Honor

Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

R eid

When we left the restaurant, I had every intention of ordering Basil to take Evangeline home, but once she was in my car, I didn’t want the night to end.

Since I need to have a discussion with her about what transpired at Nova tonight, this seems like the time to do it.

As soon as we’re through the doorway and into my apartment, I hand off the coffee. I know she’s been craving it because she could barely keep her eyes off it in the elevator.

“This is perfection,” she murmurs after the first sip.

She brushes past me, and I’m instantly gifted with an unobstructed view of her back and her lush ass as she wanders deeper into my apartment.

That ass should be designated as one of the wonders of the world because that is the ultimate definition of perfection. That coffee she’s drinking is satisfactory at best.

She glances back at me. “Should I take a seat?”

I nod in response.

She settles in the middle of the ridiculously overpriced couch that anchors the living room. It was the choice of an interior designer that I hired when I first moved into this apartment. The only question he asked before he started reimagining the blank slate was if I wanted an extravagant or minimalistic theme. I didn’t have a preference, so I told him to use his imagination.

He didn’t flex that much because this entire apartment is a testament to money not well spent.

I haven’t bothered to change anything because my home has never been my sanctuary. My office is the closest I have to a place I feel comfortable in.

I take a seat in a chair opposite where Evangeline is. It affords me a clear view of her and offers the distance I need right now.

She’s been in this apartment countless times but never with me. This is a new experience for both of us and considering how my body was reacting to her throughout dinner, I need to keep at least a few feet between us because the temptation to kiss her is reaching a fever pitch.

After downing another mouthful of coffee, she places the cup on the sleek silver coffee table that separates us. “You must be wondering what I said to Lottie about you.”

Smoothing a hand over my thigh, I cross my legs and lean back in the chair. “How could I not wonder about that?”

“None of it was that bad.” She winces. “I mean, some of it wasn’t great, but it was only frustration talking, sir. You’ve been an all right boss.”

I manage to hold in a smile but don’t say anything because I assume she’ll rephrase.

“You’ve been very good to me.” She lets out a breathy sigh.

My cock takes a liking to that sound, so I try and calm the bastard down by thinking of anything other than her saying that exact phrase to me after I’ve fucked her for hours.

“You pay me well.” She smiles. “I get to be outside a lot, which is great in the summer.”

I appreciate that she’s selling herself on all the positive points of the job, but she has reason to complain. I’ve never viewed myself as comparable to my business partners when it comes to how we treat our executive assistants.

I’ve taken an approach that leaves no room for friendship or anything beyond that. It’s always worked for me, but this situation is unique.

We’ve both agreed to be an important part of Charlotte and Randall’s wedding ceremony, but I’m viewing my role in a far broader sense than an average best man would.

I see unlimited potential to pad Vidori’s bottom line.

Azelius Spas and Emmel’s are up for grabs, and if I play my cards right, I’ll have both companies in my palm before the ink is dry on the marriage license.

“If you give me another chance, Mr. Hunt, I promise it won’t happen again.”

The pleading note in her tone isn’t lost on me. If circumstances were different, I might consider firing her out of pure pettiness, but her involvement in Randall’s upcoming nuptials changes everything.

I have no doubt Charlotte would be pissed if I sent her maid of honor out into the street without a job. That, in turn, would turn Randall against me and I’d have to kiss my chance to own Azelius and Emmel’s goodbye.

“I’m not firing you tonight,” I say, giving her the reprieve she desperately wants.

Her beautiful face lights up with a smile. “Really, sir?”

I nod, knowing that I need her to drop the formality of calling me Mr. Hunt and sir if I’m going to get what I want from the almost newlyweds.

“Start calling me Reid,” I suggest.

“Reid,” she tests it on her tongue with a slow drawl. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Her shoulders drop as if the weight of the world is falling from them. “You’re allowing that because we’re both in Lottie’s wedding, right?”

I ignore that because she knows the answer to the question. It’s obvious since before tonight, I fully expected her to call me Mr. Hunt.

“How long have you known Charlotte Emmel?”

I’ve been surprised since I realized the two women are friends. If I had known my assistant was a friend of the Emmel fortune heir, I would have requested an introduction months ago. I would have asked the same of Randall if I had any idea he was involved with Charlotte.

“It’s Rushing,” she corrects me. “Her surname is Rushing. Her mom’s dad was the founder of Emmel’s but he passed away not that long ago. That’s been hard for Lottie.”

Rushing. Emmel . Regardless of her last name, Charlotte is the current owner of Emmel’s.

“Back to your question.” Evangeline rubs her left eye, leaving a smudge of mascara beneath it. “I’ve only known Lottie for a few weeks. I met her the day I was picking up your watch fromthe jeweler. She was there for her engagement ring since it was getting resized.”

I’m surprised they met that recently, but I don’t show it.

“We hit it off since we were both waiting.” She lets out a small yawn. “We met for dinner that week, and that’s when she asked me to be her maid of honor.”

“I see.”

She leans back into the couch. “We went to Paris for the weekend and then did a bunch of fun wedding stuff here in New York. I thought I was doing her a favor since she said she doesn’t have any friends.”

Leave it to my assistant to want to help a stranger out. “Charlotte is the person you went away with?”

She nods. “We stayed at her flat in Paris. I always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, and the view from her place was breathtaking. I’ll never forget it.”

My brow knits. “That was your first time in France?”

“Yes,” she whispers. “I’ve been to Australia and Paris now, too. I haven’t traveled much. The Australia trip was with my mom. It was a graduation gift.”

I have questions about all of that, including what Randall shared about Evangeline’s ambitions in the world of ballet and the bike accident that changed that.

My phone starts ringing in my jacket pocket, startling both of us. I dig it out because my grandfather once told me to always answer a ringing phone. I’ve followed that advice for years, and it has served me well.

My sister’s name pops up on the screen, so I glide to my feet to take the call in the privacy of my bedroom. “I need to answer this. Don’t move a muscle.”

“I won’t.” Evangeline smiles softly. “I’ll be right here waiting for you.”