Nothing.
I had no clue that a month later, I would do anything to return to this embarrassing moment.
After all, Max Emory… isn’t normal.
Had I known that I probably never would have said yes.
And neither would Mark.
Chapter Five
Mark
“Welcome to intern initiation!” Max Emory, CEO, spread his arms wide as he smiled at the group of twelve interns, of which I was one. He was wearing a three-piece black and white striped suit. The man had friggin’ spectacles attached to his suit that he randomly held up to his face looking like he belonged in the cast of A Christmas Carol. Did he even need them, or was it to throw us off his scent?
After my one-night stand with Olivia—I’d done an embarrassingly long internet search on Max and found out that he had actually been a contestant on Love Island. Think The Bachelor, but with more crazy women than any sane man would be able to handle.
Then again, Max Emory was known for being…eccentric, so maybe he’d been into it.
Some articles said that’s what had sent him over the edge. Then again, he was still happily married and a freaking billionaire, so whatever; his life wasn’t that rough, you know?
Other articles said he was eccentric, both in his personal life and in work, which as he spoke, I realized was scary accurate. He was almost too confident and too happy to be torturing all of us interns.
I drummed my fingers against my thigh, waiting for the announcement, but the guy kept pausing for three seconds in between taking giant gulps of water. The hell was wrong with him?
The hell was wrong with me?
I was so nervous I wanted to puke.
I needed this internship more than I needed another night with Olivia, and that was up there with needing air.
Fuck, she tasted good.
Max droned on, and every few minutes he spread his hands wide like he was the host of some game show when there were only twelve people in the room and one camera guy documenting, according to Max, his epic speech.
Weird.
And even weirder, or should I say harder?
Olivia was here.
Two seats down.
Wearing black jeans and a gray T-shirt, looking sexy as ever.
Did she regret it?
Did she think about me the way I thought about her?
Did she even care that she made me feel cheap, so I made her angry? I mean, I was inside her when she wanted to draw the fucking line between us again as if her job was more important than whatever connection we’d had that night.
And I needed the job as much as she did.
She was no longer the girl I’d always wanted.
But the one I had to keep at a distance in order to get the job I deserved.
And I knew she felt the same way, which almost made it worse.
Like both of us were willing to sacrifice each other in order to have stability in an ever-changing job climate.
Shit. We really did deserve each other.
“Now.” Max clasped his hands together, his megawatt grin huge. “Sorry about the stack of paperwork you guys had to sign.”
Tell me about it. One form read, “In case of death or psychosis.” What the hell?
“But we have to cover all of our bases,” Max continued. “And I’m so glad to say that out of the twelve interns, two have made it through our initiation process!”
My stomach sank as I looked around the room.
One of the guys had gone to Dartmouth.
Yeah, no chance in hell I was beating him.
“A very special congratulations to Mark and Olivia! Our new summer interns!”
I froze.
Olivia paled.
So far, all great signs, am I right?
“Applause!” Max encouraged as the rest of the candidates glared at both of us like we just ran over their new puppy.
I forced a smile and a wave, not knowing what else to do.
Olivia blushed but stood and did the same like we were both in a pageant.
Even apart, we were being awkward, so how the hell were we supposed to work so close together for the next two months?
Survival instincts kicked in as Max ushered us forward. “Come, come!”
Was it wrong that when he said come, all I could think about was her face when I was inside her?
Dirty.
Wrong.
Didn’t hate the visual though.
I cleared my throat and walked toward the front of the room with Olivia walking next to me, her scent snaking around my body, making my dick twitch and my breath catch like I was back in middle school, unable to control every sexual urge I had.
My fingers flexed into two fists as I finally made it up to Max, my new boss for the next few months.
How the hell was his dark chocolate hair so shiny and thick? I frowned as he lifted his stupid ass spectacles again and examined me, then her. “Yes, you’ll do just fine.”
“Thanks,” Olivia said with a bright smile. “Can I be the first to say how excited I am to be picked? I’ll work extremely hard, I’ll even stay late, whatever you need, Mr. Emory—”
“Too bad you just got a puppy that needs training, huh Olive?” I piped up. “But sir, don’t worry, I have no pets, no life really; I’ll be happy to spend the night at the offices if I have to. After all, nobody needs me, and the ones who say they do, like to draw super fancy lines in the sand just in case I get confused. I am a guy, huh, after all.”
“Poor lonely bastard.” Max shook his head. “Do you have the sads, brother?”
“Sads,” I repeated. “Yes…I’m…” I gulped. “So very sad.” I hung my head.
He literally pulled me in for a hug in front of everyone, then slapped my back like I was choking on a rib. “Brothers stick together. Thank you for being vulnerable with me. I’ll be sure to distract you from your current life situation with work.”
“It’s all I want,” I said
