The Billionaires Love Curves 2 - a BBW BWWM Billionaire Romance (5 page)

“Love can grow. I feel like I'm falling in love with him...”

“But something is missing, right?”

“Not a big thing,” Lacey said. “I don't know what it is but there's something I can't quite put my finger on.”

“But with Nate, you know. Or, at least, you knew, because now it's all over between you – isn't it?”

“Well of course it is,” Lacey didn't maintain eye contact with Elaine. “What Nate says or doesn’t say just doesn't affect me anymore. I've moved on.”

“Have you, Lacey? I mean have you, really?”

*

Cole was ecstatic when Lacey called him that night to tell him the news about her resignation.

“I want to show you your new office, Lacey,” he said. “Come in tomorrow, anytime. You won't need to start work until you're ready. In fact, you and I can go on a trip before you start. A little celebration. How about Rio?”

“Rio? Isn't that a bit of an extravagance, Cole? I'm happy to have the job.”

“And I'm happy to have you on board. I'll see you tomorrow.” He had hung up before Lacey could continue her protest.

When she arrived the next morning, Lacey was not expecting her new office to be as plush or as large as the one Cole showed her. He opened the door wide with one arm outstretched. She walked in, shocked.

“This is for me?” she said, spinning around, eyes taking in the ceiling to floor windows, the wide desk and luxury leather office chair.

“Yep, it's all yours,” Cole said as he closed the office door behind them.

“I can't understand why the last person left if they had all this. My office at Holden-Taylor was a shoe box. I wonder what your last person has gone on to,” Lacey said. “Wait a minute, Cole, are you sure this is the office I'm supposed to have?”

“If you like it, then it's yours. If you don't, I'm sure we can arrange...”

“No, Cole, hold on. I told you, you can't give me special treatment. The others will hate me.”

“How could anyone hate you, Lacey? You're adorable.”

He held her around her waist and caressed the curves of her hips, pulling her closer to him.

“Cole, shouldn't you be introducing me to the team?” Lacey asked.

“Probably, but first...” he walked her to the desk. It had one wire tray on it and a note pad with a container of pens. He brushed them onto the floor. The pens rolled off in different directions, the wire tray bounced before settling on the deep pile carpet.

“Cole! What are you doing?” she exclaimed. “What are you ...”

“We're christening the office, of course.”

Without warning, Cole picked Lacey up and laid her across the table.

“Cole, no. We can't, not here.” Lacey placed her hands on Cole's broad chest as his upper torso got closer and closer to her.

Very gently, he kissed her lips and she reciprocated, placing her arms around his neck and arching slightly for Cole to wrap his arms around her body. She loosened the tie at his neck and pulled it off, running her hand into the opening of his shirt, feeling the muscles on his chest, smooth and hard.

“We really shouldn't,” she said.

“No, you shouldn't,” said a voice.

Lacey and Cole looked at the door. A young woman in a linen suit stood there with her hand on the door handle. She had long, auburn hair, her cheeks were flushed and she had a stern expression on her face.

“Ah, Lacey,” Cole said, jumping up and trying to find his tie. “This is your assistant, Maria.”

“My what?” Lacey said straightening her dress and walking towards Maria, hand outstretched.

“Yes, I'm your assistant,” Maria said, not shaking Lacey's hand but glaring at Cole as he tried to put his tie on.

Lacey turned to Cole.

“Cole, I didn't realize I'd be getting an assistant,” she said.

“Well, you've got one,” Maria interjected. “And I sit out there. The walls are very thin, that's how I knew you were in. Is there anything you need me to do, Lucy?”

“That's all right, Maria” Cole said. “And
Lacey
won't be starting for another week. We're taking a short trip to Rio.” He put his arm around Lacey's shoulder.

“Oh,” Maria said, looking down at Lacey's shoes and up to eye level in a disinterested swoop.

“That's nice.”

“So you just report to Harvey until we're back. That okay?”

“I guess,” Maria said.

Lacey caught the look Maria gave them both as Cole walked them out of the room. Cole called to her over his shoulder, “Could you pick up that tray, Maria?”

“Thank you,” Lacey called back, but Maria did not answer.

When they were down in the foyer, Lacey stopped.

“Cole, what are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“There was no job for me here was there?. And if there was, maybe you already promised it to Maria.”

“Maria isn't a patch on you.”

“That's not the point, if I've taken her job, she's going to hate me. What have you done to me?”

“Oh don't worry about it, Lacey. You worry too much. Maria will be a brilliant assistant. Come on, let's go book those tickets. One of these days you might want to give up work all together, anyway.”

“And what's that supposed to mean?”

“It means, you're with me and you never have to worry about anything.”

“Well that's good to know,” she said.

