Love Surreptitiously Read online

  Now, I didn’t bring you all here, just to listen to me talk and to bore you all. Outside these doors to your right is a dining hall, which will have a buffet of breakfast and early lunch options. Think of this as our first of many company brunches. I plan to move from table to table and meet each of you, spend a few minutes with you guys. After I’ve joined each of the tables, I’ll have one final word and then you guys are free to go for the day. So now, without further ado.” He motions to the side doors and they open as if on queue.

  Everyone stands up and we take our time walking into the hall. To the side, there are tables with delicious food on each. My mouth waters with each passing buffet, until I see the salad stand. Everyone else is standing in lines at the other stations, but my plate is stocked to the rim with greens and I couldn’t be happier.

  There’s a lot of round tables and I take my seat smack dab in the center as others mill around the tables loading up their plates with as much as they can. Soon enough, people begin to sit down. Shane and Olivia on each side of me, with a few others from other departments. We have a good mix and purposely on each table there is a reserved spot which everyone obeys.

  “He’s handsome,” Olivia says as two of the other women at our table nod.

  “Oh come on, don’t begin to objectify the new guy.” Shane laughs.

  “I’m serious, isn’t he, Sid?” Olivia turns to me.

  I have just taken a large forkful of salad into my mouth and thankfully only have to nod.

  “Is that why you said, ‘holy hell’ when he came out?” Shane smirks.

  “That was you?” Beverly sitting across from me asks.

  I feel my face redden, swallow my bite, and then shrug.

  “I’ll be right back.” I say standing.

  I find a restroom on the outskirts of the room and down a short hallway. I take care of business, wash my hands. and check my make-up then rush out of the room. Instantly, I run into someone coming out of the other restroom.

  “Ooof.” I say as I push off of him.

  “Oh sorry,” a deep voice says. “Sorry about that.”

  Shock resonates throughout my body at the sound of his voice. I knew that I was going to have to face the music, but I wasn’t quite expecting it to be so soon. I slowly lift my gaze up to his perfect face and once our eyes meet, I can feel the static between us as he recognizes me.

  I look up and there’s Prince Charming.

  Chapter Three

  Embarrassment floods my body, my cheeks redden, and I may have thrown up a little in my mouth. Flashbacks flood my thoughts and I instantly feel drunk again.

  “Hi,” I say.

  “Well, I honestly can’t say that I was expecting to see you so soon.” The words beautifully flow from his mouth.

  “Well, yeah. Me neither, but part of me kind of doesn’t remember everything.”

  “How much did you have to drink?” he asks.

  “I lost count.” I reply sheepishly.

  “So, how are you feeling?” he asks taking a step back.

  “Um, I’m good. I’m good.” I say quickly looking anywhere but at him.

  He nods, “well, I guess that I should introduce myself officially. Hi, I’m Quinn.”

  “Mr. Montgomery, nice to meet you. I’m Sidney Matthews.” I stand tall and say professionally.

  “Well, it’s good too officially meet you,” he says.

  “Yeah, um, my brunch is getting… cold, I should,” I point to the dining hall as he nods. “Get back over there.”

  Why am I so nervous? I’ve been around attractive men before, I even dated a few.

  I rush back to my seat and a minute later, Mr. Montgomery takes a seat in the reserved empty seat beside Beverly, who leans a little closer to him and inhales him, as he looks up and locks eyes with me.

  “Hello everyone. I’m Mr. Montgomery, I would like to go around the table and find out who you are and what department you are in. I would like to start with you, Ms. Matthews.” He says pinning me with his stare.

  I sit up straight in my chair, put down my fork, and clear my throat.

  “Sidney Matthews, Content Designer” I say quickly, thankful that this was easy.

  “Well, that was entirely too quick. How about we add another question to the mix. What is your favorite food?” he says.

  “Well, I really like salad.” I reply looking down at my plate which reminds me of what I said to Mr. Montgomery outside the bathroom. I take a deep breath and wish that I could turn back time.

  “Ah yes, okay I wouldn’t want your salad to get cold, thank you. And you?” he says with a grin then turns his attention to Shane, then continues around the remainder of the table while I sit avoiding his glances in between introductions.

  When everyone has had their turn, Beverly turns to him, exposes a little cleavage, which he doesn’t pay any mind to and smiles.

  “You never told us your favorite food?” she coos.

  “Ah, well I guess that’s fair. I’m pretty particular to street tacos. Since I moved back to the area, I’ve been searching for some good places.”

  I look at him and his eyes meet mine.

  They aren’t nearly as dark as I thought they were, they’re hazel with a little bit of orange around the center. I offer him a small smile as he stands up, looks around the table.

  “It looks like I have half of the tables in the room left, but it was a pleasure to speak to each of you. I hope that I can continue to get to know each and every one of you.” He pins me with a stare.

  “Thank you for brunch, Mr. Montgomery.” Beverly holds out her hand and shakes his.

  He nods to the table and with one last glance at me he smiles and moves on to the next table.

