Oops… My New CEO Saw Me in a Towel Chapter 02
His voice kept replaying in my head – low, unhurried, way too pleased with itself. My cheeks went hot.
Mia glanced at the bras in my hand, plucked the black one
off the bed, and held it up in front of me. “Yeah, the black one looks good.”
That night, Mia went to bed unhappy. I refused to make her her usual midnight snack.
Served her right.
Back in my room, a notification glowed on my phone.
[Next time, just ask me.]
As if. It wasn’t like I was wearing any of it for him.
I buried my burning face in the pillow and pulled the
covers over my head. The images played anyway – slow,
vivid, frame by frame – and sleep pulled me under before
I noticed.
My alarm went off bright and early, and I was up on the first ring,
Light makeup. Breakfast on the counter for Mia. Then I
was out the door. Apex Innovations was the top tech
company in Silverwood – the dream for any CS grad. I
was no different.
The lounge was already packed when I got there. Candidates everywhere.
I found a corner seat, résumé in hand, and caught the two people beside me whispering.
“Apparently the CEO showed up today. Word is he’s going to pick someone from our group to fast-track to corporate.”
“That’s nothing new – they pick a couple of people every year.”
“Oh. Huh.”
None of it concerned me. I’d applied for R&D – that was
the job I’d prepped for. CEO, headquarters, none of it was on my radar.
Before long, an HR rep with a clipboard started calling names,
Nerves hit out of nowhere. First real interview since graduation,
Then they called my name.
I followed him to the conference room. One look at the
man sitting dead center of the panel, and every thought in
my head went quiet,
“Stella.” That was all he said – just my name –
pulse took off running. and my
One of the other interviewers cleared his throat. I snapped out of it, sat down across from him, and launched into my
rehearsed intro.
I kept my eyes on the rest of the panel the entire time. It didn’t help. His gaze tracked every word – steady, amused, like he was savoring the whole show.
That bastard. So that’s why he sent that text last night.
The rest of the panel lobbed technical questions my way. I knocked every one down without flinching.
He hadn’t said a single word since calling my name. Just sat there – leaned back, one corner of his mouth barely lifted, fingers tapping a slow rhythm against the table.
Right on top of the headshot clipped to my file.
Heat crept up the back of my neck and settled behind my ears,
God. This was torture,
Six months with him, and I knew exactly what that smile meant. Every time he smiled like that, I paid for it later,