“Good, now let's take that trip.”

Chapter5

“Maria, could you come in here for a minute?”

No matter how hard she tried, Lacey could not get used to the idea of having an assistant. It was indulgent, she thought, she never had one before and she said as much to Cole. But despite her protests, Cole just seemed to brush it off.

“What is it?” Maria was her usual sullen self as she opened Lacey's office door. Lacey was tiring of the attitude Maria had towards her and the rude way she had of speaking to Lacey. Maria was expert at never making eye contact. She would stare at the floor, the desk, out of the window, anywhere but straight into Lacey's eyes. Lacey could never be sure Maria was listening and taking everything in.

This time Lacey just had to say something.

“Is there a problem here, Maria?” Lacey asked her as Maria stood half in and half out of the office, hovering on the threshold as though she didn't want to get too close to Lacey.

“What do you mean?” Maria looked up at the ceiling.

“Come in and take a seat would you? I'm getting neck strain talking to you from way over there.”

Maria took a long time to cross the office and sit at the chair on the opposite side of the desk to Lacey.

“I'd like to know what's eating you, Maria. I haven't said a bad word to you, not once since I started here. Granted, I didn't make a good impression that first day, rolling around on the desk with Cole.” She tried to laugh it off but Maria did not respond and neither did she look up.

“So,” Lacey continued. “I had a theory or two about why we haven't exactly hit it off. Would you indulge me?”

“Fire away.”

“Well, I was thinking, either you were hoping to get this job or you were good friends with the person I replaced.”

“Neither of the above.” Maria altered the notebook resting on her lap. “What was it you called me in for?”

“Can you answer me a question, Maria?”

She nodded.

“Would it be so difficult to look at me when we speak? You never have a problem doing that with everyone else.”

Maria looked up at Lacey but her look could have cut through glass.

“Thank you,” Lacey said. “It's no secret Cole and I are dating. But I didn't get a job here because of that. You must have seen my articles and features for Holden-Taylor. You know I can write.”

“Yes, I see that.”

“Then you also know I'm not just here for the ride. I want to make an impression, do a good job, but we're supposed to be a team. So how can anything that comes out of this office be any good if we're only working on half a tank?”

“I pull my weight,” Maria was indignant.

“You do what you have to do and I feel like I have to drag every last drop out of you.”

“I don't agree, and if you have a problem with my work, then maybe...”

“Okay, fine, Maria, if that's the way you want it. I thought I could fix whatever it is you think I've done wrong but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.”

Maria did not answer.

“So here,” Lacey handed Maria a file of papers. “This is my interview with Macy's latest dress designer. Could you go through the notes, type it up and once you've given me the copy to approve, then send it to the press department at Macy's, they always need to okay interviews. It's a pain but if you could get that sorted today that would be great. Make it a priority, would you?”

“Is that it?” Maria asked.

“Can you handle it?”

“Yes.”

“Any problems, you'll just let me know, right?”

“I always do.” Maria was practically out of the door as she said this and let the door close behind her very firmly.

Lacey rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. She wondered how she was ever going to combat Maria's sulks. They were bringing her down. She'd seen Maria smiling and being friendly to everyone else and it was only now, after a month of working for Cole's company, that she considered saying something to Cole.

She was reluctant because she thought Cole would simply get rid of Maria and that would cause even more bad feeling. It was a strained atmosphere at work as it was and Lacey didn't want to rock the boat any more than was necessary.

She would have to hope that things would change but for now, she was missing her cozy little office at Holden-Taylor, she was missing Ali Russell and, though she didn't like to admit it, she thought a lot about Nate and what he was doing now. She knew she shouldn't, but there it was.

The next day Cole asked Lacey to come to his office. She had begged him not to keep popping in to see her or to call her to his office too often, as it wouldn't look good. They were very professional at work and Lacey appreciated Cole going along with it. So when she got the message, she thought it must be business related and she was right.

“Sit down, Lacey,” Cole said. He hadn't smiled once.

“This looks serious, Cole. Did I do something bad?” She laughed but he only gave a half smile.

“Cole, you've got me worried now. What is it?” Lacey said.

“I don't know how to put this, Lacey, but I got a call from the press department at Macy's.”

“Okay. Anything to do with the interview I did last week with their new dress designer?”

“I'll say it is. What were you thinking?” Cole asked, leaning back in his chair. “Tell me there's been some sort of mistake.”

“I don't get it. What mistake. All I did was take the interview. They were happy, I haven't had the copy back from Maria yet, and I asked her to type up the interview. Are you saying you've seen it before me?”

“Macy's has seen it before either of us,” Cole shook his head. “And they're not happy, not one little bit.”

