Chapter 9

"What are you doing here?" I asked with shock when I walked into my office and saw Chrissy sitting behind my old desk.

I had to admit I almost didn't recognize her. She had put her hair up in a respectful hairstyle and her clothing actually covered her body properly. I half wondered if I had fallen asleep and was dreaming her up.

I had just barely made it on time that morning due to a restless night's sleep with dreams about a certain long-haired blue-eyed Master demanded that I submit to him. On top of all that, some idiot had tried to run me over on my walk to work. So, instead of my normal ten-minute walk it turned into a walk and a ten-minute yelling and cussing match. Needless to say, I really was in no mood for Chrissy's attitude this morning and was really hoping she would slink back into the hole she normally crawled out of.

She looked up and glared death daggers at me.

"This is my new office, haven't you heard? I've been demoted to doing your fucking job," she spat out at me.

I had to bite my lip to stop the smile that threatened to break free at the venom in her voice. This day was suddenly looking a lot brighter.

"Then, where am I?" I asked looking around trying to find some hint as to what happened the other day.

"Why don't you go ask the asshole in charge? Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get back to work. That bitch, Lizzie is taking great joy in making me do extra work," she said loudly enough I was fairly sure the whole office heard it.

I looked behind me to see who she was playing it up for and found Lizzie with a giant grin on her face and a bundle of folders in her arms. From the looks of it, Lizzie had taken over Chrissy's old job. I wasn't really surprised now that I knew that Jordan was the new V.P. of the company.

"Good morning, Mia," Lizzie said brightly. "Mr. Callaghan is waiting for you in Jones' old office. He's got a lot of things to discuss with you. We'll talk at lunch."

She gave me a wink and brushed passed into Chrissy's new office. The last thing I heard was Chrissy cussing while Lizzie told her she had more research for Chrissy to do. I laughed softly as I hurried out to catch the elevator to the top floor. I noted curiously that the secretary's desk was empty as I knocked on Reed's door. I had to swallow hard several times to get the knot in my throat to go away. My mind was a jumbled mess of nerves at not seeing him, at not knowing what was going to happen.

"Come in," the voice on the other side of the door sounded slightly irritated.

I grabbed ahold of the handle but hesitated as I tried to convince my knees to hold me up. I wasn't entirely sure I was ready to see him just yet.

"Get in here, Mia," he snapped.

I jumped out of my skin. Of course, he knew it was me I thought as I hurried inside and closed the door behind me. He turned around and his expression went from mildly irritated to serious displeasure. He looked me up and down, apparently taking in what I was wearing. I looked down to see if maybe I had forgotten to button some of the top buttons. My conservative, pristine white shirt under the brown suit jacket was not even wrinkled. I checked out my matching brown slacks only to see they were still immaculate and perfectly pleated as they should be. I had paired it all with shiny, low black flats that were easy for me to walk in. I looked very professional and perfect for the office. There was nothing wrong with what I was wearing, certainly nothing that would make Reed glower at me as he was doing.

"We are going to have to work on your idea of clothes. You are incredibly beautiful and it's time you started dressing like it," he said shaking his head at me.

He thought I was beautiful. But he hated my clothes. I was alternately pleased and irritated by his reactions. He didn't give me time to argue as he came around his desk and guided me to a couch on the other side of the office.

I took a moment to look around and I realized why this office had looked so clean when Mr. Jones was in it last week. Because it had been transferred over to Reed, Reed had every pen, pencil, and piece of paper in place. It suited him, the organization, and the absolute control over his surroundings. For a moment I feared for the pencil that dared to roll out of place it might find itself spanked and in the corner.

I giggled at the image that was created and the sound of my glee drew a raised eyebrow from him which just caused me to laugh even harder.

"What's so funny, Mia?" Reed asked curiously.

"Nothing, Mr. Callaghan," I said attempting to straighten up and tried to smother my giggles.

"No, please enlighten me as to what you find so funny. If it was something I did I'd like to know so I can either fix it or do it again," he said.

He was relaxing back on the sofa with his body half turned towards me. His arm was resting across the back of it, his hand mere centimeters from my shoulder.

"I was just thinking about how organized you are and how I was afraid that if one of those pencils rolled off the desk they might get spanked and sent to the corner.”

My eyes lowering to the ground feeling more than a little embarrassed at my statement now that I had said it out loud and hoping I hadn't offended him with it.

He stared at me for a moment and then burst out laughing. His deep husky laughter sent a shiver through me. I stared at him amazed at how that simple act changed his face so much.

"You have a nice smile," I said with admiration.

I caught myself staring at his lips wishing against my better judgment that I could press mine against them. I took a deep breath to steady myself, knowing what a bad idea that would be now that he was my boss.

"As do you," he said his eyes softened as he looked at me and his mouth still turned up in a half-smile.

I looked away not wanting his words to please me as much as they did, though still unable to help the flush of pleasure that went through me.

"Today we are just going to concentrate on getting you set up and our relationship worked out," Reed said changing the subject abruptly.

He set a pile of papers on the coffee table in front of the couch. I sat forward preparing to look through them, but all I could read of the top one was 'Affidavits of Consent'. I raised my eyebrows at him; however, he didn't even notice while he was continuing on.

"Now we have a lot to go over today so you'll be spending the morning in here, don't worry about your work because Lizzie said she would see that it got done," Reed said as he straightened out the papers.

"That reminds me, how do you know Lizzie?" I asked remembering what Lizzie said last night about Reed being the one to answer my questions.

"What a perfect place to start, thank you," Reed said with a pleased look on his face. "You know that picture in your house? The one of you at this club that you apparently have no recollection of?"

"Yes."

"The name of that club is The Dungeon. I own it and I met Lizzie there the night you fell and rattled your head," he said.

His eyes watched my face intently and waited patiently trying to give me time to analyze this little bit of info.

"Yes, I know it was you. You're the man who helped me that night," I said with a sigh.

Obviously, I wasn't going to get anywhere with any of these people without admitting I knew more than I was letting on.

"Yes, I am," he said the surprise in his voice was evident.

"I know, I remember bits and pieces of that night."

"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked accusingly.

"Because everything is mixed together and I'm not sure what is real or what is a dream. Even though I've asked over and over again, Lizzie is not being helpful. She's insisting she can't tell me anything until I talk to you about it," I said letting my frustration show in my voice.

Reed just nodded as if this was the right thing for her to do, then continued to explain watching me closely in case I began to panic.