Chapter 3

• KENNEDY
• Oh, my God!
• Startling in my seat, I was on my feet as fast as lightning. My hand was on my chest. I thought I was alone with Alessia. Then a deep rich masculine voice just boomed in the office. The tone of authority was strong in his words. 
• I nearly lost my footing. The tall man—taller like the skyscraper outside the window in a curly dark copper hair touching the collar of his crisp white shirt fitted perfectly on his muscular but not too stuffy figure. His clean-shaven masculine jawline could cut the silence deafening in the room. 
• But his eyes—damn, the color of a forest.
• I cleared my throat. “Hi. I didn’t notice Alessia was not alone.” Thank God. I got back my footing. 
• He met me in the middle. His lips were full, gorgeous, and red, spreading into a smile. God, his smile. His whole face lit up like brilliant lights. 
• “Thayer.” He held his hand out—huge hands, veins protruded like a hand used to do hard work. 
• Nice name.
• We stared at each other. My heart just stopped dead in my chest. I felt an unfamiliar feeling as this man broke the gaze and flicked down to my lips.
• “Kennedy.” I shook his large hand. God the sensation, and there was a distinct possessiveness in his grip. 
• I thanked God Raoul broke up with me because I felt like I cheated on him for admiring this Thayer guy with green forest eyes. So damn green how he was closer.
• My skin warmed. I pulled my hand back when a throat cleared indicated that we were alone. And for God’s sake, I was here with my boss, whom my promotion depend on her. 
• I opened my mouth to speak, but before my words came out.
• “I have a task for you. Think of it as your final test. If you pass it, then the position is yours.”
• I went back to my seat. Thayer took the seat across mine, crossing his legs like a classy gentleman. 
• “What is it? Thayer asked.
• Alessia’s warning look didn’t go unnoticed, but I also noticed huge respect filled in her eyes.
• “I apologize. I forgot I’m a guest.”
• “No apology needed.” Alessia looked at Thayer before she averted it on me. “You’re going to write an article on page thirteen—”
• “Page thirteen?” My eyes widened. Page thirteen was for an exclusive interview with award-winning actors, famous players, billionaires, celebrities, royals, and high-ranking officials, but that was not what I applied for. 
• “In four days, you’ll have what you need in your email,” she said briefly.
• “But I applied for a Senior Editor.”
• “Yes. You’ll take it, or you will be a contributing editor for another two years.”
• I swallowed down my disappointment.
• My face flamed. I could feel Thayer staring at me. I looked at him, and I didn’t know why. Maybe I was asking for his opinion. He was staring back at me with an intensity that I’d never seen before. And he was already setting my body on fire. 
• “Take it.” Just two words and I felt like I was ready to give in. Now I’d noticed an accent in his voice. Not Australian or South African, maybe British. “She wouldn’t test you if she’s not expecting you to pass it, Kennedy.”
• My name—the way he said it—I felt pretty. And the way he talked—everything about this man was sexy. 
• I turned my attention to Alessia. “Couldn’t wait for it. Thank you.”
• ***
• “God, those damn green eyes!” I dawn another shot of tequila—it burned down my throat. 
• Siena, Serenity, and Faith looked at me in disbelief.
• “Green eyes? Your stupid ex has dark brown eyes,” Serenity was yelling at me at the bar. 
• “Damn.” The sourness of lime burned my tongue.
• “Hey, you’ve already moved on? That’s great! But you still have to get to know him before he bangs you, Ken.” Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Faith—my fiery redhead friend. 
• “Nah. He’s just hot! He makes me all tingly.” I laughed out loud. I was an open-minded woman. I had one-night stands with men. I enjoyed sex. But I just felt different every time I thought of that stranger.
• I sighed again. I almost forgot my recent heartbreak. I guessed I didn’t love Raoul after all. “I need to look for an apartment.”
• “Don’t worry about it. There’s a vacant in my building,” Siena offered. 
• “Can’t afford your apartment, woman.”
