The Yes Girl Read online

  I need to stop this! Now! Right now! No more sex with Nick! No more sex with my boss!

  The door opens and in walks Joe with Nick following behind him, and next to Nick is his assistant, what’s her name? D-Dawn! I knew I'd remember it.

  Nick looks incredible; maybe I should reconsider the no more sex thing. I won’t make any rash decision.

  “Good Morning, Everyone.” Nick scans the room and stares at me a little longer. Everyone seems to notice because they all glance over at me.

  I, in all my awkwardness, break eye contact and stare down at the papers in front of me.

  Joe starts off the meeting by explaining to Mr. Ryan the format we use to discuss business in the staff meetings. Joe looks like shit but I’m not surprised he hit the bottle hard on Sunday, and from the looks of him, continued it through yesterday. His wrinkled clothes look like they've sat in a pile all weekend while his shirttail hangs out on one side. His skin aged ten years over the past few days. It looks parched and blotchy. Judging by the bags under his eyes, he either ate a salty meal or hasn't slept. Or maybe it's just all the booze he drank.

  On the flip side, Nick Ryan looks fresh face, and definitely tanner than when I saw him on Sunday. Nick reassures everyone that today he is an observer, and he wants everyone to feel at ease as if he’s not even there.

  As if that’s possible.

  I look at all the women in the room staring at Nick. Smiles stretch across their faces, eyelashes flapping as they stare Nick up and down. I stop when I get to Dawn. She looks at him the same way. She’s an attractive woman. Older than me, so that makes her way older than Nick, so maybe I’m reading it wrong, maybe she looks at him like a son, not like the sex god he is. I hope I don’t look like that when I stare at him.

  Then I watch as Dawn leans in to tell Nick something in his ear. She slides her hand along his arm as her lips skim the soft skin of his earlobe. Hmm, no, this is not a mother/son relationship. She wants him.

  Most likely my suspicions are correct and he's sleeping with her. It doesn’t matter I remind myself because today, no, now, right now I am done with Nick Ryan.

  Kiss ass Sarah, sitting to Nick’s left, interrupts my obsessive thoughts when she chimes in after raising her hand, going on and on about how happy she is for the positive change and the future growth of this company.

  Blah. Blah. Blah. Next Nick will be sleeping with her.

  This is when I doodle daisies and eyeglasses all over my legal pad, a habit that started for me over twenty- five years ago in high school. I glance up at Nick. With easy confidence, he sits back in the chair with his left foot resting on his right knee. Though he turns his head towards Sarah, his eyes peer down the long conference table in my direction.

  “Yes, thank you, Sarah, for that sentiment.” Nick clears his throat, “Alexandra, you find something compelling in what Sarah said?”

  I fidget in my chair and drop my pen on my legal pad, “No, Mr. Ryan, I didn’t raise my hand.” I sound like a third grader who got caught passing a note to her best friend in class.

  “I didn’t say you raised your hand but I see you taking diligent notes.” His voice is accusatory, yet flirty. I know very well he knows very well what I’m doing.

  “No Sir, I’m doodling. It helps me think better.” Before Nick, I had the luxury of going unnoticed most of the time. Now he draws attention to me every chance he gets. Hasn’t he picked up on the fact I’m an introvert? I want to remain unnoticed!

  Nick adjusts himself in his seat and then calls on Becky who raises her hand enthusiastically. Her behind lifts off the chair and all that's missing is a, "Ooh, ooh, pick me, pick me."

  Here we go again, some other chick to kiss Nick’s ass. So let's run down the list: Becky, Dawn, Sarah, Renee, drunken girl from the wedding, and me. I scratch my name off the list because it's over. No more sex with Nick Ryan.

  An hour into the meeting and I am bored out of my mind. Do I need to remind everyone that Mr. Ryan asked us to carry on as normal? The entire meeting has been an opportunity for everyone to kiss his ass. And though it’s a hot looking ass, my God ladies rein this shit in. I look over at Nick every so often and he looks bored out of his mind as well.