  “What the hell, how did he already know your name? Do you know him?” Olivia leans in and asks.

  “No, no we don’t know one another. I ran into him outside the bathroom just before he came over here. That’s all.”

  “He kept looking over at you,” Shane mentions. “He totally wanted to get your attention.”

  “Oh, he did? I really didn’t notice.”

  “Bullshit, he was captivated by you. That’s why Beverly was trying so hard.”

  I grin and look over at Beverly. She did up her game in trying to be noticed.

  Thirty minutes later and another plate of salad, we’re released, and I do what I can to be a part of the large crowd to not draw attention to myself.

  I can’t believe that my new boss is the Prince Charming who made sure that I got to my apartment safely, who I expressed all my frustrations with, and who I may have thought about all morning on the train ride into the city.

  He knows a little too much about me and oh my God, I was super drunk in front of him!

  “Ms. Matthews!” I hear my name being called from behind. I stop in my tracks and take a deep breath before turning around to see Mr. Montgomery standing less than ten feet away.

  “A moment of your time?” he asks with his hands in his pockets.

  I walk against the crowd and we walk to a table to take a seat.

  “So,” I begin. “Funny seeing you here.” I joke.

  “Yeah, imagine my surprise. I wasn’t really expecting to see you again.”

  “Neither was I. I think I even told my roommate that when she thought that you would show up and kill us in our sleep.”

  “You have a very interesting mind.”

  “Huh?” I look at him with confusion. “Oh no, not me, that was her.”

  “Last night you told some lady that you wanted to take a bite out of her,” he reminds me.

  “Oh shit, listen about last night.” I begin but he holds up his hand to stop me.

  “Before you say that you regret it, I want to stop you. It was the most entertaining and insightful evening that I’ve had in a very long time.”

  “Well, I don’t want you to think that I’m ungrateful for my job, after everything that I said last night. I was just—”

  “You wer
e let down. I understand. You were having a shit night and just needed to as you put it verbally vomit. Please, don’t feel like you need to apologize, and I won’t hold anything that you said against you by any means. Last night, we were two strangers, one needed an ear and the other was that ear. Please don’t feel bad.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Quinn, please call me Quinn.”

  “Thank you, Quinn.” I correct.

  “Can I just ask you one thing?” he asks as I nod. “Why did you use the excuse that your food was getting cold, when you had salad?”

  “Nerves, I sometimes cannot control what comes out of my mouth when I’m nervous.”

  “Do you get that way when presenting?” he asks.

  “No sir, I generally will throw up before-hand, which eliminates that.” I slap my hand against my forehead. Why did I just tell him that?

  “Does that go hand in hand with eating from one of the Mexican shops that I need to stay away from around the office?”

  A flush of embarrassment rushes to my face and I hide my head in my hands.

  “Please, let’s just forget about everything, and I mean everything that I said on the train, please?” I beg.

  “Don’t worry, your secrets are safe with me.” He presses his hand to his chest.

  “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you.” He smiles as we stand up together. “Do you need to go back to the office?”

  “Not unless you need me to,” I tell him.

  “Not at all, I was just going to suggest that I escort you to the train station. After all, we’re heading in the same direction, company in a new town can be nice.”

  “I thought you said you were born here?” I ask as we exit to hall.

  “I was, but I have also lived the last ten years across the country,” he replies. “My circle here is now limited to family since moving back.”

  “Ah, that’s right.”

  “So, tell me Ms. Matthews, what kind of shit was being said after I left the table?”

  “Just because we met before today, doesn’t mean that I’m going to be your little spy.” I put my hands on my hips, stop, and look at him.

  “I’m not asking that of you, I would never. But I’m just curious. Does everyone hate me?” I note the vulnerability in his tone as he asks, and I soften my stance as we continue walking.

  “No, they don’t hate you. In fact, I think Beverly was rather infatuated with you.”

  “You were right about her by the way,” he says staring straight ahead.

  “What about her?”

  “She does have some bad breath.”

  QUINLAN

  Here I thought that I would never see that woman, the breath of fresh air, who easily captured my attention in moments from the train ever again.

  And now, she works under me, when all I wanted as soon as I got home and fisted my cock in the remembrance, was her—under me.

  As the Editor in Chief of World Tripping, a huge travel magazine, I can’t very well start hooking up with someone that is under me, or can I?

  She’s forbidden fruit, but oh, I want to taste how sweet she is.

  We met before the knowledge of my becoming the boss was officially in effect, would that count?

  She was very honest in her assessment of how she felt about work when she rambled on and on about losing the promotion that she worked hard for. Would she continue working here, or are her plans really to leave and find another gig?

  All sorts of questions flood my brain.

  And I know just how to push her buttons.

  Chapter Four

  “Steph! Steph! Are you home?” I call slamming the door upon walking into the apartment.

  I hear her bedroom door open and she pops her head out just as I turn the corner.

  “What’s up?” she asks smacking her gum.

  “Prince Charming. That’s what’s up.”

