Damian Pov
I didn't mean to stare at her but I couldn't help it.
Karen Tyler walked into my office on Monday morning wearing a tight black skirt and a white shirt. I knew right away that hiring her was either the best decision I ever made or the worst.
"Mr Roberts?" she said and her voice was smooth and nice. "I'm Karen. Your new secretary."
I stood up and shook her hand. When our hands touched I felt something weird in my chest.
"Call me Damian," I said. "No need to be formal."
"Damian," she said and she smiled. She had really white teeth. "Thank you for this job. I promise I won't let you down."
"I hope not," I said and I pointed to the chair. "Sit down and I'll explain everything."
She sat and crossed her legs and I tried really hard not to look at her legs but I did anyway. I cleared my throat and started explaining how messed up the company was.
"So basically everything is falling apart," I said after talking for like twenty minutes. "I'm losing money and clients and I need someone who can help me fix this."
"I can do that," Karen said and she sounded really confident. "I worked at Harrison Industries before this and I helped them make thirty percent more money in six months."
"Thirty percent?" I said and I felt hopeful for the first time in forever. "How did you do that?"
"I'm good at seeing problems and fixing them," she said and she leaned forward. I smelled her perfume and it smelled expensive. "If you trust me I can do the same thing here."
"I'll try anything right now," I said honestly.
And she did exactly that. One week later Karen came into my office with this whole presentation about what was wrong with my company and how to fix it. She talked about changing how departments worked and getting new clients and cutting costs.
"This is amazing," I said while looking at her slides. "How did you do all this so fast?"
"I work hard," she said and she laughed. "Plus I like challenges."
Over the next few weeks Karen proved that she was really really good at her job. She set up meetings with new clients and somehow got half of them to sign contracts. She organized all my files so I could actually find things. She even stayed late to help me with paperwork.
"You don't have to stay," I said one night when it was almost ten. "You already did more than enough today."
"I don't mind," Karen said and she looked up from her computer. "Besides you're still here so I might as well help."
"My wife is probably wondering where I am," I said even though Bella was used to me working late now.
"How is your wife?" Karen asked and something about how she said it sounded weird.
"She's good," I said. "Busy with modeling."
"She's really pretty," Karen said. "I saw her in Vogue last month."
"Yeah she is," I said and I felt guilty for some reason.
She leaned over my desk to show me something on the paper and her shirt was low cut and I could see down it. I forced myself to look away.
"What am I looking at?" I asked and my voice came out rougher than normal.
"These numbers," she said and she pointed. Her arm touched mine. "They're finally going up. We're making progress."
"You're different than I thought," Karen said while playing with her wine glass.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I thought you'd be really serious and cold," she said. "But you're actually funny and nice."
"Nice?" I laughed. "No one ever calls me nice."
"Well you are," she said and she reached across the table and touched my hand. "At least to me."
I should have moved my hand away but I didn't. I let her fingers stay on mine and I felt something I hadn't felt in months. I felt wanted.
"We should probably go," I said but I didn't move.
"Probably," Karen said but she didn't move either.
We sat there for another hour drinking and talking and by the time we left I was drunk on more than just wine. I was drunk on how Karen made me feel special and interesting and important.
When I got home Bella was asleep and I was glad because I didn't want to explain where I'd been or why I smelled like perfume.
The next morning I woke up feeling guilty but then I got to work and saw Karen in a red dress that showed all her curves and the guilt went away.
"Good morning," she said happily. "Ready for another great day?"
"Yeah," I said even though great wasn't what I was thinking about.
Weeks went by and Karen became more than just my secretary. She became someone I wanted to see every day. Someone who made me laugh and feel good about myself and made me forget about all my problems.
"You've been working late a lot," Bella said one night at dinner.
"The company needs me," I said and it wasn't really a lie.
"I need you too," she said quietly.
"I know baby," I said and I grabbed her hand. "Once things calm down I'll be home more I promise."
But things didn't calm down and I didn't come home more because being at work meant being with Karen and being with Karen meant feeling something other than stress and pressure.
I knew it was wrong. I knew I was married and I loved Bella and I shouldn't be thinking about my secretary like this but I couldn't help it. Karen made me feel alive and Bella just made me feel guilty about not being able to give her a baby.
"We should celebrate," I said to Karen after we closed another big deal. "The whole team. Drinks on me."
"Sounds perfect," Karen said and she leaned really close and whispered "Make sure your wife comes too."
I looked at her and something in her eyes made my heart beat faster. I knew what she was saying without actually saying it.
"Why?" I asked even though I already knew.
Karen smiled and ran her finger down my tie.
"Because three is more fun than two," she said.
I should have said no. I should have told her that was inappropriate and that I loved my wife and that this needed to stop right now.
But I didn't say any of those things.
Instead I texted Bella and told her about the party.
And I knew exactly what I was setting in motion.