Reaching Lily. Vivacia Ahwen K

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СКАЧАТЬ leaned back. ‘I’ve been sitting most of the day.’

      I pointed up at his toy collection. ‘So …’

      ‘Like it? Nineteen-forty-six model. The year they introduced the “smoke effect”.’

      ‘What’s that?’ This was not the conversation I had been expecting. ‘The smoke effect?’

      ‘Oh, you drop what looks like a little white pill into the smoke box.’

      What do you say to that? And what was Dorian Holder?

      ‘You like trains.’

      ‘Yep.’

      He was not offering to turn it on for me.

      I looked through the window, or rather the wall of glass. ‘Beautiful view.’

      The city lay below and beyond. Though I don’t recommend swimming in Boston Harbor, it makes for a stunning sight, especially from about 300 feet overhead mirroring the springtime light. Everything is stunning from up on high. Now I get it.

      ‘Indeed.’ His eyes twinkled. ‘You should see the terrace.’

      ‘The terrace? I hadn’t known there was one. You can’t see much of this building from the ground.’

      ‘It’s quite splendid, Ms Dewitt. After we’re finished here, I’ll show you the real view. Puts this one to shame.’ He waved toward the window.

      ‘The sunset must be gorgeous.’

      ‘Hopefully. I’ll find out tonight.’

      ‘Oh.’ I wished he would just cut to the chase so I could go home and get my cry on. Perhaps he was enjoying watching me squirm? ‘How late are you staying?’

      ‘Until I’m done.’ He walked over to the windows, hunched over as though tired, then gave me a sidelong glance. ‘I have a bedroom suite up here as well, should I need to pull an all-nighter.’

      Wow. The bedroom suite. Where did he keep it? I wondered. I cleared my throat and forced my eyes to wander around the office again. Anywhere but at Dorian Holder.

      It was quite lovely there, and smelled very new. A few potted trees in the corner. Built-in bookshelves, void of books. Mr Holder seemed the sort who would buy some objet d’art as a conversation starter, seeing as he didn’t want to discuss his toy train set in depth. But for now the black shelves were stark and bare. The coffee table in front of me was glass-topped, with a small antique vase in the middle, also empty. No one brought him flowers.

      There was an old-fashioned dessert cart with several crystal decanters of what I’m sure was the most expensive booze. And a box of Cuban cigars.

      How quaint.

      Dorian Holder watched me closely. I could feel him. At last, he asked, ‘Would you care for a drink, Ms Dewitt?’

      I very much did, but thought it not the wisest choice. ‘No, thank you.’

      ‘Hope you don’t mind if I imbibe.’

      ‘Why would I?’

      ‘Indeed.’ He moved across the room with animal grace, and made quite a show of clinking the crystal as he poured about three fingers of scotch.

      ‘No ice?’ I asked. Oh, Lily. Sometimes I made myself so weak.

      ‘Never.’ He turned around to face me. ‘Why? Would you have a drink if it were chilled?’

      ‘Not at the moment.’

      ‘I’ve kept the bar and restaurant, if you change your mind.’ Mr Holder sat down in one of the two throne-like leather chairs that faced the couch. How very cosy. Apparently he’d changed his mind about standing.

       I want to be closer to you, Lily. I can’t help myself.

      My fantasy version of Dorian Holder was so corny. But wicked hot and in love with me.

      ‘Really?’ I smiled at him. ‘So the infamous thirteenth floor is real? You’ve got the drinks, you’ve got beds, you’ve got the –’

      ‘Yes, really. Though it’s about half the size now, since we put the offices in.’ He shrugged. ‘I have to take clients someplace to dine, and don’t do the long lunches out and about.’

      ‘Will there still be strippers?’ I blurted.

      ‘No.’ The corner of his mouth twitched, almost imperceptibly. ‘Why do you ask?’

      ‘I don’t know.’ There was a beat, and I asked, ‘Are we going to discuss my proposal or what?’

      ‘Eventually. But first, I’d like to discuss you, Ms Dewitt.’ He leaned forward. ‘I’ve been looking over my employee files all afternoon.’

      ‘Why? And you can start calling me Lily.’

      ‘Excellent. In the past, Lily, I’ve found that I can save hours of conference time by looking over who has been hired by one of my companies, and then I know who needs to go before I even talk to them.’ He scowled. ‘You’d be surprised how many people don’t make the cut.’

      Oh, boy. And he failed to do the You can call me Dorian. Oh, well.

      I waited.

      He gestured at a menacing file cabinet. ‘Now that I’ve seen how unqualified so many of you are, my workload has significantly decreased.’

      ‘How very convenient for you.’ Why should I waste any more of my time? ‘So, I didn’t make the cut, did I.’

      It came out as a statement, rather than a question.

      ‘Why would you say that?’ He seemed surprised. ‘I simply wish to know why you still choose to work at Apollyon. Aren’t you hungry?’

      Had he heard my stomach growl? ‘Hungry?’

      ‘Do you have ambition?’ he explained. ‘Your CV has so much to offer, but you choose to work for a failing company, and are willing to perform the tasks of three people without demanding a raise. Also, since when are copywriters creative directors?’

      ‘Well, I didn’t –’

      ‘What that says to me as your boss, Lily, is that you don’t take yourself seriously.’ His face was a mask. ‘If you don’t take yourself seriously, or value your work, why should I take you seriously? Or any of your co-workers? Or any of Apollyon’s clientele?’

      I hung my head. This was not the conversation I’d hoped to have, though I wasn’t surprised. Well, not entirely true. The angle he took came as a total surprise; I wasn’t expecting him to cushion it so nicely. The man was good.

      ‘Look at me, Lily,’ he commanded.

      ‘All right.’ My voice came out small and choked, СКАЧАТЬ