  “Oh yeah? What about him? Did you think about him all day? Wait a minute, why are you home so early? Shit, you didn’t get fired, did you?” She asks looking at her phone, noting the time.

  “Oh man, I’ve got some things to tell you.” I say walking into the living room.

  Steph steps fully out of her room and takes a seat on the couch. I’m pacing back and forth going about the series of events.

  “And then, our new Editor in Chief steps out on stage and it’s Prince Fucking Charming!” I say waving my hands like jazz hands.

  “Holy hell!” she covers her mouth.

  “My words exactly.”

  “Tell me everything?” she asks bouncing in her seat. “This is better than TV.”

  “Well, I made a complete fool in front of my new boss, he knows entirely too much about me, and he is way too hot for me to be around on a normal basis.”

  “Are you going to quit now that your new boss knows all your secrets?” Steph questions.

  “I mean, I could, but how am I going to be able to work for him in the meantime?”

  “How often did you see Mr. Williams?”

  “A few times a week,” I tell her.

  “Well, maybe that will be different.”

  “Yeah, it could be every freaking day. I don’t have enough work clothes to do a steady rotation, this is going to be hell.” I sit down beside her and throw my head back.

  “You wear jeans to work,” she reminds me.

  “Yeah, but now I will have to mix it up, change the color of my jeans, wear skirts, you know, make it look like I’m not wearing the same jeans for the fifth day in a row.”

  “I think that is totally a normal thing, I mean who really washes jeans after every time they wear them, not I.” She points to her chest and proudly boasts, “it’s something that everyone does, and no one ever really says anything about it. It’s completely normal.”

  “Says you.” I say to her.

  “Exactly, and by all means, my word is sound.” She closes her eyes and nods.

  The swaying of the train on the tracks lulls me into a sleep. I will admit that my thoughts have diverted to thoughts of Quinlan Montgomery a little more than I would like to admit, and I’ve woken up three times this week in a sweat because of some salacious dreams.

  It’s been a week since his first day at World Tripping and I’ve seen him in some way each day. His first day was the only day where he dressed in a suit. Every day since he’s dressed more casual and has blended in quite well. He’s taken time with each department to get to know the staff, the processes, and current projects. And luckily, I haven’t been alone with him since.

  “Sidney Matthews? Where’s Sidney?” a young intern rushes into the cubicle area out of breath as if she’s just run a marathon and looks around with her voice frantic. I stand up and raise my hand.

  “You’re needed,” she pauses and stands straight, “I mean your presence has been requested in Mr. Montgomery’s office.”

  An echo of “Oooh’s” erupt on the floor and with embarrassment, I make my way toward her, follow, and am led into his office.

  “Please close the door behind you.” He requests.

  He hasn’t looked up from the file on his desk, until the door closes.

  I’m standing just inside his office, with my hands crossed in front of me, unsure as to why the need to see me, specifically. With Mr. Williams, I was never called into his office.

  “Please, don’t stand there awkwardly. I’m not going to bite you and you’re not in any trouble,” he promises.

  “I’m confused as to why you wanted to see me.” I step forward.

  “I wanted your input about something.”

  “Well, thanks sir.” I reply.

  “Quinn. Now, if you continue calling me sir, I may need to punish you.” He flicks his eyes up with a grin.

  “Excuse me?” I say.

  “I mean, you would be in trouble if you continue to call me ‘sir’, please, call me Quinn.” He coughs into his hand. “Now, please sit down, you’re making me nervous.”


  I sit in the chair in front of him and wait for him to begin.

  “You’re in the design department, I want your ideas on how to liven up our brand.”

  “Why me?” I ask.

  “I think people around here are unsure about me. There’s a lot of avoidance of eye contact and quivering of voices when trying to hold a conversation.”

  “Honestly, I think people are still in shock from the sudden change in leadership. We didn’t see this coming and well, you’re a little intimidating.”

  “I am? How so?”

  “Smile a little more. You walk around here like your trying too hard to be the good guy. When Mr. Williams was around, he would occasionally hang out in different areas of the office. While he wasn’t always the friendliest, he was attentive. And despite some pretty shitty days that he had, which he had his fair share of, he always gave staff a smile.”

  “See! That’s what I need. I need insight! Okay, I will smile more. What else?”

  “Did you want advice on work stuff or on your personality?”

  “I mean, I could go for both.” He shrugs and I roll my eyes.

  “Listen, Quinn,” I emphasize his name and he smiles. “Just give everyone time. Smile, make small chat, everything will be fine and people won’t be so cautious of you. We’re an easy-going company, and then as for the livening up of the design, I feel that would be a better topic to bring to the content department. I wouldn’t want to suggest something that someone else would think of as lame. We’re a team, we work together.”

  “Thank you. I think I needed that pep talk.”

  “Sure.”

  “Can I ask you something?” he asks.

  “Okay,” I say.

  “Where is your favorite place to go in the city?”

  “Um,” I take a moment to reply to go over the list of places that I regularly go to. “I’m pretty much in love with the botanical gardens.”