Rose of Thorne Read online

  I take my satchel with me to the conference room and slowly make my way to the back of the room. I keep my head down as he stands to address the staff in the room. The employees straighten in their seat and drawers fall at his every command… everyone, but me that is. I am not being defiant; I just simply remain amazed at how different he is from the man I had first fallen for. This Sebastian is so cold and arrogant, completely opposite from the warm and compassionate one that I first came to know. I quickly look down at my sketchpad when I see him begin moving to the back of the room near me. I continue to try to make myself invisible while the first two designers begin giving their ideas. Their suggestions do not impress me at all. Both of them have missed the concept completely in my opinion, but I am just an intern, so what do I know?

  According to Sebastian, we will be meeting again one more time before the big meeting with Chiro Yung next week. If this deal goes through, it will mean a three hundred million dollar contract for Thorne Enterprises; so needless to say, a lot is riding on this deal. Yung Towers is extending its Japanese hotel chain across the world and has decided to build a posh resort just outside of Los Angeles. They want a modern flair to their design, and specify that they want to stay away from the typical Japanese stereotypical designs. And so far, the number four presenter still hasn’t seemed to have listened to anything Mr. Yung has requested. Sebastian is now rounding the back of the room as the last member of the design team speaks, and I keep my head down, as to not bring any attention to myself. Sebastian cuts him off midway through his ideas.

  “This is ABSOLUTE PURE SHIT! Calvin, your team has two days to present. That is all everyone! Now clear the room!” he demands. I place my sketchpad in my satchel and make my way to the door as quickly as possible. One of the men from the team reaches back to grab his coffee and swiftly turns, knocking into me. Warm coffee soaks my black silk top and runs down my gray pants. I stumble back into gentle arms and feel the air hiss from between his teeth. He helps to steady me before turning to the man and unleashing his fury on him.

  “Are you fucking insane? Do you realize that if that had been hot, she could have been severely burned or scarred? ” he spits out as he makes his way out the door leaving me dripping with coffee and grabbing for my fallen satchel on the floor.

  WHAT THE HELL? I mean it was just an accident!

  Sara, being the absolute jewel she is, volunteers to help me clean my blouse in the ladies room.

  “You know, dear, it isn’t my place to say this, but is everything okay with you and Mr. Thorne?” she asks. When I look away from her, she catches my nervousness and pats my face.

  “You know, sweetheart, I have worked here for over 22 years. And believe you me, I have seen a lot over the years, especially between his father and him. I have to say that I have never seen him look at any woman the way he looks at you.”

  Huh? What look is she talking about? He ignores me when everyone else is around.

  “You must be mistaken, Sara. I am just focusing on getting through my internship. Mr. Thorne and I have nothing more than a professional relationship.”

  She ignores my words and begins eying my sketchpad in my open satchel on the floor. Before I know it, she reaches down, quickly retrieves it, and begins flipping through it.

  “Skylar, this is simply magnificent. Have you shown him any of these?”

  “Oh, no. I was just working on an idea while sitting through the presentations. I am sure Seb… Mr. Thorne wouldn’t be interested in an intern’s drawings. “

  “You really should let him see these, Skylar. I don’t think anyone else has gotten the idea down, and I know Sebastian has been very worried about this account,” she adds and hands me back the book.

  I tuck the sketchbook back into my bag and tell her that I will consider letting him see my ideas. What she doesn’t know is that there is no way in hell that I am actually going to do that.

  Two days later, the office is a bundle of nerves as we prepare for the huge afternoon meeting with Mr. Yung and his associates. I am making my way into the large conference room when I see him. Sebastian’s thick dark ebony hair is styled smoothly to one side and the length teases the top of the crisp gray designer suit that he is wearing. He looks magnificent and powerful and he exudes confidence when he enters the room. My gaze locks to his and for a few seconds, I see a hint of that perfect crooked smile that I have missed so much. Blinking rapidly to break our locked gaze, he turns to speak to the presenting team.

  I notice an empty seat in the far back and begin heading towards it. Suddenly, Sara calls my name out load and motions for me to join her at the front of the conference table. I inwardly cringe as I move to sit next to her. She pats my hand and I settle my things beside her. Mr. Yung and his associates make their way into the room a little while later and everyone stands to greet them.

  Thorne’s team wastes no time beginning their presentation and for the next fifteen minutes I watch a very terrified team give it their all. A very unimpressed Yung leans in to his associates and begins shaking his head at them. They immediately nod and begin waving their hands and stop the anxious team midway in their presentation.

  “Mr. Thorne, you disappoint me greatly. I am a very busy man and when I ask for the best, I expect the best.” He points to the screen on the wall. “This trip has obviously been a complete and utter waste of my time.”

  “Mr. Yung, sir, as you know I have some of the world’s best team designers here working for me. I am more than confident that we can come up with a design plan that pleases you,” Sebastian confidently says as he tries to motion for the men to sit back down.

  “No, Mr. Thorne! I need to get this project going immediately and these plans do NOT please me. I think, it’s best perhaps that I pursue other options on design firms.”

  Sara kicks me and I glare at her. Mr. Yung begins to stand and Sebastian immediately tries again to convince him to stay.

