~ ~ Cameron ~ ~

"Morning Larry." I tipped my head to the security guy on the front desk.

"Mornin' Mr Harte. Nice day for it."

Not likely. I stifled a yawn walking past him, heading straight to the lifts. I'd only managed around three hours' sleep in total.

Shifting my Starbucks to my other hand, I hit the button for the twentieth floor.

I rose onto my toes, stretching my calves out. At five, I'd got up and headed out for a run with Finn to try to get my head in a better place. But after showering and dressing, I'd then spilled half a mug of coffee on me.

So now I was wearing shirt number two and a tie I fucking hated. So, it was fair to say my mood was already in the shitter and about to get a whole lot worse when I had to come face to face with the arsehole who'd taken my job.

Arriving in the office, it was quiet. Staff rarely arrived before eight and it was only just past seven-thirty. Wanted to get a head start on re-hashing my CV to get it out there. I was also considering looking into securing some financial backing for the new software I'd been developing with Finn. I'd aimed it at novice writers, helping them with hands-on editing, making self-publishing more of a reality for struggling authors.

And it wasn't something I wanted to share with Peterson House Publishing. It was my idea and Finn's genius developer skills bringing it to life. And it would blow the competition out of the water and make us a pretty penny.

I reached for my door handle, opening the door a fraction to my office when Thom popped his head out from his office.

"Look at you, wearing a suit—trying to impress someone buddy?"

Thom James ...what a wanker. "Nah, got an interview." I lied, but it would put his nose out of joint. His face furrowed.

"Who with? I've not heard anyone's hiring."

I let go of the door handle and tapped my nose. Oh yeah, that pissed him off. His jaw twitched. "Headhunted, if you must know."

I enjoyed pushing his button. It was too easy.

Thom thought he was shit-hot at everything. God's gift to anything and everything. Tosser had slept with half of the women in this building alone. His dick was always pointing to the nearest vagina. Never understood what women saw in him—yeah, he had that boyish charm going for him but honestly, I couldn't see the appeal.

But he was tolerable in small doses. "Catha later, Thom."

"Sure," he nodded. "See you in the boardroom at nine-thirty to meet the new head honcho."

I forced a smile, flicking my chin up.

"Save you a seat." I heard him say, but I was already shutting my door, my eyes landing on the back of someone's head. Someone female.

Her head turned as she stood. Our eyes met, but neither of us spoke. Wait up, did her eyes just travel the length of me?

Not something that usually happened to me on a Monday morning. But I would admit, she was a looker. Halle Berry could be her mother.

And damn, she really was checking me out—not even trying to hide it a little. "Can I help you... Miss?"

She didn't speak right away, just tilted her head and planted a hand on her hip before a small smile took over her lips.

But who was she—and why was she sitting in my office? It flared my irritation. I opened my mouth to ask again, but then it hit me.

Was this the new boss's PA? I'd been told the cheeky bastard was bringing his own as apparently no one here was good enough.

"Headhunted?" she asked, but her tone was playful.

Fuck. Me and my big mouth.

"Your secrets are safe with me." She dropped her hand from her hip and walked toward me, offering me her hand. "I won't tell the boss."

I closed the distance, switching my coffee to my other hand and shook hers. 'Ivy Simcox." She announced as if it should mean something and I tried to recall the names of the new employees. Apparently, we had three starting today, including the boss. But no-one knew his name—like it was some fucking state secret.

"Camer­—" I started when she interrupted.

"—Cameron Harte... I know." Throwing me a cheeky smile. "I've read your file Cam." She studied me again. "It's okay if I call you Cam... yes?"

Her accent was Canadian, so I'd hit the nail on the head thinking this was the boss's PA. "No problem."

"Good! And you can call me... anytime." She laughed, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Only messing with you Cam. I'm good with Ivy." She let go of my hand and returned to checking me out. I'd honestly never met a woman who openly flirted without shame. "I have a thing for names, and you look like a Cam."

This was some weird straight out of the twilight zone shit. "You're not the first."

"Hmm, I want me some of that."

What the? She pointed to my Starbucks. "Oh, well, it's a stone's throw to the nearest. If you pop your head out the front entrance."

"Cream? You like a little whipped, Cam... or are you a straight up vanilla kinda guy?"

My eyes widened, swallowing. Not sure how the fuck I should reply, so I changed direction. "Is there anything I can help you with, Ivy?"

"Me? Nope. I was just—" A pause. "Looking forward to meeting you... in the flesh."

Okaaay. "And did I meet your expectations?" Fuck, why would I ask that?

"Oh, you do Cam. You really do." Once again, her eyes ventured down, then back up. "I'll let you crack on. I'm sure you want to impress your new boss!" She winked, clicking her tongue.

Who does that? Was it some weird Canadian thing or was she just flat-out crazy?  "Okay... nice to meet you, Ivy." I mumbled like some kind of idiot as she breezed past me.

"Not as nice as it was to meet you Cam," she said in a sing-song voice. "See you at nine-thirty and I'll bring the popcorn."

Popcorn? What the fuck was this woman on?

As she closed the door, I grumbled, heading toward my desk and sat my arse down, still not sure what that was all about. Plonking my coffee down, I pulled my laptop toward me and flipped the lid. Time to get to work on my CV. I didn't want to be here a minute longer than needed.

Just about finished, a reminder popped up on my emails. Ten-minute countdown to the 'meet and greet.'

A tap on my door. No doubt Thom.

Urgh!

Harriet Von-Braithwaite. Peterson's very own in-house bitch was standing in my doorway.

