Mid Life Love (Mid Life Love #1)(97)

“I don’t think so.” I picked up my phone and called Angela. “Could you get me Harry in Executive Affairs please? Thank you... Hello, Harry. How are you? I’m great, thanks for asking. I’m calling because I need you to send out a mass memo from my account. The key code signature is eight, one, zero, five, one, six. Make sure you hit seven on the after screen so I can reset the code once the email has been sent...Are you logged in and ready? Good. Type these exact words: Dear Statham Industries employees, thank you for all your hard work over the years. The company wouldn’t be where it is now without you. To show you how much I mean that, today and Monday are surprise vacation days. You will still be paid for your regular shift and you’ll be awarded an additional two hours of pay per day. Thank you for all that you do. Sincerely, Jonathan Statham.” I hung up.

I didn’t give Claire a chance to react. I pushed her against my desk and pulled her shirt over her head.

“Why would you—”

“Shhh.” I unbuttoned her pants. “I’ll do anything to spend more time with you.” I slid her pants down to the floor and smiled at the new see-through black panties she was wearing. “For my birthday?”

She nodded and I laid her across the desk, determined to kiss every inch of her.

“Mr. Statham!” Angela screamed over the intercom.

WHAT?!

“Yes, Angela?”

“Your lead trust advisor is at my desk. He’s demanding to speak with you about that email you just sent.”

I planted kisses across Claire’s stomach, stifling her moans with my hands. “Tell him I’m busy.”

“He says he’ll wait until you’re free...”

Why can’t people just be f**king normal and accept a free off day? “I’ll be out in twenty minutes.”

“Um...Am I allowed to go home sir?”

“Yes.” I laughed. “See you Tuesday, Angela.” I pulled Claire up and tossed her over my shoulder, laughing at her pitiful attempt to act like she wasn’t enjoying this.

I carried her into my adjoining suite and hit the bathroom lights. “I guess we’ll just relax until everyone leaves.” I set her down in front of the Jacuzzi and ran my hands across her legs. “You’re amazing...Do you know that?”

“So are you...” She kissed me and I turned on the water, pressing the “heated spa” setting.

I unclipped her bra and let it fall to the floor. Then I reached around her neck to unclasp her white and red flag charmed necklace, but she gasped and defensively held her hand over it.

She stepped away from me and took several deep breaths, as if she’d nearly drowned and come up for air. She leaned back against the counter and squeezed her eyes shut.

I watched as she tried to compose herself, realizing that I’d never seen her without those two flag charms. Even when she wore a more elegant necklace, those charms were always attached—like they were a part of her.

I tilted her head up and looked into her eyes. “You don’t really have a fascination with red and white flags do you?”

“No...”

I ran my fingers across the necklace and tugged at the white charm. “They mean something to you don’t they?”

She nodded.

“Are you going to tell me what that something is?”

She didn’t say anything, but I could see a hint of pain in her eyes, a small lump rising up her throat. The look on her face was something I’d never seen from her; it was a look of complete vulnerability.

“I’m sorry. I won’t try to take it off again...I promise.” I brought her head close to mine. “Is the heated spa setting good enough for you?”

She nodded and smiled, and it looked like she’d completely forgotten about my attempt to take off that necklace. She slid her panties down to the floor and I immediately picked her up and placed her into the tub.

“I’ll be right back.” I adjusted my pants and headed back to my office.

I walked over to the door and let my lead advisor inside. “Are you coming to tell me Happy Birthday, Milton? Someone already beat you to it.”

“No.” He picked up one of the balloons and popped it. “Is that why you gave every employee the day off? Because it’s your birthday?”

“Would it be a problem if I did?”

“Need I remind you that every move we make between now and—”

“The day we go public will be crucial. There’s no need to remind me. I’m aware.”

“Are you? Because halting production for two workdays doesn’t sound like something a well-informed CEO would do.”

“You think I’m well-informed? It’s not too often that I get compliments from you.”

“I think you’re delusional, and if you think that I’m going to sit around and let you drag this company down to the ground because you want to eat cake and play with balloons all day, then you are sadly mistaken.” He shook his head.

“Milton...”

“Your ass isn’t the only ass on the line, Jonathan. There’s too much work at stake and a random vacation isn’t going to get it all done. You need to send a follow up email right now and get your employees back to their desks before they—”

“Milton—” I cut him off. “Go home and enjoy the damn vacation days. You worry too much. Everyone has been stressing out over the smallest things and worrying about stuff that doesn’t even matter. We could all use a break. By the time everyone gets back from vacation on Tuesday, the workplace will be much happier and we’ll be re-focused on the IPO. Trust me.”