  “I am sorry, Mr. Thorne, but if this is all you have prepared to offer me today, then I am afraid we do not have a deal.”

  Sebastian has now grown irritated and impatient. It isn’t in his nature to fail and he isn’t handling the situation very well. Sara clears her throat and nudges me again, this time hard in the ribs.

  “OW!” I yelp and immediately fifty sets of eyes turn to find mine.

  I want to crawl under the table and die now.

  Sebastian looks harshly in my direction and then he softens as our eyes lock.

  “Is there a problem, Ms. Rose?” Sebastian asks me with irritation in his voice. And then Sara kicks my foot.

  Damn it, this woman was ruthless!

  “Yes… I mean, no sir, there isn’t a problem,” JAB. “OUCH, Sara!”

  “Sara, is there a problem?” Sebastian now asks through gritted teeth.

  Sara boldly stands. “Yes, Mr. Thorne, there is indeed a terrible problem. You see, Skylar here is too modest to show you her design concept. I think it warrants your immediate attention,” she says as she hands him my sketchpad.

  What? Where did she get that!

  I whisper to her, “How did you get that?” She smiles deviously at me and shrugs her shoulders. For an older woman she is incredibly sneaky. Sebastian flips through the book and then looks over at me with a soft expression on his face before sliding the book in front of Mr. Yung. Yung slides his glasses back on, and begins flipping through my sketches, slowly studying each one, and nodding his head in approval. He points and pats a few of my sketches as he begins talking in his native language with his associates. When he is done, he stands and lays the book down on the table in front of him.

  “Mr. Thorne, may I just say that my time is extraordinary valuable and while everything else has not been worth my time, this,” he says as he pats my design book, “is MOST valuable. Finally, someone has listened to my design requests. Young lady, this is simply magnificent.” Mr. Yung smiles in my direction before turning to Sebastian and extending his hand to him.

  �
�Mr. Thorne, we have a deal. However, I must insist that this young lady lead the project,” Yung says as they shake hands. I am in complete shock as the room erupts into applause. Sara beams proudly and pats me on the side of the face.

  Shit!!!!! I’m going to kill you Sara!

  Sebastian

  Great! Just fucking great! Not only do I actually land the account of a fucking lifetime, but now I have no choice but to work with her. It’s as if every time I turn around fate is rearing its ugly face at me. Mr. Yung is adamant about her being lead designer, but she is only an intern for goodness sake. I can’t bank all my belief that she will be able to handle this on her own, but I can’t risk losing this account.

  Mr. Yung bids us all farewell and even gives Skylar a huge smile before he pats her cheek.

  WHAT THE HELL?

  Yung has the reputation for being quiet ruthless, yet I am seeing a smiling, compassionate man?

  Skylar and her magnificent charm strikes, yet again.

  We only have two weeks before we are to present this again for Yung when he returns to Austin. At that time, he will want all of the designs and beginning specs laid out for him to approve so they can move ahead with beginning the project. I know Skylar and I will have to work like crazy in order to prepare it in time.

  I don’t know how in the hell I am going to be able to deal with this situation. For fuck sake, I can barely handle her being on the same floor, much less the same room. I have no damn clue how I am going to handle having to work with her one on one.

  I AM SO FUCKED!

  Skylar

  When he calls me in to his office, I didn’t know what to expect. Sebastian stands confidently when I walk in, and asks me to have a seat in the large leather chair across from him. My hands are shaking so badly that I have to physically hold them together in order to steady them.

  “Skylar, I know this is not the best of circumstances, but I feel it is necessary that we discuss the importance of this account. Mr. Yung is quite adamant that you, and only you, handle this design. You have to understand that I can’t in good faith allow you to have sole control over this account. So, it seems it seems that my only solution to this dilemma is that I help you. Don’t you agree?” he asks firmly.

  “Yes, yes, I think that would be best. In fact, I would be more comfortable if you just took complete control over it. I mean, it isn’t as if he will ever know,” I explain.

  “Well, that is where you are quiet wrong. Your ideas are what sold this account in the first place, so there is no way that you cannot be closely involved. I am thinking that you should take a couple of days, lay out your concept, and then present it to me. Once we have that down, we will have our art team finish the models and graphic boards. I want you to make this your only priority. I am available at all hours to help if you should need it. I am curious to see the layout that you have in mind,” he says.

  “Yes, sir, I will get started on these right away,” I say and pick up my things and head to the door.

  “Oh and, Skylar?”

  “Yes?” I answer back turning to face him.

  “I am sure if it is anything like what Mr. Yung saw today that it will be superb,” he adds softly.

  “Thank you, sir,” I shyly reply and leave his office to begin working on the designs.

  Ruthless! That’s what this man is. Over the past few days, Sebastian has grilled me over every single detail of the presentation. I know he has a lot on the line with this account, but I feel this is about more than just that. We are facing a huge deadline before we have to present, and we still have a ton of work to finish.

  “I think this area will flow better if it’s on the other side, don’t you?” he asks as he leans in beside me.

  Shit, why does he have to smell so damn good?

