Chapter Four - Why Did He Hire Her?

"Ralph, I don't think this is a good idea. Sir's furious that I'm going with you, " Carmella pointed out, trying to escape his hold, but Ralph just grinned at her knowingly, not releasing her at all.

"Jaxon's always furious. Let him be. He doesn't own you. You're just working for him. You can do anything in your free time. Let's join the others for lunch. Just relax and enjoy yourself. Right?" he said, and Carmella nodded hesitantly. Would she lose her job?

Ralph thankfully left her hand as they reached the office cafeteria, where a group of people sat around a vast table, enjoying themselves. He led her to the rowdy group. "Hey guys, look who's joined us. Meet Jaxon's PA, Carmella Parker," he announced, and everyone quietened down and gaped at her. There was pin-drop silence in the entire cafeteria as they stared at her with curiosity bubbling inside them. Carmella did not know that she was the topic of hot gossip in the entire office!

She nervously waved at everyone around. "Hi," she said, looking around at her colleagues, who stared back at her with wide eyes. "Why's everyone staring at me, Ralph?" she whispered nervously, unable to take in any more

"That's because Jaxon Craddock steers clear of women and he has never had a woman PA in his entire life, that too, an inexperienced college girl," he informed with a grin. Carmella's jaws dropped hearing him put it that way!

"Oh, maybe he needed one, and I was just there," she said, trying to make it look normal. They were just making a mountain out of a molehill. Weren't they? Why else would Mr. Craddock appoint her when he really wanted a male assistant. Was it because he wanted to torture her for pouring coffee over him? No, that was a very immature reason.

"No sweetheart, it's not just that, believe me, " he said with a wink. Carmella blushed and looked away, inexperienced with the flirtatious ways of men. All her life she had led a sheltered life and now, for the first time in an office environment, she could feel her lack of experience.

"You're just making an issue out of nothing. As it is, he's rude to me," she said with a sigh. She had to clear their misconceptions if she had to stick around!

Ralph smiled knowingly and pulled out a chair for her to sit down. "Forget Jaxon. Tell me, what should I get you?" he asked while the others watched with jealousy.

"A sandwich and a drink. Actually, anything will do. I just don't like jalapenos," she informed him, searching for her wallet to pay for her food. It seemed luck wasn't in her favor, as she just couldn't find it in her pockets.

"Oh, I didn't get my wallet. I'll just go back to my cubicle and get it," she said, getting up. With all the others following her every move, Carmella felt uncomfortable.

"No, sit Carmella. This is on me, please," insisted Ralph, going to get their food. He brought her grilled chicken sandwiches and a cranberry orange mocktail while a burger with fries and soda for himself.

He introduced her to everyone, and slowly Carmella relaxed in their company. Tom Langfield was the head seamster, weaving magic into the materials. He was in his late twenties, just like Ralph. Then Dexter Jennings, who was the head of the marketing department. It was a young team and each one of them was fun-loving and friendly. Then she met Megan Grayson, who was around five-six years older than her. She looked after the photography department. She found out that Francesca, Glenn, Megan, Tom, and Dexter were from their New York headquarters, having arrived here for International Fashion Week. They would fly back with Jaxon Craddock after three weeks. She would also have to leave Vegas and her parents and go with them.

"Wow, so JC has appointed you permanently? How will you manage to leave everything and go to New York?" asked Megan, while the others listened intently. They were all bursting with curiosity.

"I'll do online classes, and weekend classes and manage somehow," she sighed, and they all agreed that it would be tough.

"Ask if you need any help, Carmella," offered Dexter.

She made friends easily with all of them. She was the youngest in the entire office and they pampered her extremely. Carmella loved the little break from work and promised to meet them again the next day. After finishing her food, it was time to face the music, and she went back to her cubicle. She was back five minutes before her time was over and sat at her cubicle to get a sip of water. However, she had just taken a sip when she saw Jaxon striding into her cubicle angrily.

"Party time over?" growled Jaxon from beside her desk. She jumped up with fright, spilling water all over her top, drenching her chest.

"Oh, you scared me, sir," she said, trying to dab her top with a tissue. Jaxon just stared at her like a statue. No word escaped him as he took in her drenched top, clinging to her perky, rounded breasts, clearly outlined now through the thin material. Something shifted within him and he reacted more to her than he should have. How could he feel aroused at the sight of such a trivial thing as a drenched top?

"You can change in my room. Follow me," he said when he had composed himself. He walked back to his office, to his bedroom at the back. He opened the door and stood there waiting for her. She walked shyly up to him and looked inside to see where he was leading her to. Her eyes widened seeing the bed. Did he want her to go in there?

