Page 13 of Midnight Heat

"Okay, so I'll show you your office after you meet our CEO, Mr. Lewis. If he seems angry, don't mind him. He's in a bad mood today. You won't be dealing much with him, so don't worry about it."

We stand by the door, and Erik knocks softly. There's no answer, but he just walks in and I follow behind him. The office is large and has some monitors that show different areas of the club. I'm one step behind him, and when I hear my name, I move to the front with my hand held high to shake Mr. Lewis's hand.

Except, Mr. Lewis is Max. My Max.

I start sweating, wishing for the earth to drag me down into its bowels. My face feels locked in a look of terror, and my hand comes down back to my side. There's fury in Max's gaze, and I hesitate to move. I'm not really paying attention to what Erik is telling him, but when Max nods, Erik takes me by the arm, and we retreat from the lion's den.

"That went well," Erik chuckles.

He ushers me to a few doors down the hall from Max's suite and opens a much smaller office. It's perfect for my needs and he starts telling me about the computer and log-ins and other stuff that I don't really care about.

Max is my boss! I thought I would never see him again, and now he's here and he's angry. Of course, he's angry. I left him without a word.

As soon as Erik finishes his spiel, I nod to him and smile as if I understood everything he just told me. But my mind is going a mile a minute, and I can't help myself.

"Is the CEO always that intense?" I ask him.

"Maxwell is very dedicated to our business. Sometimes, he takes it and himself too seriously, but don't tell anyone I told you that."

"Okay. If I need you, how do I get a hold of you?"

He looks at me strangely but then smiles. This is probably one of the things he told me while I wasn't listening.

"I'm next door. Extension 127. You look nervous all of a sudden. Are you okay?"

"I guess it didn't hit me that I was starting this awesome job until just now. Thanks for showing me around. I'll work hard to catch up to what you've been doing. I already have a few ideas for promotions we can run to increase clientele."

"I'll let you get started, then. Remember to go back to HR sometime this morning to finish your paperwork."

"Okay, I'll do that. Thanks, Erik."

Once Erik leaves my office, I start freaking out. Will I be fired the same day I start my new job? What am I going to tell Max when he comes looking for answers? Because from what I saw in his office he's going to be here soon. I start pacing in the small area behind my desk, and I pull my phone out of my purse.

My friend Julie is on speed dial, and thankfully, she picks up on the second ring.

"Hey! How is it going on your first day?"

"I think they're going to fire me."

"What? No way, whatever happened, Keith can intercede for you. You've got this."

"I made a big boo-boo, Julie. I accidentally slept with the big boss."

"How did that happen?"

"It's too long of a story to get into right now, but it's not just that. I lied to him. You know how I get when I'm under pressure."

"God, Anne. I thought that was just a phase."

"Even worse, Julie. I really liked him, but I snuck out of his place without leaving a note or anything last night, thinking I was never going to see him again. Then today, I find out he's the CEO of Midnight Heat."

"Okay, first take a breath. Then, are you sure he's going to fire you?"

"No. But he's really angry at me. I saw it in his eyes."

I'm still pacing behind my desk when I feel a presence in the room—a big, hard, gorgeous presence with a scowl on his face.

"Um, Julie. I've got to go. Talk to you later."