  Just as the last ass kisser takes their seat, Nick places both his hand's palms down on the table and strums his fingers. “All right, well I think I’ve heard from everyone except for…” He looks around at each face and stops when his eyes meet mine, “except you, Alexandra.”

  “Me? I’m good. I can’t think of anything to add.” I give a little no worries here kind of wave and try to be as sweet as possible.

  Mr. Ryan clears his voice again, “And that’s what I thought. Let’s wrap this up.” He taps his fingers on the table one last time.

  I gather my things and walk towards the conference room doors. Everyone shakes Mr. Ryan’s hand. Again. They kissed his ass on Friday, they kissed his ass at Dave’s July 4th party, and now they kiss it again.

  I sneak out with a wave. Again. I’m only a few feet out the door when I hear him say my name.

  “Alexandra!” I turn to face him. “You weren't going to say goodbye?”

  I put on my best smile and walk towards him with my extended hand, “Mr. Ryan, thank you, excellent meeting.” I am all sarcasm though my syrupy sweet tone gives nothing away.

  His hand firmly shakes mine. Touching his hand is a very different sensation than shaking anyone else’s hand. The achy need for sex moves through my entire body from his touch. I want to pull him towards me and press my body against his.

  Nope. No more sex with Nick Ryan.

  I lean in, “Mr. Ryan just a word of caution, be careful when you sit down today, it may hurt.” I say in a slow, low, sexy voice. Nick’s hand freezes on mine.

  He stares at me with a very mischievous grin, “I will. Thank you for the advice.”

  I pull my hand away slowly and then I am out the door.

  Free! Almost.

  I hear Joe yelling my name as I try to escape into the elevator. I know he knows I can hear his loud bellowing voice so I can't get away with pretending I don’t hear him. I turn towards him raising my eyebrows.

  Joe approaches me with his smartphone in hand. As he scrolls down the screen, he tells me to clear my afternoon tomorrow. When he breaks away from the screen, he makes eye contact with me, “Nick wants to have a lunch tomorrow.”

  “With Whom?” I swallow hard.

  “It will be you, me, Paul, Dave, Sarah, Becky, and Nick.”

  What am I going to wear? I tried on a dozen outfits but nothing feels right. I look over at my bed covered with the rejection pile of clothes and realize how ridiculous I’m being. The next outfit I put on is The One.

  I stare in the mirror…the next one I put on is definitely THE outfit. Six outfits later, I choose a cream sheath dress with a thin black patent leather belt. It’s sexy because it hugs my curves but professional at the same time. I remove the curlers from my hair and give my head a quick flip.

  I don’t know why I invest so much time in how I look for a business lunch. Nick hasn’t reached out to me since Sunday night. He confuses me. One minute he is all over me, the next minute nothing. I decided not pursue him but a little resistance from him would have been appreciated. I will play it strictly professional. I look over at the pile of clothes on my bed…well a girl still needs to look sexy even if she no longer wants the boy, if for no other reason then to show him what he’s missing.

  Hell, he knows what he’s missing. I guess he’s just not missing it.

  I give myself one last look in the mirror. Acceptable.

  It’s obvious by the look on Nick’s face he thinks it’s more than acceptable. I got held up on a call with a client, so I told Joe that I would meet them at the restaurant. When I walk in Nick and I lock eyes. I watch as he looks me up and down and then stands up.

  The hostess greets me. She realizes which party I am with, as she too, looks over and sees Nick standing waiting for me. As I appro
ach the table, Joe, Paul, and Dave follow Nick’s gesture and stand to greet me. Something they would never have done if left to their own devices.

  I look around the table. The only empty chair is between Nick and Paul. Nick pulls out the chair for me to sit.

  “Good Afternoon, Mr. Ryan,” I say as I run my hands down my behind smoothing out my skirt to sit.

  “Alexandra,” Nick says only my name but his eyes roaming my body say a lot more.

  A glass of wine waits for me. I notice everyone ordered a different drink. Joe, Paul, and Dave have mixed drinks, Becky and Sarah are both drinking red wine and Nick and me, and his assistant, Dawn (Joe forgot to mention she was coming) have white. When I take a sip, I realize it tastes very much like the wine from the other night so I assume Nick ordered for me.

