The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO)

Seattle is miserable.

It’s rainy and cold and the meetings drag endlessly, another boring board of directors, and another boring meaningless round of chatter. Something I learned working in my new role is how much businessmen like to set up meetings to discuss nothing much at all and will take several sessions to conclude on something minor.

The hotel is like every other we have stayed in and as usual we have a penthouse suite. Grand, opulent, and modern. Jake insists that when we travel, we have rooms in the same suite, so I can be at his beck and call as we usually work late from them. I spent the best part of last night having him dictate memos and running through his schedules and itinerary before he made me get up at the crack of dawn to jog with him in the rain.

Jake likes conversation when he runs, so whenever we leave home and his trainer behind, he harasses me into it. I have never jogged so much in my life until I started living with this man.

I’m tired by the time we get back to the hotel, it’s been a long day and I’m none too pleased, when upon arrival, we’re met in the foyer by a familiar looking red head. I inwardly groan.

Felicity Crane!

This is the one with a voice like razor blades and I have a headache coming on. She’s also a screamer and the reason I carry headphones and an iPod when I have to live in the same suite as Casanova Carrero. I am instantly deflated.

I give him a withering look and catch his smirk; he knows how much I love Felicity. She’s been on his date list for a few weeks with sporadic hook ups, because she understands the meaning of casual sex! Seattle is her home base, although she travels a lot and meets us in random cities.

“Miss Crane.” I smile tightly and try to look elsewhere as she embraces Jake eagerly, with loud wet kisses on his cheek.

Gross. Have some class for god’s sake.

“Oh, Jake, you look so hot in this suit, so very businessman of the year.” She whines in that painful voice. I try to numb out the clingy baby tones as we hit the elevator. Like nails down a chalkboard.

… New hair?” Jake, as observant as ever, although he only noticed because I pointed at

Even though I’m standing with my back to them I know she’s probably curled

He’s not a stupid guy so he can’t get any enjoyment out of conversation with the brain dead. I guess it’s not the conversation he’s interested in, as I turn slightly and

pocket and I look down to

number and glad for the distraction from the smoochy woman molesting my boss

It’s a male voice, one I vaguely recognize, something gnawing at me in the back of my mind as I screw my eyes up and try to place

in on me with interest, his probing gaze, because normally all calls relate to him in some way, and the

shit, he probably thinks I have finally found

to the hoarse voice on the other end, who is mumbling annoyingly. I

been a long time … Emma it’s your father, Frank Roberts.” The faceless voice slurs and my blood freezes in my veins, the warmth drains from my face, inhaling fast and I’m at a loss for words as I zone out whatever else he is saying. The suffocating sensation in my lungs momentarily

off his babble. I sound as shocked as

give me a chance …” His voice is weak and gnarly, it causes a creeping bile in my stomach to rise and an

with it, trying to switch it off. Jake’s hand is on my arm in a heartbeat, trying to turn me, but I stiffen to stop him.

time managing to switch the cell to mute and shove it deep into my bag. I am overcome with emotion, and I don’t want to be closed in this elevator with Jake and Felicity

face coming around the side of mine to

Steady,

walls begin to move back out and I calm myself, pushing out of his embrace and against the elevator door with a palm to

quick glance back and a tight smile, but his expression stays the same. He looks

often manhandles me, it doesn’t scream