Free Starr Destined (Starr Series) by G E Griffin Page A

own space to escape to sometimes.
    “But I want to wake up next to you every morning,” I argued.  “I want to spend as much time with you as possible.”  I really hated being apart from her, because now it felt as if part of me was mis sing.
    “Liam, we already work together and see each other every day, unless you’re away,” she argued.
    “Well, that’s another thing.  I’m going to cut back on my business trips, and when I do go away, I want you to come with me.  Now that Jamie knows about us, there’s no reason for secrecy.  So we’re going into work together tomorrow, and I don't care who sees us, or what they think about it.”  It was my fucking company, so it was hardly as if someone was going to fire me for having a relationship with another employee, was it?
    “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Liam?  Maybe it would be better to keep quiet about us…”  Sera still worried.
    “No!  I’m done with all that.  We have nothing to hide, no reason to skulk around.  I’m in love with you, and I don't care who knows it,” I said, as I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.
    “You really mean that, don't you?”  Sera murmured, as she frowned up at me.  “No one is going to believe the change in you if you start acting all lovey dovey with me at work.”
    “It’s you that’s brought about the change in me, but as for acting lovey dovey - don't think I'm going to ease up on you in any way work wise.  Nothing between us changes the fact that if what you produce is shit, I won’t hesitate to tell you.”
    “Thank God for that!”  Sera grinned.  “That’s more like The Boss we all know and love.  You had me worried for a minute there.”
***
    The girl on reception gawped unashamedly as I walked into the building holding Sera’s hand tightly in mine, after we’d driven in to work together for the first time.  I liked having her in the car with me, even if she did seem rather nervous and preoccupied.  I didn't really see what her problem was, because I was proud to be walking in with her as my girlfriend today.
    “Good morning, Ruby,” I said. 
    I make it my business to know the name of everyone at my company, even the most junior members of staff, to keep my finger on the pulse and know what’s going on.  That’s how I knew it’d been Ruby who’d allowed Kimberley into the building.  With Joy at lunch and not there to contradict her, Kimberley had talked her way in by saying that the appointment with me didn't show on the daily list because it had only been arranged at the last minute. 
    I’d since initiated a complete overhaul of all our protocols to prevent anything like it happening again, realising that Scott must have taken advantage of this lapse security to manipulate Ruby into providing him with information about my schedule.  It was the only logical explanation of how he’d known so much about my office routine.
    “G… good morning, Mr. Starr,” Ruby spluttered, as she stared at Seraphina.
    Despite the fact that today was the first day of a new beginning for us, a new open and honest era where we would face the world together, Sera had still initially been reluctant for us to walk in holding hands.
    Until I suggested she imagined Kimberley would be there. 
    Genius. 
    That had made Sera throw her shoulders back, hold her head high, and confidently take hold of my hand. 
    Resigned to the fact that going public meant she was inevitably going to attract attention this morning, Sera had taken particular care with her appearance, fretting that she wanted to give a mature and professional impression. 
    “You’ll look beautiful, whatever you wear,” I tried to reassure her.  We’d stayed the night in her apartment, so she had full access to her wardrobe, most of which had been pulled out last night as she planned her outfit, then tossed to one side before she’d finally settled on what to wear.  This morning she’d calmed herself with her usual yoga