He couldn't take his eyes off her as she stood near the door. He didn't budge from the door. "Go inside. There are many shirts. Just change into one of them till your clothes dry up," he said in a husky voice as the desire to touch her coursed through his whole body. She stood like a statue, as he still didn't move away from the door. "C'mon, we don't have all day."

"Can you move?" she mumbled, but Jaxon still stood like a statue, watching her like a hawk. He hardly could hear her when all his concentration was on his own pathetically aroused state.

She sighed and walked up to him. Having no other option, she brushed past him into the room. His breath hitched as her soft body brushed past him into his bedroom. He closed the door and released a haggard breath.

He really needed a release. Maybe then he'd stop behaving like a horny teenager around her. He muttered curses at himself.

'She's a woman, dammit,' he reminded himself in his mind but it didn't help. Images of Carmella played havoc in his head. Why did he have to lose his shit over a woman? He went back to his desk to immerse himself in work. Not even a day had passed since she joined his company and here he was already losing himself to her.

Carmella locked the door and looked around. The room looked so comfortable that she could take a nap. She was so tired. The room smelled of Jaxon Craddock and she inhaled deeply. He was a handsome asshole actually. She opened a chest of drawers and found many white shirts. She chose one and wore it. It was huge and dropped three inches above her knees. Her height of 5 ft 8 inches was short compared to his 6 ft 4. She placed her top to dry. But how could she go out wearing this? What would everyone think?

However, she had to complete what work he gave her. She couldn't hide here till her top dried. Opening the door, she came out. Jaxon looked up at her and his jaws dropped, seeing her in his transparent shirt.

"You won't go out wearing this," he growled. Carmella flinched at his harsh tone. "Get your laptop and go back to the bedroom. Work from there till your clothes dry up, " he said through gritted teeth. She nodded and did as he had asked her to do. She didn't go out of the bedroom and completed all her work. Her top dried up and she wore it and came out of the room. She went back to her cubicle and Jaxon gave her more work. She noticed that he actually avoided all interactions with her, ignoring her altogether.

She didn't understand him. Maybe he was repenting his decision to hire her. She completed her work and went home, tired and exhausted.

Her dad and Tyler yelled at her at the dining table when they sat down to eat. "You won't be going to New York and that's final," said Tyler.

"I've already signed the contract, dad. I can't resign from the job for two years. I've to go to New York, " she said, trying to convince everyone.

"You should have consulted your dad before signing, " said her mom with disappointment.

"You all have forced me into this. What difference would it have made if I had completed my studies and taken up an internship? But no. Here dad gave me an ultimatum to force me into what I hate doing. I did what I could to save myself from managing hotels all my life. In the corporate world, you are your own guardian. You can't possibly ask your boss to wait so that you can run to consult your dad," she said, her frustration and anger of the day finding an outlet finally. She got up and rushed out of the dining room, running upstairs to her room and locking herself inside.

She didn't open it when her parents knocked on her door. It was because of them that she had to face insults the whole day. She sobbed into her pillow brokenly. Tomorrow, she would drop her regular classes and opt for online ones. She had signed the next two years of her life to Jaxon Craddock and she couldn't back away. So she might as well face it bravely. She went to sleep on an empty stomach.

The next morning, she fished out a pantsuit that she had and after eating some cereal and milk, drove off to work. However, her day started badly as she went into Jaxon's office with his coffee.

"Good morning sir, you're coffee, " she said, placing his coffee on his desk. When he didn't look up, she turned to leave.

"What the hell are you wearing? Change this instant, we have a conference in twenty minutes, " he yelled, pressing his intercom. "Send Patricia to my office, now," he barked.

"Patricia will give you appropriate clothes to wear," he said disinterestedly.

"I will buy them since I don't have time to go shopping, " she offered.

"I forget that you're a billionaire's daughter, " he taunted. Her face paled at his insult.

"I'll buy with my own savings, " she said quietly looking down at her feet. Why was she here if he didn't want a woman assistant? Jaxon stared at her quivering bottom lip. Was she so hurt that she would shed tears now? If she did, he would surely kiss her like he'd been wanting to ever since yesterday.

Patricia was a thirty-year-old married woman who looked after the merchandise. She came inside and Jaxon introduced Carmella to her. "Patricia this is my PA. I have a conference with the media in twenty minutes. Please dress her appropriately, " he sighed.

"Yes sir," she said, leading Carmella away. The door closed after them and Jaxon rested his tired head.

"God, it was such a bad idea to hire her," he said, closing his eyes. He hadn't got a wink of sleep last night as images of a thoroughly drenched Carmella fucked with his senses, driving him crazy.