Noah
Natalie stood me up. She never returned to the park the day after I met her, and neither did she pop up the day after that.
Am I insane for feeling disappointed?
I'm probably crazy, but...
I kept walking back to the park bench where I had met Natalie. Day after day, but she would never be there.
Instead, I caught Natalie walking together with a man on the street. They were laughing at something. And while I know I had no right to be angry, I was beyond pissed off seeing them.
It doesn't make sense. Natalie is a mere stranger, yet something snapped within me seeing her with that other man. He was good-looking too, not as tall as me, but he had stubble—so now I haven't shaved.
Fuck.
I'm losing my goddamn mind over this woman.
"Mr. Parker?"
I peer up from my desk, not surprised to find Bianca, my assistant, standing in the doorframe. We recently bought this office, and I have yet to install a locked door.
"Yes?" I ask her.
"The people who applied for my role during the summer are here, but... I think one doesn't have what it takes to fill my position. Should I send them home already? I don't think this person even realized what they were applying for."
"That's the point, though. I don't want the summer worker to know who they will work for. All the people I will be interviewing applied for a role as my assistant without knowing my name. It's important to me, so I don't have gold diggers applying for the role."
Or women wanting to date me, like Bianca. My mother hired her, which was a grave mistake—Bianca isn't my type. She is a snake who talks with my mother way too much.
"I insist that I send this person home, though. She has a rather bad history and wouldn't suit the role."
I arch an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Yes, we went to college together, but she dropped out because she is a slut that can't keep it in her pants. She is a mother now, and... She is also the worst kleptomaniac ever."
I chuckle at the word kleptomaniac—this person Bianca is speaking of certainly got my interest.
"Send them in."
"But sir—"
"Bianca," I say calmly. "Send. Them. In."
Bianca gulps. "Right away, sir."
I lean back in my chair, smiling until a familiar face enters through my doors. It's Natalie, and she pauses when she sees my face. I do the same and stare at her until a wicked smile takes my lips.
Well, well, well, how the tables have turned.
"Good evening, Natalie," I say, motioning for her to sit in front of me. I. Am. Gloating.
Natalie narrows her eyes but takes a seat. She is shorter than I imagined, round with gorgeous curves, but feisty. I like that. I have to stop myself from drooling and remind myself of her betrayal.
Natalie stood me up.
I should not get hard just because she wears washed-out jeans that hug her thick figure.
"I didn't realize you were the one hiring," Natalie says as she takes a seat in front of me. When I stare at her, she quickly adds. "I mean, you didn't look like a CEO when we met."
"Well, never judge a book by its cover—you didn't look like you would betray me when I first saw you either."
Her lips curl into a sarcastic smile. "Oh, there was a good reason I didn't show up the next day."
"Because you're seeing someone else?"
"I'm not seeing anyone."
I look her up and down, taking a deep breath when she absentmindedly scratches herself over her collarbone.
Do not stare at her round tits, Noah. Keep yourself calm and focus on her beautiful—fuck, why are her tits so gorgeous?
My eye is twitching. "Really?"
I'm trying to pay attention to Natalie's eyes, but my self-control is a joke; I keep glimpsing down into her blouse.
Natalie is looking at me funny. "Yes..."
"Because I thought I saw you together with another man."
Natalie laughs. "I can assure you that you didn't see me with my boyfriend because I don't have one. My neighbor's sons usually help me whenever I need a lot of stuff from the store. They are gentlemen."
"I see..."
"Excuse me for saying this, but these are very odd questions for an interview..."
Are her tits that big because of the pregnancy? My pecs are much bigger, but those are still some serious—
"Are you listening to me?"
"Huh?" I'm not sure what is wrong with me when I'm around this woman. Everything about her distracts me. But somehow, I force words out through my lips. "Sorry, were you saying something?"
"No, it doesn't matter," Natalie gives me a tight-lipped smile. "Because I can't take this job, regardless."
I lift a curious eyebrow. "And why is that?"
She snorts. "Why don't you ask your mother, Noah?"
I turn to stone in my seat. Goosebumps prickle over my skin, and my voice comes out hoarse. "What did you just say?"
"Your mother… You should ask her about me." Natalie gets up from her seat. Her eyes are filled with silent rage. "Even Bianca knows who I am. The only person who doesn't remember me is you."
I stare at her. "Do we know each other?"
Natalie laughs; the sound is bitter. "My name is Natalie Gracen—you and I are step-siblings, Noah."
My mouth slacks to the floor.
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Is this woman lying to me?
Elias, the man my mother married, has said nothing about having a daughter. And Bianca warned me about Natalie...
Could this be a trick to get money out of me somehow?
That thought makes my stomach churn.
It's not uncommon for women to attempt to deceive me these days. I'm a billionaire, wealthy, and the entire city seems to have heard about my severe amnesia.
Someone even tried to make me pay child support and claimed their son was mine.
Is Natalie one of those crazies?
I don't want her to be, but I can't be careful enough these days.
My suspicion grows. "If we are step-siblings, why hasn't anyone mentioned you?"
Natalie shrugs. "Because your mother doesn't like me? She even filed a restraining order to keep me away from you. She is the reason I stood you up and—"
"That's it," I press the button for security while laughing. "Restraining order? Please. That sounds way too unrealistic. Why the heck would my mother do that?" I snort. "Did you rob me or something?"
Natalie glares at me. "You think I'm joking?"
"I think you're lying," I correct her. "Which is sad—the devils are always the sexy ones."
Natalie part her lips, but luckily, my guards come racing through the doors to save me from her lies. She tries to fight them, but she is tiny. I lean back in my chair and smirk at her.
"You have a lovely day, Natalie."
Natalie's eyes are on fire. "You're an asshole. I hadn't even finished speaking my sentence, and you send your guards on me?"
I shrug. "What can I say? I'm bored—this is the most entertainment I've had in weeks."
"You animal! Barbarian! Cocky bastard! CEO scum!"
My cock hardens at Natalie's vivid insults.
Interesting.
I lift an eyebrow in shock—I never realized I was into the crazy ones. I've been searching for women to date in the wrong places; the asylum would have been more proper than the bar! No wonder I've been on what women call a dry spell!
I glimpse toward my window, smiling when I find Natalie flipping me the bird outside. She also pulls down her jeans, giving me a show of her ass that makes me laugh.
I rub my finger against my curling lips. I'm horny after seeing Natalie's peachy asset, but I'm also amused.
Natalie is a firecracker, and even though I should forget about her, I already know I will use her for inspiration later.