  Ditto when the appetizers come out. Nick leans in to whisper in my ear. “I hope you don’t mind I ordered the appetizer for you…I remembered you said you’ll eat anything.”

  I adjust myself in my seat as Nick’s sweet breath travels from my ear down my neck.

  Nick asks the waiter for a menu so I can order my main course. As I eat my appetizer, I realize Nick listens to the conversation based on his responses, but he watches me devour my food. I turn to look at him sitting back in his chair with a smile on his face. I feel a little embarrassed as I remember telling him in a pre-boss moment how I feel about business lunches, so I place my fork down and push my plate back even though I didn’t finish my appetizer, but want to. Nick realizes what I did and moves my plate back in front of me.

  He leans in and whispers in my ear, again. “Finish, Alexandra.” His hand rubs my knee; a gesture I think unnoticed by everyone at the table, except Dawn, her facial expression changes as she glares at us.

  When the waiter brings out our main course Nick stares at my plate as the waiter places it in front of me. Again, his hand touches my knee. “That looks delicious.”

  I smile in agreement and then check out his meal. “I think yours looks better, maybe I should have ordered the filet.”

  I look around the table hoping no one notices Nick cut a piece of his filet and place it on my plate. I scan the table again when he forks a piece of my sea bass and pops it in his mouth. Thankfully, everyone has their heads down too busy stuffing their own faces to notice Nick and me.

  When the waiter asks if anyone wants dessert I opt for tea only. Everyone else orders coffee and a dessert. When Nick orders his dessert, he asks the waiter for two spoons in case I want some of his dessert. Again, I look around the table, but by the look on everyone’s face, no one seems to think this is odd, not even Dawn. So when Nick offers me a spoonful of his berry tart I accept. And I accept again and again until I’ve eaten half his dessert.

  Sarah and Becky enjoy listening to themselves talk so I get through this lunch without saying much. When I eye up Joe, he seems more than happy that Sarah and Becky dominated the conversation as well.

  The entire lunch felt more like a date with Nick than a business meeting. At the end when Nick sits back in his chair and drapes his arm around the back of my chair, I assume Nick felt the same.

  Out on the street, we say our goodbyes. It’s a little after five o’clock. Sarah and Becky walk away in the opposite direction of the office. Joe asks if I’d like to join him and Paul for a drink at a bar on 59th. I pass and they are out of sight in seconds, absorbed by the crowd of people walking on the sidewalk. I stand alone waiting at a crosswalk. I look over towards Nick. Dawn is walking with Nick in my direction. She stops and touches his arm. She looks at me then glides her hand up to his shoulder. She leans into him and says something. He looks at his watch and then shakes his head no. He continues walking towards me as Dawn watches him walk away from her.

  As he approaches me he asks, “Do you need to go back to the office?”

  “No, I’m done with work for the day.” I look back to see Dawn walk away.

  “Would you like to come by my place?” Nick looks over his shoulder in the direction of his home. “I’m only a few blocks up.”

  “I should get home.”

  “I understand, it’s a school day tomorrow.”

  “Nick, I’ve decided to not continue with whatever is going on with us. I know I must seem fickle. This has been a very confusing situation for me, so I apologize for my indecisiveness. I know you can understand how important my career is to me, and this, you and me, could only end badly being you’re my boss.”

  Nick doesn’t respond at first. He takes in a deep breath as he looks up to the sky. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you. I left early Monday morning for my fishing trip and got back late and then I assumed we’d talk at work but you’re good at avoiding me.”

  He went fishing. That explains why he left so early. I’m happy he’s mentioning it. I wouldn’t ask because we’re not in a relationship. “No worries, no explanation needed.” I try to brush it off. “You’re not my boyfriend, we just had sex a few times.”

  “Is that it?” Nick’s voice cuts at the tension my words created.

  “Isn’t it? I mean we’re not dating, you don’t owe me an explanation.”

  “I guess that’s it.” His icy tone makes me cringe. “Well, get home safe.” He turns and walks away.