  “I already moved this twice now, the specs won’t allow for that area to work,” I argue back. I am exhausted and it is getting late.

  He slides off his suit jacket and flings it across a nearby conference chair. While he looks over the designs in front of him, he slowly rolls the sleeves up on his ice blue shirt and grips the side of the conference table. I can’t help but see the defined muscles in his biceps as he flexes forward on the table.

  “Hmm, maybe you’re right, but we do need to figure out the best layout of the fitness room and indoor pool. The builder wants those plans first so he can get the go ahead from Yung,” Sebastian says.

  “Sure, I can work on that at home tonight and have that on your desk first thing in the morning,” I offer.

  I just want to get the hell out of there.

  He looks down at his watch and shakes his head.

  “Actually, do you think you can work late tonight? We have a ton of stuff to get through this week, and we are going to have to pull at least a few late nights. Hopefully that won’t be a problem for you. I know you have your sister to think about.”

  Late nights? SHIT! Skylar, keep it together. You can do this! You can be professional!

  “Yes, I can stay as late as you need me to. My sister isn’t at home tonight, so it is fine.”

  “Good, I’m glad that’s settled. How about you order us dinner and we can lay out these designs again to see if we can find a solution,” he replies.

  It’s now almost two in the morning and the conference room still smells of the Chinese takeout from earlier. Wadded up sketches fill the large conference room floor and table. I am completely exhausted, but I think we have finally figured out a solution for the builder in L.A. Coincidently, it was my original design concept. Sebastian is currently on his phone with the builder, even at this late hour. I enter the initial measurements in my laptop and email them to the builder.

  “She’s emailing them to you now. Yes, that will be fine. Let me know what you think so we can send those on to Yung,” he says into his phone.

  I kneel down and begin picking up the papers off the floor. Moments later, he is on his hands and knees beside me. The heat radiates off his body and I feel my body begin responding to him. I try to ignore the fact that my heart is pounding and continue cleaning up, but we reach for the same piece of paper and I instantly freeze. His hand remains on mine and our eyes lock onto one another. Neither one of us moves; we just keep staring deeply into each other’s eyes.

  He looks down at my lips and then swallows hard. He leans closer, but I move back and he blinks back to his serious face.

  “You look exhausted, Skylar. Why don’t you head on home. I have an early meeting so don’t worry about coming in on time in the morning. We’ll get back started on the other designs later today.”

  “Yes, sir,” I say and Sebastian helps me to stand.

  “I’ll call my driver for you. I don’t want you driving home this late. He can pick up in the morning when you are ready to come in,” he says.

  “Thank you, Mr. Thorne.” I say and he frowns before responding.

  “Good night, Ms. Rose.”

  In my bed that night, I can’t control my betraying body. All I can think about is him. Even though I have never been with a man, my young body is still alive with needs and desires. Unable to help myself, I slide my hand down, slowly slip it beneath my panties, and begin rubbing my clit. The entire time, I imagine it is Sebastian’s strong fingers slowly stroking me. I moan and twist in my bed as I am overcome by an intense climax.

  I don’t know how I am going to survive working this close beside him for another week.

  Sebastian

  I sit in the conference room alone staring at the designs in front of me. Truthfully, the designs are perfect in every way. What she doesn’t know is that I have already sent Yung some previews that she did earlier in order to get a jump-start on the L.A. ground breaking. For the past week, I have been rough on her and that makes me feel like a complete and total piece of shit. Actually, I don’t care what it makes me because I will do whatever it takes to allow me to be close to her.

  She looks like sunshine standing there in my office in that yell
ow silk dress that she’s wearing.

  My perfect sunshine.

  There is something about this evening and I just can’t let her leave. I am desperate when I suggest we pull a late night tonight. Over and over I reach around her tonight. I find any and every excuse I could to be close to her. I breathe her in and savor every sweet moment our hands are near each other.

  After my fake phone call to the builder, I join her on the floor to help her pick up the mess that we’ve made. We accidently pick up the same piece of paper. When our hands connect, our bodies surge with that phenomenal wave of energy back and forth. It is as if neither one of us really wants to let go of the other. I can still feel her touch on my hand as if it is seared onto my skin.

  She is exhausted and I feel horrible that I have done that to her. I have my driver take her home tonight, but her presence still haunts the conference room in which I am now sitting. I pull my hands through my hair and watch the city lights through the large glass windows that surround me. All I can think about is the girl across the city from me and I pray that right now she is sleeping peacefully. I know I certainly will not be tonight.

  I am surprised to see her sitting at her desk early the next morning. I had hoped she would rest some before she came in today. She still looks tired, but selfishly I am so happy to see her beautiful face again. I decide that I won’t keep her again late tonight because it will be pushing her too much.

  For most of the afternoon, we work closely together on the final layouts for the art team. I am just about to suggest that she leave early when she speaks.

  “Mr. Thorne, I am worried about presenting this all on my own. You will be involved in this, won’t you?” She asks me hopefully.

  “Actually no, Skylar, I will be present for the initial meeting, but you will be the one presenting this. That is something Mr. Yung is quite adamant about. It is your design, after all. Is that going to be a problem?” I ask her.