Had the unfortunate, or rather stupidly accepted the offer of a drink with her when she first landed here two years ago. The woman was pretty as a picture, but had a tongue dipped in acid and was, frankly, soulless. Also, another employee not averse to sleeping her way to the top. Thank Christ, she wasn't one of my regrets. "Morning Harriet."

"Hey Cam, good weekend?" she said is her sickly sweet tone, which was never good on an empty stomach.

"Yeah, you?"

"A-hu," she flicked her long, dark hair back. "Looking forward to meeting the new boss? I heard she's quite something?"

She? It's a woman? Not that I have anything against a woman, but damn, it didn't even cross my mind. Fuck, I'm an arsehole.

Well, it didn't matter. Man, woman, or jolly green giant it was still my job. "You met her?" I asked, out of curiosity.

"Me? Nope." She shook her head. "Only the pleasure of her assistant in the kitchen a few mins ago, Ivy... something."

"Simcox."

"What?"

"Her name... Ivy Simcox."

She waved her hand. "Oh, whatever, yes."

This piqued my curiosity. Was Ivy checking out the competition. The ones who'd applied for Mark's job? Or just a coincidence?

"Anyway, I'm heading to the boardroom. Walk with me?"

I attempted a smile, a weak one at best. "I'm good. You head up. I just need to finish this."

"Save you a seat." She flipped her hair, turning as I rolled my eyes.

Alone again, I leaned back and swiveled on my chair to look out the window. I was feeling a little curious about our new boss. My phone buzzed. It was a message from Finn.

'Fuck em' all.' It read, putting a smile on my face.

Time to face the music. I toyed with whether to put my suit jacket on. It was usually warm up there. But I looked good in a full suit. Not that I'm trying to impress her... or anyone else.

Yeah, full suit it was, as I stood and reached for my jacket.

Heading out the door, I turned left, towards the stairs. The boardroom was up two floors, and I was in no rush to get there, but before I knew it, the door was ahead.

Here goes... be professional, polite because you need a reference.

I opened the door and caught the eye of Ivy, who offered me a little wave and smiled, which I returned.

She stood next to a woman who I could assume must be her. I couldn't see her face as her back was facing me and she was bent over slightly, flicking through a manual on the table?

Nice arse. The grey skirt hugged her heart shaped arse deliciously. My eyes slid further down... Great legs too and wow, killer heels. I'm a sucker for a woman in heels... stockings and heels only if given a choice.

Fuck, my dick twitched. Down boy, she's the enemy!

Ivy leant over to whisper to the woman, before shifting her attention to a laptop to load a presentation to our smart screen. The woman looked up at the screen. "Genius, Ivy!"

Her voice? Something weird shuttered across my chest.

Something familiar... which forced the hair to rise on the back of my neck.

"Cam." I heard my name. It was Thom, pointing to the free seat next to him. I glanced to see if there were any others free. Harriet, true to her word, had one free next to her, but I was happy to see Matt Davidson, from Legal distracting her.

Thom, it was. Uttering a few good mornings to other staff, I reached my chair as my new boss turned to face the room.

Fuckin' hell. The air was punched from my lungs.

Bea... Beatrix Anders.

Beatrix Anders was my new boss. Fuckin' hell.

Bea was here. She's back... stood twelve feet away.

Fuck me.

My mouth was hanging open as I felt Thom nudge me, but I ignored him.

Bea's cheeks flushed and those baby blue eyes that had haunted my dreams and flamed my fantasies locked onto mine like homing missiles.

I swore my heart stopped, and I remembered something about a strange phenomenon. How the world and one's vision could narrow down to one person, one event, one second in time, and that's exactly how I felt.

My eyes hungrily wouldn't look away, even when Thom nudged me again.

I wanted to punch the annoying wanker, but I didn't. I slowly sat down, pulling my chair in. I still hadn't blinked, worried that if I did, she'd disappear. And time seemed to stop as I ate her up like a starved man. She looked fucking amazing, better than amazing. Perfection.

Nothing's changed but she is different at the same time. I'm halfway hard watching her watch me.

Blinking, her expression changed, and it's the second I realized nothing's changed for me - I still want her.

Bea didn't look the least bit shocked to see me. Duh, obviously. Ivy's weird behavior now made sense.

But what did it mean?

What did it say?

Did she want to see me? Or was this some fucked up thing where she showed up as my boss and fired my arse as some sort of payback?

No, that's not Bea. She didn't have a nasty bone in her body. I wanted to go with the former and hope to Christ it's because she was ready to see me again.

Wanted me back in her life.

Forgiven me.

Thom leaned in and mumbled something I didn't hear, as only my heart and the blood rushing through my head were audible. I'd stopped breathing altogether. But then he elbowed me hard in the ribs, almost beating a breath from me.

"Your drooling buddy," he said.

Fuckin' hell. I swallowed; he wasn't far wrong. Twisting my head, I scowled at him, snapping, "What?"

"Chill, I see what you see. She's hot as fuck," he whispered. A smug smirk curling his top lip. "I'm gonna have a pop at that."

My hand fisted itching to punch the wanker, although his words didn't surprise me. Bea's hot and beyond just beautiful and no doubt ever without a train of men following her like dogs, tongues hanging out their mouths and their dicks begging.

But if he thought I would sit here and let him think he had a shot with her—then he had another thing coming.

I leaned toward him, lowering my voice. "Listen up, Thom, and listen real good. Don't touch. Don't Look. In fact, don't even think about her. You hear me?"

He inched back; his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. He was speechless, but quickly recovered. "Okay, what the hell has got into you, man?" I gritted my teeth. "What's she to you?" he asked.

"Everything." I returned my attention to Bea. "Fucking everything."