  “Nick,” I call out as he walks away from me. “Nick, wait.”

  He stops and turns but doesn’t move closer to me, or I to him. “Nick, we can still be civil to each other.”

  “Like I said, get home safe. Have a goodnight and I’ll see you at work.” With that, I stare at Nick’s back as he walks away.

  Chapter 8

  Alexandra

  “Jill, do you have everything I need for the meeting?” I am awful at this corporate stuff. The only reason I survive is because I’m good at my job. I tested the waters a long time ago. When you are good at your job and make the company money, your bosses will forgive you when you don’t kiss ass, and sometimes even take the heat for you.

  “It’s all there, stop worrying.” Jill seems as exasperated as I sound.

  “I’m not worrying I just hate all these meetings, I just want to do my job.”

  “What do you care, so you kiss a little ass every once in a while, or do whatever you do in those meetings?” Jill knows all too well I don’t kiss ass, and neither does she. Our escape plan in these meetings is always fly under the radar and then just get back to work. Her job being my assistant and mine to create.

  “At least there’s eye candy now that Mr. Nick Ryan is around.” Jill points out.

  “This is true, Mr. Ryan is very nice to look at.” I must concede and admit to the obvious.

  “Did you see his body yesterday when he had his suit jacket off?” Jill pulls on her blouse likes she’s having a hot flash.

  “I didn’t notice.” I keep a poker face.

  “You lie! You stuttered when you were talking to him.”

  “Damn me, you picked up on that?”

  “Yes, and stop cursing. You don’t know how to curse. You make it sound too polite.” Jill walks out of my office, “You have ten minutes. Go. Get ready.”

  I yell out to her, “Get ready? You said I’m ready.”

  “I mean go fluff your hair, put on more gloss and push your tits up,” Jill yells from her desk outside my office door.

  I stick my head out my office door. “Shush, Jill, everyone will hear you.”

  “I don’t care. Listen, Nick Ryan has it bad for you, go work it.”

  “He does not.” I can’t bring myself to tell Jill about Nick and me. Jill wasn’t at the July fourth party so I haven’t had to explain myself to her.

  “It’s obvious, how do you not see it? Now go adjust those tits.”

  I look down at my chest and agree my cleavage needs a little adjustment. Even though I put an end to whatever we had, it’s still nice to have a hot man walking around the office. There is unavoidable electricity in the air since he’s taken over.

  I always dress tastefully sexy, show just enou
gh and let their imaginations do the rest, but this week I’ve upped my game. I’ve chosen my most teasingly fitted outfits, yet still tasteful. I mean if he wants to stare, it’s only fair of me to make it worth his while.

  This time Mr. Nick Ryan waits for us to arrive. We gather at the same moment, no one would dare come late for a meeting, in the same conference room with one glaring difference, at each seat is a place card. I make no eye contact with him as I walk to my usual seat at the far end of the table as I avoid looking at the place cards. Just as I’m ready to sit, Daniel calls out to me, “Alex you’re here next to me.” I look to Daniel who is up front and pointing to the very first seat next to Nick.

  Really?

  “Yes, come, we’re trying something different today.” Nick must notice my uneasiness, “Alexandra, just be open- minded.” He seems somewhat cold today, standoffish, irritated.

  I take my seat right next to Nick. I sit and wait until everyone else gets situated.

  After everyone settles down, Nick starts the meeting. Watching him you can tell he is easy in his own skin. He sits back in his chair and crosses his leg resting his ankle on his knee. I watch as his neck muscles flex when he talks and how his skilled fingers manipulate the pen in his hand. He is all business and I am turned on.

  I take a deep breath trying to inhale his scent. His scent is clean just as I remember. His crisp white shirt shifts against itself with every movement he makes and the sound of it alone sends chills up my spine.

  Someone asks a question and I watch as he sits up and forward in his chair. He places one hand bent in front of him and the other he extends towards me. I stare down at the light hairs that cascade over his knuckles. I feel an awakening between my legs as I think about his hands covering my body. He slowly taps his fingers in my direction and I glance up at him. Under hooded eyes, he looks at me. I can’t breathe.