,” she says, and I close my eyes and enjoy the warm fire. She returns a few minutes later with a plate full of chocolate filled pastries.

“Ok
ay, now keep them closed until you finish the last bite and then I will tell you the name of them,” she says smiling down at me. I close my eyes, and she places the mini pastry in my mouth. It is beyond heavenly. As the caramel and chocolate swirl in my mouth, I can’t help but groan in appreciation. I hear the familiar chime of the door, but I keep my eyes closed and kept chewing.

“I’ve named that one the
‘orgasm’,” she says, and I giggle at her crazy title. I pop another one in my mouth without opening my eyes and savor every bite of the delicious treat. If I lived with her, I would be the size of this building. Her cooking is simply out of this world.

“Enjoying that orgasm there?” A
familiar sexy voice speaks and I shoot up off the chaise lounge, becoming strangled on the chocolate. His smile turns to horrified concern as he sees me coughing, and he slaps me on the back so hard that I fall on the lounger and back onto an already sore bottom.

“SHIT!
Are you okay?” He kneels before me, and I grab for my glass of water. I give him a thumbs sign to indicate I am okay while I drink and clear my throat.

“Yes, but please tell me you aren’t going to try to kill me again today. I c
an’t take much more I’m afraid,” I joke.

“I don’t know…
death by orgasm doesn’t sound so bad to me. Although I have to admit, I am a little jealous of this little thing here,” he teases as he lifts one of the chocolate treats and pops it in his mouth.

“Mmmmmm! Now that’s one fucking awesome orgasm!”
he exclaims as Marie returns into the front of the bakery.

“I’ll take all of these you have
, miss,” he says, and Marie’s eyes nearly pop out of her head.

“ALL of them? I have some cooking for tomorrow too,” she says astonished.

He pops another one in his mouth as he winks at me.

“Definitely all of them! Consider yourself sold out of them tomorrow already.”

Marie beams a
bright smile and heads to the back to finish up his order.

He pulls a chair over to sit next to me and frowns as he sees the bandage on my leg.

“You are hurt! Why didn’t you tell me?” He asks as he gently strokes the bandage.

“I didn’t even know it until I got here.
Besides that it’s just a tiny scratch. Marie makes a fuss over nothing,” I say.

“I really feel horrible about this,” he says as he gently
brushes the bandage again. “I tried to drive away, but I couldn’t leave without knowing the name of the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he says softly, and I feel my face blush.