Zara's POV
I woke up to someone calling my name. I opened my eyes and tried to figure out where I was when the annoying, harsh voice of my new boss reached my ears.
"Are you well rested? Or should I make you a bed?" His irritation dripped from every syllable as I realized what I had done and tumbled out of his chair like it was an electric chair and not his comfy leather one that had killed me when I couldn't sleep.
Standing up straight, I folded my hands in front of me. Like I was getting ready for a morning meeting?
"Too much of an impression, Zara," Nova scolded me.
"He might fire you before you're even properly hired," Nova scolded me again.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." I tried to apologize without looking up. The blush crept up my neck, cheeks, and ears, adding to my embarrassment, and I couldn't look him in the eye.
"How come I didn't wake up when he opened the door? I wasn't sleeping very well. Nova, this is all your fault," I warned her.
"You didn't want what? To sleep on your first day on the job?" He was standing so close I could feel his heat and that ridiculously intoxicating cologne of his.
I looked up and stared back. I was guilty, but that didn't mean I was going to let him invade my personal space.
"I'm sorry; it won't happen again," I said with all sincerity. I shouldn't have been watching Sterling Empire videos all night, but my ovaries needed them, and I still don't regret it.
"Make sure that doesn't happen. That was unprofessional of you." His tone wasn't condescending, but it was firm. He meant it.
Taking that as a hint, I backed away from him as he opened the folder containing my contract.
Uh! No, he was already mad at me, and now he was going to see the ridiculous amount I'd written down as salary.
The wrinkle in his forehead melted, and his long eyelashes, which looked like they'd been curled with an eyelash curler, blinked. He started reading what I'd written, his lips curling while mine remained straight.
That was the scolding.
He looked at me, closing the folder and gesturing to the chair.
The Ice Wolf asked in a heavy voice. "So, do you agree to all the terms? Anything you want to discuss or have a problem with?"
I crawled over to the seat and settled into it as elegantly as I could. My legs were shaking slightly, so I put my hands on them to keep them from shaking.
He seemed to have no problem with the salary I demanded.
I wasn't sure what Kane meant when he said I was to act as his girlfriend, or what kind of relationship he expected to have.
So I asked with a little hesitation.
"I'd like to know a little about the last duty. What did you mean when you said I was to act as your girlfriend?"
He leaned back in his chair again, and I noticed how he loosened his tie, ruining the perfect Windsor she had created for him.
"It means what it says, Miss Zara. I want you to be my fake girlfriend for social events. I'm not looking for a relationship." He paused to check if I understood, and I nodded quickly as he continued.
"Don't worry, this will be professional and consensual. Let's think of it as a boss and secretary with benefits."
He was dead serious.
"Benefits? You mean we have to...?" I blurted out, unable to contain myself.
Kane snorted, knowing what I meant.
"No, we won't have sex. I have other options. I don't want any awkwardness in the workplace."
There was a glint in his eye that I didn't understand, his lips lifting slightly in a smirk at my discomfort. How open he was about it.
Men are shameless.
A brazen man.
At least he could smile.
My ears were burning with embarrassment, and I had to tear my eyes away from him and stare at the ground. I awkwardly adjusted my posture and cleared my throat.
"Good, because I'm not looking for any intimacy. And I don't want it with my Alpha and my boss."
It was a white lie. I wanted to have sex just to get Marcus out of my head. But sleeping with your boss wasn't the best idea. I wanted to be seen with him, and it had to happen; no one could know our relationship was fake.
"So, do we have an understanding?" Kane asked in his deep voice. He leaned forward, folding his hands on the folder.
"Yes." I nodded.
He unclenched his hands and extended his right hand towards me.
"Welcome aboard, Miss Zara. I'll give you a detailed contract on how to become my girlfriend." The Alpha extended his hand for me to shake.
Unlike the average CEO, this man didn't mince words. I took his large hand and felt the hard, calloused skin against my soft hand. He shook my hand firmly, but didn't try to crush mine.
The warmth of his skin seeped into mine before he let go. I didn't expect his hands to be so warm for such a cold man.
So sex was out of the question. Did that mean I could date other people? It wasn't like I was in a rush, but I needed to make this clear.
"I don't have to be faithful to you, right?" I asked, pulling my hands away and placing them back in my lap. This needed to be resolved, I didn't want to be stuck with him while he slutted and I remained chaste.
His heart-shaped lips curved into what seemed like a half-smirk, half-mock.
"Sure, if you can be discreet. There are plenty of call boys to satisfy carnal needs. Women use them all the time. Nothing special." He shrugged his broad shoulders as if it were a very casual conversation. The half-smirk turned into a cocky smirk.