"I found my new PR," Blaine told his assistant, Kimmie. He had gotten up early and finished looking at Claire's files. He didn't sleep he was too aware of his delicate beauty lying next to him. He watched her sleep most of the night. He was very impressed with her work. She has done PR for some high-profile people. The mayor, and a city councilman to name a few. He knew Claire was the right person for the job. "Tell everyone the position has been filled. Also, let Claire's boss know she is working for me now."
Blaine leaned back in his chair wondering if he could handle being just Claire's boss. Ever since he laid eyes on Claire nothing made sense anymore. All he did know he wasn't about to let her walk out of his life. He also knew from a business perspective she was the best person for the job.
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Claire woke up and looked around Blaine's sunlit bedroom. She looked over and Blaine was already up. She smiled as she realized her dreams of meeting him were real. I can't believe I actually met. I can't believe I actually humiliated myself in front of him. That I slept in his arms. She sighed as she remembered how he swept her up in his arms and gently laid her on his bed. How he tucked her safely next to him. I never felt that safe with Ty. The realization of why she was in Blaine Kincaid's penthouse slowly crept up on her. She buried her face in the pillow Blaine slept on as the memory of Ty and the wedding planner came crashing back. She oddly felt comforted by the smell of Blaine's pillow. She groaned thinking about the fact she needed to go to the apartment to get her things. I don't want to go there. She thought as she pulled back the covers. The smell of coffee was coming from the kitchen.
"Where's Blaine?" Claire asked a small elderly woman. When she found the kitchen. She just followed the smell of delicious coffee.
"Mr. Kincaid is in his office, Ms. Ferguson," she said sweetly. "Would you like some coffee?"
"I would love some. Thank you," Claire said sitting down at the counter.
The woman handed Claire a mug full of hot, steaming coffee. The delicious aroma tickled Claire's nose as she took a sip. "Mmm," she sighed.
The elderly woman smiled and asked, "Would you like something to eat?"
"Yes, I am starving," Claire said gratefully. She realized she hadn't eaten anything since yesterday at lunch.
While the woman was busy bustling around the kitchen. Blaine walked in. "I see my new PR is finally awake."
Claire looked at him shockingly. "Wait! What!?" she asked confusingly. "How----?"
Blaine sat down next to her at the counter. "I looked at the work you have done at S&R. I am very impressed," he said seriously. "You are exactly what I am looking for. The job is yours if you want it."
Claire jumped up and threw her arms around Blaine's neck. "Yes! I want it!" She paused. She sat back down and laid her head down on the counter. "Ugh!' she groaned.
"What's wrong, Claire?" Blaine asked not hiding the concern in his voice.
Claire raised her head up and felt the tears daring to fall. "I have to quit my job. Then I have to deal with getting my things and never want to go back to that apartment again. I have to find a place to stay." The tears came anyway.
Blaine wiped her tears away. "You can start tomorrow and your boss already knows."
Claire wrapped her arms around Blaine. Thank you so much," she said.
Blaine wrapped his arms around Claire holding her tight. Closing his eyes enjoying the feel of her in his arms. Letting whatever this hold she had on him take over. For a brief second letting the thought of her being his encompass his mind. Because after tomorrow when she was his employee. She would be off limits.
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"I can't believe you went behind my back, Claire," Lexi said as she walked into her old office. She was there cleaning out her desk.
"Excuse me?" Claire looked at her with a shocked expression. She couldn't believe Lexi.
"Don't act so innocent Claire. You interviewed for the position for Blaine Kincaid's new PR," she accused.
"I didn't interview for it," Claire stated.
"So what you slept with him to get it. I'm shocked Ms. Goody's Two Shoes did something naughty.
"I did not. It's none of your damn business how I got it," Claire spatted. "Besides you don't the shit I've been through."
Lexi rolled her eyes. "What because you found Ty banging the wedding planner? Ugh, Claire get a clue," Lexi said looking at her manicured nails. "Ty banged anything in a skirt. Including me."
Claire didn't know what possessed her but she found herself walking over to Lexi. She reached out and slapped the hell out of her face. "You bitch!" she screamed.
"Crazy ass bitch!" Lexi yelled covering where Claire's hand left a red mark on her face.
How could I have been so stupid? Claire asked herself as she grabbed her things. She told herself she wasn't going to cry as she stood in the elevator. She still had to deal with going to the apartment and get her things. From out of nowhere she thought. I wish Blaine was going with me. She had no idea why she thought that. Blaine Kincaid was her boss. OMG! I am working for Blaine Kincaid. That realization gave her the strength to go to the apartment get her things and begin her new life.
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Claire took a long deep sigh as she unlocked the door to her old apartment. The one she thought she would start her life with Ty in. Here goes nothing. She thought as she stepped inside. She made her way to the bedroom and fought back the tears. She grabbed her suitcase and threw her clothes in grabbed her laptop and threw it on top of her clothes. She saw Ty's credit card on top of the dresser. She picked it up and slipped it in her purse. Thank you asshole. Tonight I'm staying at a five-star hotel. She grabbed her suitcase and never looked back.
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Claire sat in her hotel suite deleting all the pictures of her and Ty. She didn't want to be reminded of that cheating asshole. She couldn't stop thinking of what Lexi had said. Did he really fuck anything in a skirt? She thought how could she have not known? The signs were so obvious. He never let her anywhere near their joint bank account which he insisted on. He made her give all her friends and never let her go out without him. But went out all the time without her. How could I have been so dumb? She thought of something else. She grabbed her laptop and logged into her bank account. That asshole. Ty had wiped out Claire's bank account. Claire threw her laptop down onto the sofa. And ran out the door.