“Now I'm really confused. It was a standard, straightforward interview with their designer and they shouldn't have received the typed interview before I saw the copy.”

“Well they have, did you email it by mistake?”

“There's no mistake. I gave it to Maria to type up. She should have given it to me before Macy's ever saw it.

“Really?”

“Of course, Cole. What do you take me for? You think I'm trying to sabotage the company?”

“Well, obviously you're not but it looks like Maria is trying to make it look like you are. I'll call her in.”

“Wait, Cole. Could you let me handle this?”

“Sure.”

“Could you let me see what's gone out?”

“Here.” Cole passed her a sheet of paper. Lacey read it and slapped her hand to her mouth.

“My God! What was she thinking? Cole, I'll be right back.”

Lacey marched back to her office, Maria sat in the cubicle just outside and when she saw Lacey's face she replaced the receiver of the phone and stared at her.

“Maria, could you follow me into my office please?”

Maria took slow steps behind Lacey, folded her arms and waited for Lacey to speak. The sheet of paper with the interview was scrunched in her hand.

“Why, Maria? Why did you do this? I just don't get it.”

Maria looked Lacey in the eye for the first time, trying, this time to look indifferent.

“Let's not play games here,” Lacey continued. “You sent this piece of trash to Macy's so you could undermine me, didn't you?”

Maria could not speak.

“I wish I knew what I'd done wrong. I've done all I can to make this a great team, to get you involved. I know you're not after making friends with me but I've tried to be nice. But what you did, that wasn't nice, Maria. It wasn't nice at all. You see, it doesn't only make me look bad, this ridiculous amateur interview you sent to Macy's, it impacts on the whole company. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't lose your job.”

“And you'd be happy if I was gone wouldn't you?”

“Why? Why would you think that and why do we have to be enemies?”

“Oh don't be so naïve, Lacey. Don't you see what's going on here?”

“Well obviously I don't, or we wouldn't be standing here with me having to go with my tail between my legs to Macy's and apologize for what you've done.”

“It's him.”

“You mean Cole?”

“Yes, I mean Cole. I should have left this place the day you arrived. I should have known I couldn't handle it.”

“Handle what, Maria?”

Maria just looked back at her. And then Lacey understood.

“I get it,” Lacey sighed. “You and Cole, right? You had a thing?”

“It was more than a thing. I was in love with him and he knew it. I nearly died when I walked in and saw you across the desk with him. I knew he'd met someone new but...”

“But you didn't want it in your face. I get that.”

“No one knew, until you showed up, who the new person was going to be.” Maria said.

“But that was no reason to do what you did, Maria,” Cole said. He stood in the doorway, a look of anger on his face. “I think you should go.”

“Wait, Cole,” Lacey said. “We can fix this.”

“Forget it,” Maria said and ran from the room.

It was only then it occurred to Lacey that Maria might not be the only one of his employee Cole had taken to bed.

“Why didn't you tell me about Maria? And don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. How long did you two date for and when did it end? If at all.”

“Lacey, please. It was a three week fling about a year ago.”

“Is that the truth?”

“I'm telling you the truth, Lacey. And I'm sorry I butted in. I know you had everything under control. But that's one thing I won't stand for.” Cole pointed a finger in the direction of the door. “I won't have anyone treat you badly.”

“I can handle myself, Cole.”

“I know but I can't help myself sometimes. I just want to protect you.”

He pulled Lacey towards him.

“Lacey, I can't stand by and let people hurt you because...”

“Because what Cole?”

“Because I love you and I can't live without you.”

He gently placed his hands on her cheeks.

“You don't have to say anything,” he said, “but it can't have come as a shock. I'd do anything for you, Lacey. All you have to do is say.”

“Cole, I...”

He placed his finger tenderly on her lips so she could not finish her sentence. She moved his hand away.

“You mean that?” she looked up and asked him. “You really do love me?”

He nodded and smiled and then wrapped his arms around her almost lifting her from the ground.

She had not responded in words and could only hug Cole back. The moment had come, he'd said he loved her and although she felt his emotion, she was left speechless.

*

“You're looking really pleased with yourself these days, Lacey,” Elaine said.

She and Lacey were on a girls’ night out. Elaine wanted to complain about her new boyfriend and decided that the best atmosphere for that would be the newly opened cocktail bar on the Upper East Side. She had also treated herself to a new dress, bronze and glitzy to match her wild auburn hair and large earrings which dangled almost to her shoulders. Her heels were high and her legs were seductively crossed so that they were on display to anyone walking by the bar.

Lacey wore a more sedate black dress with silver crystals across the bodice. A present from Cole.

“I'm not looking pleased with myself, am I?” Lacey asked, sipping a rum cocktail through a straw.