Mr. Connell glances at me and shakes his head as he turns back to his wife. “Yes, the doctor says I should rest. But it’s not his business that will go to shit while I’m laid here reading or watching the TV is it?”
Mrs. Connell opens her mouth to reply, most likely to remind him none of this will matter if he works himself into an early grave.
“Listen Yvonne,” Mr. Connell cuts her off before she can get started. “I appreciate your concern, I really do. But right now, I have to focus. Why don’t you be a dear and go down to the cafeteria and fetch us all a decent cup of coffee or something?” He says it gently, but it’s clear that it’s not really a request.
Mrs. Connell is being dismissed and she knows it. She holds Mr. Connell’s gaze for a moment.
I squirm awkwardly as I wait for her to argue with him. I’m debating whether I should just dump the files on Mr. Connell’s bed and slip away.
Mrs. Connell finally responds. “Fine,” she snaps, finally looking away from Mr. Connell. She gets up and storms towards the door to Mr. Connell’s room, making sure to give me a severe look.
I can read that look easily. When he called and asked for the files, you should have said no. If he dies, it’s your fault.
“See if you can talk some sense into him, because I as sure as hell can’t,” she says as she steps out into the corridor.
“Relax, it’ll be a fine,” a voice replies.
It’s a male voice, one vaguely familiar to me, but I don’t think I know anyone who works at this hospital. I didn’t notice anyone in the room besides my boss and his wife, so I am a bit startled.
“Right, hand me those files please Opal,” Mr. Connell says.
As I step towards the bed, a shadow falls over me while I hand them over then turn, waiting for a lecture from a doctor or a nurse for bringing Mr. Connell’s work here. Instead, I find myself face to face with Brett, Mr. Connell’s prodigal son who I haven’t seen for a year since he came into the office and argued with his father and then left the building without so much as glancing at me.
He’s doing a little more than glancing at me now. His eyes sweep over my face and then lock onto mine as he smiles at me.
2
It’s suddenly like no time has passed at all since I last saw Brett, as he has the same mesmerising effect on me. I try to look away from him, but I can’t. It’s like his gaze is paralyzing me, but in the nicest possible way. I can barely breathe and I can feel my clit throbbing as I stare into those beautiful golden brown eyes.
He doesn’t look a day older than the last time I last saw him and his hair has the same effortless look, in a tousled style as it did that day. I instinctively curl my hands into fists at my sides, stopping myself from even being tempted to reach out and touch his thick, luscious looking hair.
“Don’t even think about lecturing me about working,” Mr. Connell says from behind me.
The spell is broken and I look away. I find I can breathe again as take in a breath that is a little louder than I would have liked it to be. I can feel my insides turning to jelly and my cheeks flushing.
Mr. Connell looks at me as Brett assures him he’s not here to try to convince him of anything, because he knows he would be wasting his time.
“Good,” Mr. Connell says. “Do you remember Opal? She was my secretary when you last came by the building.”
“I remember her.” He looks at me and smiles again.
This time, I’m slightly more prepared to face him and I return the smile with a tentative smile of my own.
“Opal is one of my most valued employees. Treat her that way. She’s my personal assistant now, and she knows the company almost as well as I do. If you need anything, you go to Opal, because if she doesn’t know the answer to any questions you might have, then I guarantee you that no one at the company does,” Mr. Connell says to Brett. He turns his attention to me. “Opal, this is my son, Brett Connell. He’ll be taking over running the company for a short time until I’m back on my feet.”
I extend my hand to Brett, knowing it’s the appropriate response to the formal introduction, especially since I’ve been told he’s going to be my boss. I’m already anticipating the sparks that will fly when Brett takes my hand in his and I just hope I can hide my reaction from both men.
Brett smiles again and shakes my hand.
His grip is warm and firm, just like I remembered it to be, and at least this time, my palm is reasonably dry. The spark of lightning flies through my body, just like I knew it would and I feel a longing in my lower belly that I have a feeling only Brett can fulfil.
He nods to his father, releasing my hand.
I wish that would break the spell he has me under, but it doesn’t. My palm still tingles where he touched it. My fingers still feel as though I can feel his against them.
“Got it.” Brett picks up the top file from the pile beside his father on the bed and sits down in the chair his mother was sitting in. He opens the file and begins to flick through it.
I manage to drag my eyes away from him for a moment, but they instantly go back to him. He’s so damned hot. His mouth is slightly pursed as he concentrates on the information in the file and I suddenly wish Mr. Connell wasn’t here.