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Blaine was sitting in his office. He was thinking of calling Claire. He couldn't stop wondering how she was doing. He was trying to keep it professional starting tomorrow she would be his employee. He sat with his eyes closed taking a sip of bourbon when he heard.
"Mr. Kincaid, Ms. Ferguson is here to see you," his housekeeper said.
Claire. "Thank you, Ann," he said standing up. "Tell her I'll be right there."
"Yes, Mr. Kincaid," she said as she turned to leave.
I wonder what she wants? He thought as he made his way to her. He knew she was upset when he walked into his living room. She was pacing back and forth in front of the door. She had her arms across her chest. "Claire," he said.
Claire ran to Blaine when she heard his voice. She threw her arms around his neck. "I know I shouldn't have came," she sobbed into his neck. "I didn't know where else to go."
He pulled her back some so he could see her face. "What's wrong, Claire?"
Claire buried her face into his neck. "Everything is wrong," she cried.
Blaine led Claire to the black leather sofa and sat down. "Tell me," he said pulling her down next to him.
Claire pulled herself together and said, "I was cleaning out my desk at S&R and Lexi accused me of stabbing her in the back about getting the job as your new PR. Then she said Ty cheated on me the whole time we were together And that she slept with him. I looked at my bank account and he cleaned me out." She buried her face in her hands. "How could I have been so stupid," she sobbed.
That need to protect her came rushing back. He still had no idea where it came from. But whenever he saw her upset he needed to protect her. "Come here," he said gently. Pulling her to him. He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed his private investigator. He looked down at Claire and asked, "What is Ty's last name?"
"Huntington," Claire said wondering why he wanted to know.
"Get me everything on Ty Huntington," he ordered.
Claire looked up at Blaine. "What are you going to do?"
He brushed a tear away and said, "Don't worry. I take care of everything." He stood up and asked, "Have you eaten anything yet?"
Claire shook her head no. "I'm not really dressed," she said looking at her gray leggings and black off-the-shoulder sweatshirt. She had pulled her light brown bob in a ponytail.
Blaine reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair away. "You look beautiful," he said looking in those chestnut eyes. He wanted to spend some more time alone with her before she was officially his employee. "We can go wherever you like."
Claire really did want to spend more time with him. Whenever she was near him all the shitty stuff didn't seem that shitty anymore. She thought about her favorite deli in her old neighborhood in the West Village. "Have you ever been to McGregor's?" she asked.
"No," Blaine said.
Claire's face lit up when she grabbed his hand and led him out of the apartment. "You're gonna love it," she said feeling slightly happy.
"Where is this place located?" he asked curiously.
"The West Village," Claire stated.
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Claire and Blaine sat in a booth by the window in the brightly lit McGregor's. Claire had ordered them, her favorite Reuben sandwich. Blaine couldn't help but smile as he watched Claire. She is stunning when she smiles. Her chestnut eyes were lighter and brighter as she smiled. She was genuinely happy. It was as if a ray of sunshine radiated throughout her entire body.
"How do you know about this place?" Blaine asked.
"I used to live right down the block," Claire said sadly. "Before."
Blaine reached his hand across the table. "He's not worth it Claire."
"I know," she said smiling again. "So boss. What time do I have to report to work?"
Blaine couldn't help but laugh. "Why don't I pick you up at eight sharp."
"Really," Claire said. "Okay." Taking a bite of her sandwich.
"So how did you get into public relations?" Blaine asked. He wanted to know more about his delicate beauty.
Claire raised an eyebrow. "I thought you already knew," she teased.
"Maybe, I already do know," he teased back.
Claire giggled. "I majored in communications in college. I wanted a job where I could help people and still use my degree." Claire noticed how Blaine never took his eyes off her as she talked. Ty never looked at me like that. "I love coming up with ways to help people get their products out. Or finding a way to spin something negative into a positive."
"I was very impressed with your clientele," Blaine said never taking his eyes off her.
"Is that why you hired me?" Claire asked curiously.
"Yes," Blaine said seriously. "I only hire the best. And you are definitely the best."
Claire felt her face getting flushed. "I don't know about being the best. I am good at what I do. I take my job very seriously. Some people probably say I take it too seriously."
"Then you are definitely the right person for the job," Blaine stated.
"Thank you," Claire said. "Do you mind if we just walk around before we leave?"
"Of course not," Blaine said. Anything that lets me spend more time with you. He thought paying for the food. He stood up and held out a hand to Claire. Blaine swore he was just hit by a bolt of lightning when Claire placed her delicate hand in his.
Claire swore she felt sparks radiate throughout her entire body when she placed her hand in Blaine's. The look on Blaine's face made her wonder if he felt it too. Neither one said a word as they made their way outside.
"Which way?" Blaine asked when they had stepped outside.
"Let's walk this way," Claire said pointing to the right.
"How long did you live here?" Blaine asked as they started walking.
"I lived here for about three years," she said. She pointed to a brownstone. "I lived there," she stated. She felt the sting of tears but she wasn't going to give in.
"Do you want to move back to this neighborhood?" Blaine asked.
"No, If I'm starting my life over. I would like to start somewhere fresh," she said.
'Do you have any place in particular you like to move to?"
Claire shook her head and said, "I have no idea where." Claire stopped in front of her old building. She thought about how she was so positive. That she was doing the right thing. And how she was so sure Ty was everything she wanted and he was so in love with her. She wiped the lone tear that slipped down away.
As Blaine watched Claire look at her past. That protective urge was surfacing. He pulled her to him and whispered, "It's alright. Let it out. I'm here."
Claire wrapped her arms around Blaine holding onto her hero. "I don't want to cry over him anymore. I just want to get on with my life," she said.
Blaine kept his arm around Claire as he led her back to his car. They drove back to Claire's hotel in silence as Blaine kept his arm around her. He honestly did not know how he was going to be just her boss.
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