L.A. Cinderella Read Online Free PDF Page B

she told him what she suspected and she was wrong, she’d still end up fired. Being fired a month into her first job would look really bad on her résumé.
    It was after five-thirty on Thursday, which meant the office was practically empty with the exception of her. And possibly Chase. The office staff left early on Thursdays for happy hour.
    She hadn’t been alone much with Chase this week. Even though she felt relieved, that little part of her couldn’t help being disappointed. The past few nights, Robert Addler had walked out with her and Chase, which was perfect for her. Chase couldn’t bring up lunch again if they weren’t alone. Unless it was purely business. So if he hadn’t brought it up, did that mean it was personal?
    Robert wasn’t here today. She stood and stretched her stiff muscles. Maybe she could just root through the files and figure it out. She stared at the large filing cabinets thatstored this year’s bills. Four long drawers filled with paperwork sorted by vendor.
    Maybe if she knew the rules on picking up cash and how it was given to the extras… She heaved a sigh. Walking around her desk, she stared down the hallway to the only light left on in the office. Her heart thudded against her chest. He would know how the process worked. Besides, she’d have to tell someone sometime. Someone above Mr. Morrison.
    Wondering if she was making a huge mistake, she headed to Chase’s office. Even with the little trill of anticipation to see him again, she walked slowly down the hall. Not only was she going to accuse the CFO, who had been here a lot longer than herself, of embezzling, but she had to make sure she didn’t make a fool out of herself over Chase and her little attraction.
    Every time she was near him, her body responded as if she were a cat in heat, and her brain went on vacation. She hadn’t figured out how to control it yet.
    Natalie paused outside the slightly open door.
    His low voice reached her ears, freezing her hand in mid-knock. “Alexis, I don’t think so…. No… I know how important this is to you, but I just… Yes… Have you tried Robert?… No, I’m not saying… If you would just… Sure, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
    The phone click, as it was returned to the cradle, barely penetrated the fog in her brain. What did it mean? Were they back together? She rolled back on her heels and tried to slip back before he noticed her.
    One step. She stopped at a rustling in the office, followed by footsteps. She squeezed her eyes shut. Oh, yeah, like that really hid her. She opened her eyes. A blue shirt filled her view. Oops.
    Tentatively she raised her eyes to his bemused expression. As always, heat flushed through her and her heart slammed against her chest.
    “Eavesdropping?”
    “No, of course not. I was coming to ask you a question. Just a question. I didn’t mean to overhear…. Not that I heard anything… I mean…” Oh, God, someone stop her.
    His grin seemed to increase the further she dug herself into the ground. Seriously, someone needed to make an emergency escape hatch one could fall into after one embarrassed oneself sufficiently.
    “It’s okay, Natalie. Come on in.” He stepped back into his office.
    He gestured to the leather guest chair before sitting behind the desk. She slid into the chair, and her eyes darted around the room. She crossed her legs and clasped her hands in her lap.
    She’d never been in here before. The tiled floor from the hallway flowed into the nice-size office, not huge but bigger than Mr. Morrison’s. Beige paint and framed movie posters covered the walls.
    Finally her eyes rested on the man behind the desk. Somehow he seemed closer than when he’d walked her to her car. Maybe it was his uninterrupted attention on her. A low thrum of energy sizzled through her body, and she involuntarily shivered.
    “What was your question?”
    Question? Oh, yeah, question . She’d had one. Things seemed to flit out of her brain when he was around.