Charmed by the CEO

CHAPTER 2-3

After a quick change of shoes and snagging an apple from the fruit bowl on the island and her coffee, Erin sped walked to the elevators. Erin was taking a bite of apple when the doors opened. The apple slipped out of her hand when she saw none other than Jason O’ Connell in the elevator. Unfortunately, the apple dropped on her foot causing Erin to gasp in pain.

“I see my foot is not the only victim of yours, Miss. Andrews.” Jason couldn’t help but tease. He wasn’t trying to be mean but how many things could this woman drop especially on someone’s foot. She really did need to come with a warning label.

Erin clenched her jaw and debated whether she could ride with him in the elevator without killing him or not.

“Are you coming, Miss. Andrews?” Jason smiled his most charming smile. The man really was too good-looking for his own good. He should come with his own warning label.

I want to come. Her libido said. It had been denied earlier. Erin straightened her spine and looked him straight in the eye. “It’s okay. I’ll take the stairs.”

“You plan on walking down forty-two flights of stairs just to avoid me?” Never had a woman tried to avoid him before. He found it refreshing. There was something about her that he just wanted to know more about.

“If I have to.” Was all she was willing to say?

“Come now, Miss. Andrews. We’re both adults here. Surely we can share the same elevator and remain civil.” He tried reasoning. He was curious to know about her.

Erin wanted to snap at him that it wasn’t her she was worried about being civil. It was him. He just had to keep throwing her accidents in her face. It didn’t help that she had a very erotic dream about him this morning. The thought of being in such a tight confined space with him was not a good idea. However, she did need to get on the elevator and get to work soon if she hoped to still have a job. With a heavy sigh, Erin walked into the elevator and put herself as far away from him in the corner as she could get.

Erin stared straight ahead and pretended she couldn’t smell his spicy cologne. Pretended she wasn’t aware of him leaning against the opposite wall from her, watching her. She cleared her throat and readjusted her purse strap. She checked her watch. It looked like it was going to be another sprinting day. Lucky her.

“Everything okay, Miss. Andrews? You seem nervous.” Jason asked trying to break the silence. He couldn’t tell if she was nervous in general or just around him. He knew she was attracted to him by the way she was first acting around him. Now he wasn’t so sure. He had never had to guess whether a woman wanted him or not. They had always been straight forward with him in the past.

“Erin.” She said absently. “Just Erin. Being called Miss. Andrews just makes me feel old.”

Jason smiled and held out his hand to her. “Then by all means, please call me Jason, Just Erin.”

Erin was reaching to shake his hand but pulled away at his comment. Could he be any more of a jerk if he tried? He was arrogant, rude, conceited, pretentious, she ran out of words that best described him. “Funny, Mr. O’ Connell.”

Jason just laughed at her not seeing what the big deal was. He was just trying to have a bit of fun with her. True it was a juvenile joke, but he wasn’t use to chasing women. It was the opposite way usually. He didn’t know how to act around her. When he had seen her last night with Miss. Guthrie even looking beat down she seemed so full of life. He felt like he was Icarus and she the sun. He was drawn to her for reasons that eluded him. He hadn’t felt this way since he was first in college. “It may not have been the funniest joke that I know of, but I thought it might make you chuckle.”

“You don’t know me very well, Mr. O’Connell if you think stupid adolescent jokes would impress me.” She retorted. She knew she wasn’t being fair to him, but he had already made fun of her once. She refused to be the butt of his joke again.

Jason stepped closer to Erin crowding her into the corner. She looked like a deer caught in the head lights. He was a tall man and use to using his size to intimidate. However, she was already tall and adding the heels into the mix the top of her head met his chin. He noticed her pupils dilate and her breathing changed. As much as she didn’t like him right now, she was still affected by him. He could work with that. He was nothing if not patient. He hadn’t started his own company at twenty-five by doing things half-assed. He would have to be strategic with her. He liked a good challenge. “And what would impress you, Erin?” Her name on his lips sent shivers down her spine. Did he have to have such a compelling voice? With that voice, he could almost make her do anything. “Fancy dinners?” He continued. “Night out on the town? Or perhaps dropping objects on people?” The last part was just to tease her. She was fun to watch when she got angry. Her green eyes blazed with fury. Her lips would tighten, and she would throw her shoulders back as if she was holding court. He bet she was a real dynamite in bed. At the look of pain instead of anger on her face, he may have misjudged her. She should be laughing at him or getting angry. Instead, she looked like he had just kicked her puppy because it was in his way. He took a step back to collect his thoughts. What had he said wrong?

Erin felt herself being caught in his web again with talk of impressing her. She would like a nice dinner with him and a night out on the town. But his last question had been a buck of ice cold water. It was just another example of why she didn’t like him. She could hear all of her friends making fun of her in her head. All the sly remarks about accidental Erin. Her friends had become so used to her clumsiness that they just started calling them ‘having an Erin moment.’

“Thank you for the reminder, Mr. O’Connell, of the unfortunate incident last night. I have already apologized for it and wish you would not bring it up again.” Erin said at calmly as she could, while inside she wanted to tear him a new one.

Jason only looked at her puzzled. He probably didn’t understand why it was such a sore subject for her. He had probably never had an embarrassing moment in his life. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Erin. It was only a joke.”

The elevator pinged, and the doors opened. Erin gave Jason a sad smile before stepping out. “It’s not much of a joke when you’re the only one laughing.”

Jason caught her arm before she could leave. “I’ve offended you. And I would like to know why?”

Erin only shook her head. The sooner she was away from him, the better. People like Jason O’Connell got everything they wanted in life. Yes, they were hard working and self-driven, but they never answered for anything. She refused to play at his antics. She shook his arm loose and walked away. He called out to her, but she kept walking. Jason O’Connell had heartbreak written all over him. She was just glad she saw it now before she could talk herself into trying something with him. She would just have to avoid him, and in three weeks when her apartment was fixed she would never have to see or hear about him again. Sadly, the thought wasn’t as comforting as she had hoped.