Mistletoe, Baby

“Let’s begin,” Graham said, turning to Tracy.

“The first agenda item is from Finance.” She gave a short nod to Anthony and placed her iPad on the table. She took notes as each executive outlined issues of concern in their departments and gave updates on pending projects.

Alexis remained an observer, which allowed her to get a good sense of the staff members’ styles and personalities, as well as the dynamic between Graham and Tracy.

It was clear that he relied on her and she knew it. Alexis had to give Tracy her props, though. She knew her stuff. She was up on every nuance in every department and if she didn’t understand what was being conveyed, she had no problem challenging the information.

Alexis was surprised at how laid-back Graham appeared to be. She perceived him to be one who relished control, but what she slowly realized was that Graham controlled everyone in the room without uttering a word. It was in a look, a subtle shift of his body in his seat, the sound of a low hum in his throat. Each person in that room deferred and hitched their star to Graham Stone.

The meeting lasted for exactly forty-five minutes. Tracy announced that everyone would have the details of the meeting uploaded to the corporate shared drive by the end of the day.

Everyone except for Tracy and Graham gravitated toward Alexis at the conclusion of the meeting, offering warm words of welcome and promises to contact Claire to set up a one-on-one. Even as she shook hands and smiled and nodded, she managed to catch glimpses of Graham and Tracy nearly head-to-head at the conference table, talking in low whispers.

Alexis was at the door when Graham’s voice stopped her. “Would you wait a few minutes, Alexis? I’d like to have a word.”

Alexis would have sworn on a stack of hotel bibles that Tracy’s perfectly made-up face contorted. But it happened so quickly. Maybe she was wrong.

“Of course.” She moved back into the room.

Tracy took a seat.

Graham’s gaze dropped down to her. “No need for you to stay.”

This time Alexis didn’t mistake the shift in Tracy’s expression. It was lightning quick but it happened.

Tracy grabbed up her iPad and phone. “Oh, of course. I have some calls to make. Don’t forget about your three o’clock.” She breezed by Alexis as if she didn’t exist.

Inwardly Alexis rolled her eyes at Tracy’s immature behavior and took a seat at the table.

“How has the morning been so far?”

Alexis smiled. “A whirlwind. But not more than I expected. Claire is wonderful and everyone seems friendly and good at their jobs.”

Graham nodded while she spoke and Alexis had the feeling that Graham wasn’t really listening, not from the way he was looking at her. His unfaltering gaze and the way he would periodically run his tongue across his bottom lip ignited a slow heat inside her belly, akin to a pot of water put on the stove to simmer.

“I’d like to hear your thoughts on the proposal that I gave you to read.”

Alexis swallowed and shifted a bit in her seat. She crossed her legs. Graham’s gaze momentarily tracked the movement then returned to her face.

“The proposal is solid, which I’m sure you already know. I did a bit of research and I couldn’t find any other urban model that resembled it. I know we can sell the idea to charter and independent schools.”

“I want to begin with the public school system.”

Alexis’s brow flicked. “Okay. If we select a school and set up a model...”

Graham slowly rocked his jaw and pressed his body forward. “My goal is to give every inner-city child—particularly children of color—the educational opportunities that the kids Uptown and in suburbia get. The Public-Private Partnership Initiative will bring in successful people from every area of discipline to conduct classes on how they did it. Ten months of school, ten separate sessions. We work it into the curriculum.”

She was mesmerized by his intensity. The way he presented the proposal was so definitive, so clear, so doable. Except she knew the NYC Department of Education was a sea of bureaucratic red tape. It might take her the length of her five-year contract to pull it off.

“I’ll get working on making the contacts at DOE. I take it you have a list of investors.”

“I do. I’ll get you the list. I want you out front on this.” He leaned back a bit the heat that he emanated lessened. His eyes moved lazily across her face. “You’ll need to set up individual meetings with each of the potential investors, pitch them the idea, and get them on board. Once you and I knock out all the details—this will be tight,” he added, tapping his long finger on the table. “And then we’ll have Legal draft a contract for the investors. I need you to complete this phase of the project in three days.”

Alexis nodded. “I’ll get right on it.” Right on it. I wonder how that would feel?

The corner of his mouth curved ever so slightly as if he’d read her wicked little thoughts. Her face heated.

She stood and smoothed her skirt. “If there’s nothing else...”

“I’d like us to meet again on Thursday to discuss your progress. I have to go out of town on Friday.”

“Oh.” A twinge of disappointment pinched her. “Of course. I’ll get as much done as I can.”

“All of the organization’s resources are at your disposal. All of the department heads report to you. Don’t hesitate to use them.”

“Yes, thank you.” She walked to the door.

“Enjoy the rest of your day,” Graham said.

The murmur of his voice slid up her spine and tickled the hairs at the nape of her neck and the tiniest of moans escaped from her lips. She glanced over her shoulder. “You, too.”

* * *

Alexis headed back to her office, acutely aware of the dampness between her legs. Was she going to have to carry around an extra pair of panties in order to be in the same room with Graham? Damn.

The best thing to get her mind and body off of him was work and she had plenty of it. Yet, even as she returned to her corner office she wondered what was going to be more challenging; completing the details of his complex proposal in three days or staying in her right mind around him.

Chapter 5

Graham loosened his tie and slowly lowered himself into his high-backed leather chair. Her scent still lingered in the air. It was on his fingertips even though he hadn’t touched her, didn’t dare. He was beginning to believe that it was some kind of aromatic hallucination because he inhaled her in his apartment, in his sheets, in the shower, in the car. It was as if he’d absorbed her into his pores. An image of her sitting in front of him flashed. His cock jumped in response.

His jaw clenched. Alexis was a distraction. And he didn’t like distractions. It was good that he was getting away. The trip would give him some time and space to clear his head and shake himself back to reality. He may have made a mistake taking her on. Had he met with her in person prior to the hire, this spot of trouble could have been avoided. But she’d signed a contract that he had countersigned. To break it would be a public relations nightmare. Not to mention the cost and legal ramifications. He’d have to show cause. And getting a hard-on when she was anywhere near him was not a reason. He would have to get her to demonstrate her inability to perform the job she was hired to do.

At least that much was in place. It would be a challenge for her to complete the initial assignment he’d given her in three days. He pursed his lips and thoughtfully rubbed his chin. He’d start there.

* * *

Alexis called Claire’s phone and asked her to put together the list of DOE contacts that had been used in the past. Maybe she would recognize a name or two from the zillion educational conferences that she’d attended over the years. She also asked Claire for a list of any outside consultants that had gone into any of the schools that R.E.A.L. dealt with.

“Not a problem. I’ll start on the lists right away. Oh, did you want to order lunch or will you be going out?”

“Hmm, I hadn’t really thought about it, but maybe I’ll go out and get a feel for things.”

“There are some great places one block up on Seventh Avenue and if you walk down toward Radio City Music Hall, go down the stairs of the McGraw Hill Building, there are some really good restaurants there as well.”

“Great. Thanks.” She disconnected the call and turned her full attention to the proposal in its entirety, then began to break it down into manageable parts and then started rewriting, expanding some sections and compressing others.

As she worked it was as if she was inside Graham’s head, thinking how he thought, seeing what he saw, wanting what he wanted. She worked with a single purpose to please him—with the final product. Although it was work there was an almost sensual quality to it that stirred her. To Alexis there was nothing more sensually stimulating than getting inside someone’s head—becoming one with them—a mental symbiosis. Her nipples tingled inside her lace push-up bra. She gave her head a shake and willed her senses to dispel their fix on Graham.