• “Then we’ll help you find an affordable one. But let’s talk about our boss’ offer?” I haven’t given them any details yet. Because honestly, I didn’t have any idea who should I be interviewing next week. 
• “Damn it. Why can’t she just hand me in a silver platter? Besides, I deserve it. I know it.” My heart was crushed. “Don’t I?” I looked at their sympathetic eyes, staring back at me.
• “You can still find more deserving of your talent and hard work if you won’t get your promotion. And you’re a wonderful, hard-working, self-reliant, and confident woman. I’m sure you will nail your interview with her recommendation.”
• Serenity agreed with Siena. “You don’t need good luck, Ken.”
• “Thanks. I need to pee.” I knew my way around Night Stalker. I left them on the bar. I was slightly drunk, but I could still find my way to the ladies' room.
• Crap. The line was long, and I could hardly hold my bladder. I sighed deeply before I left. 
• “Miss?” 
• I rolled my eyes. “I’m not interested. I just broke up with my ex less than forty-eight hours ago. So no.” I walked past him. He smelled expensive cologne and was so tall and huge, towering over me. Wow! This man was an elephant. No, a giraffe.
• “I was just offering you a loo. A lavatory. I mean, a ladies’ room. “ Loo? Lavatory?
• I stopped and turned around. He’s huge as I craned my neck to meet his—dark eyes. “You brought your loo all the way from England?” I didn’t know why I giggled, but he smiled as well. He was handsome, but Thayer outshone him by far. 
• Jeez, why does everything has to do with Thayer now? 
• Damn it. I’d seen handsome men, but Thayer couldn’t get out of my head drunk or not.
• “You’re funny, my lady. But I’m not from England.” He chuckled.
• “Do you offer all women to use your loo?”
• “No. Just you.”
• “Why me?” I could barely hold my smile.
• “You poor thing, do you want to use the loo or not? My friend Ash and I have a VIP room.”
• I flinched. Did he really think of me that I would join them that easy? I just met him, and he did not even tell me his name. How convenient? He just happened to be here while I was waiting to empty my bladder.
• “Oh, woman. I was merely offering.” He raised his hands to surrender. “You can use the loo while we wait outside the VIP. If I scare you, madam.”
• “What’s your name?” 
• “Call me Lud?”
• My brow raised. “Lud?”
• “Stellan Ludovic. At your service.” He vowed.
• I laughed. “You’re funny. Ken.”
• “Just Ken?”
• “Not Ken and Barbie. Kennedy. My name is Kennedy.” I held my hand out. “Like John F. Kennedy.”
• He squeezed my hand with his huge one. Good thing not so strong that he might break my bones. “Nice to meet you, Kennedy. The same as John F. Kennedy.”
• He was true to his words. He and his friend Ash that I was introduced to, stayed outside even if I told them that wouldn’t be necessary.
• “Thank you, Lud. Ash.”
• “You’re welcome, ma’am.” Ash was a little bit formal and old-fashioned, but they were both huge and good-looking. No, I was not going to compare them to Thayer. But they both had a thick accent that I couldn’t point my finger on where they came from.
• Serenity drove me home. Before I could enter my key to the keyhole, I changed my mind. I hailed a taxi and gave him the address where I would be staying for the rest of my weekend.
• ***
• I woke up to the unfamiliar surrounding with a hammering headache. It was all coming to me bits by bits until I remembered checking in at the Lily Hotel.
• I stripped off my clothes and enjoyed the warm water in the shower. Then it hit me. I didn’t even have clothes to change to, other than what I was wearing right now. 
• Crap.
• It was already two in the afternoon. 
• After I dried myself with the free hotel towel, I put on the robe and checked the nearest laundry on the app. But I still have nothing to wear. And my phone battery just drained.
• What’s wrong with me? 
• I wasn’t this so disorganized, clumsy, and impulsive.
• My stomach grumbled. 
• Great.
• I knock on the door next to mine. No answered. I knocked again and waited for a few seconds. I thought of using the phone to call Serenity, but I couldn’t memorize her number. 
• Before I could turn around, the door swung open.