nearly five
minutes before she walked inside. She never realized their business was so massive.
The information
desk was large and round made with chrome and wood. It was manned by four
efficient staff members.
“Good morning,
Miss. How may I assist you?”
“I am here to
see Tiaan Sheppard.”
“Do you have
an appointment, Miss?”
“Yes, I just
spoke to him thirty minutes ago.”
Allison lied
without blinking and prayed that she did not blush. The friendly brunette
smiled widely at her and asked her to sign the register. She registered
Allison’s thumb print and explained there were access doors that she would need
to use laser pads in order to gain access.
“This only grants
you access to Mr. Sheppard’s floor and will not register anywhere else in the
building.”
“I
understand.”
She turned
toward the elevators and arrived the same time as a tall, blonde man. He
smiled at her and she nodded at the vaguely familiar man.
“If memory
serves me correctly from Mason’s wedding, you are Brooklyn’s cousin…ehm…Allie?”
“Allison and I
am afraid I can’t recall your name. Although I remember your wife’s name is
Samantha.”
“I suppose
next to Tiaan I faded into the background.”
Allison
blushed and he laughed. “Simon Booth.”
“Oh yes.”
“I imagine you
are here to see, Tiaan?”
“Ehm yes, but
I don’t have an appointment.”
“I am sure he
won’t mind the interruption. Come on, I’ll take you to him.”
They exited
the elevator and she laughed at tales about his kids. They were still smiling
when he opened a door and ushered her inside with a wide grin. Allison froze
as she was suddenly the focus of a room full of people.
“Look who I
found in front of the elevators, Tiaan.”
“Oh, I’ll wait
outside. Please…I did not mean to interrupt.”
Tiaan rose
slowly, his eyes narrowed on her. He did not miss her lips flattening as her
eyes met his. He gathered his iPad and iPhone and looked at Jillian with a
grim face.
“I am
disappointed in the progress of your team. I will be back in an hour. By then
I want to see a full timetable for the implementation that we just discussed.”
“But, Tiaan…”
“One hour,
Jillian.”
He took
Allison’s arm in a firm grasp, ushering her outside and down the hallway. Her
heels clattered on the floor and she glared at him. He ignored her and entered
a large open office with a plush lounge suite and coffee tables. In front of
the floor length windows sat a beautiful dark-haired, middle-aged woman, typing
away on her keyboard. She had earphones in her ears and did not notice them
until Tiaan stopped in front of her desk.
“Oh Tiaan…why
do you always sneak up on me? You need to remember that I’m pregnant and
should not be upset.”
“As if I ever
upset you. Darcy, this is Allison Hadley, my girlfriend. Sweetlips, this is
my other arm, Darcy Goldberg.”
The women
smiled at each other and Tiaan instructed Darcy he wanted no interruptions for
the following hour. He ushered Allison into his office and snapped the lock
with a decisive click. He turned around to face her and his cock – the
fucking idiot – slammed hard against his pants. She stood with her feet
apart and her hands on her hips. Her eyes flashed fire at him. He threw his
iPhone and iPad on the desk and pushed his hands into his pockets. He rocked
back on his heels and his raised eyebrows challenged her.
Of course in
her current frame of mind, this only triggered her ire and she narrowed the
distance between them. She stabbed her finger against his chest.
“Who do you
think you are ordering me around, Tiaan Sheppard and then ending the call
without allowing me a word on top of it? I will have you know that I will not
stand for it. I am not one of your floozies who jumps to attention when you
snap your bloody fingers.”
Tiaan’s eyes
narrowed and swept over her blushing face and flashing
Patricia Haley and Gracie Hill