Serpent's Kiss

Chapter 4

Gabriella

What was I thinking? I knew I shouldn’t have done that, but the wine tasted so good that I ended up drinking far too much. He had a handsome yet dangerous aura that completely captivated me. However, I quickly came to my senses and ran away as fast as I could. When I looked back at him, I saw a confused expression on his face.

I walked through the door of my home and was greeted by my two dogs, who were always way too excited to see me. I set my purse down and acknowledged both of them. "Momma wasn't thinking clearly tonight, guys. I acted stupid.” I told them. I then walked to the back door and let them out into the fenced yard.

Afterward, I changed out of my clothes, took a shower, and put on my pajamas. I walked down the stairs and let the dogs back inside. They followed me to my room and hopped into the bed watching me as I moved around the room prepping for my first day at Blackwell and Sons.

I laid out a black pencil skirt, tights, a buttoned-up blouse, and a black blazer. Looking at my shoe options, I decided on a pair of short black chunky heels. I hung it up all together on the outside of my closet door and walked over to my bed. I picked up a trashy romance novel and read it until my eyes were heavy and I fell asleep.

I dreamed of him, his mouth covering mine, bringing me pleasure in a way I could only imagine. I was tossed around effortlessly, his hands roaming my body, his hard c**k pressing into me, revealing that he desired me just as intensely as I wanted him. His piercing gaze deepened with hunger as his tongue glided over my skin, savoring every inch of me.

My alarm went off the next morning, rousing me from my dreams. I glared at it as I shut it off and I got ready for the day. I prepared breakfast while the dogs were outside. When they came in, I gave them their food and settled at my small table to eat my own meal. As I ate, I watched them. Bruno finished first and laid down at my feet, followed closely by Buster, who laid down next to him. They both watched me patiently, waiting for their share. I always saved my last two bites for them. I halved the final bite of my egg sandwich and offered it to them.

I drove to work and entered the parking garage. I found a spot close to the covered pedestrian bridge that allowed employees easy access into the building. I gathered my bag, coffee cup, and lunch and made my way inside. I was twenty minutes early, which allowed me plenty of time to figure out where I was going.

I pressed the button for the elevator and took out my phone to read the instructions for my first day from the employee email. As I stepped inside, I didn’t look up but noticed men’s dress shoes from my peripheral vision and pressed the button for the top floor. When it dinged I stepped off and walked to the right, making my way to the floor break room to drop off my lunch and hopefully refill my coffee cup.

I took a sip of the freshly brewed coffee and walked off to find Ashley, who would assign me to my tasks. I would be working directly under her and Mr. Blackwell for the next six months. I found her office with ease and knocked lightly on the open door.

“Good morning, Ms. Hart.” She smiled at me.

“Good morning.” I smiled back.

“Let’s get you settled in. Please follow me.” She stood up from her desk and walked out the door onto the main floor. As we walked, I took in the open-concept area, which featured several desks with people already hard at work. I could hear the sounds of papers shuffling and the gentle tapping of keyboards. “This will be your office space. You have a door that leads directly into Mr. Blackwell's office. Guests will enter here, and you will buzz them in. I know this seems like a secretary role, and for now, it is, until we get you trained. Mary is currently on maternity leave and will return in about a month. This should provide you with ample time to learn the ropes." She turned to look at me. “Mr. Blackwell is currently in a conference call meeting. Once it’s finished, he will come out to greet you. In the meantime, feel free to get settled. Please log into your email and start your training videos. Do you have earbuds?”

“I do, yes.” I nodded.

“Good. I’ll leave you to it.” She walked out of the room.

I set my things down and looked around my new office before settling in and starting to work. The walls were painted a soothing blue, and sunlight flowed through the windows, making the place feel warm and welcoming. I took a deep breath, feeling both excited and a bit nervous.