The CEO's Favorite

Chapter Ten

"I'm fucking tired."

Gabriel looks up at my entrance, somehow not seeming surprised to see me. "Aria," he muses, dropping his pen on the document before him. "What did I say about your foul mouth?"

"Fuck that and fuck this."

"Fuck what exactly?"

"This!" I snap, waving my arms wound to emphasize my point. "All of this. I can't work where I'm not welcome. I'd like to terminate my contract, please."

My dilemma seems like entertainment to him. He stands up from his chair, making me take a step back involuntarily. He expels a chuckle but doesn't stop as he rounds his table, coming to a stop in front of it, and leaning back against it. "It's your first day."

"And my last."

He arches a sharp eyebrow that has me momentarily pausing to admire his perfectly shaped brow. My eyes run across his face, his almond-shaped eyes, his slightly pointed nose, his pretty ass lips, his angular face, and his sharp jawline, and I marvel at how someone can be so perfect. God really has a favorite. I'm about to let my eyes further down when he speaks. "You're staring."

"What?"

He rubs his chin, taking his bottom lip in his mouth as if trying to hold back a laugh. I scowl at him. "Why are you so worked up by the way?"

Then I remember why I'm in his office in the first place. "Everything."

He hums, looking at me like he's trying to figure me out. "Do you know that it's disrespectful to just barge into the boss's office? Or anybody's at that. Haven't you heard about etiquette?"

"Gabriel!" I cry out. Since Lucas lost his dad, I'm not sure I've ever been so annoyed by a man before. I don't know how he does it, but he manages to get on my nerves while being pretty at the same damn time.

A cocky smile takes over his lips. "Mr. Hernsburg, baby. Or sir, whichever you deem fit."

"Well, I think Gabriel works just fine," I tell him, ignoring how he just called me baby. I try not to think too much of it. I don't know what he's playing at, but I know I don't want to fall for it.

"You're not very obedient, are you?"

"Oh, I am very obedient sometimes."

My eyes go wide when I realize what I just said, but Gabriel isn't bothered by it. Instead, he seems pleased by the reply. "Good to know."

I don't know what to reply to that, so I stay quiet. Then, I remember why I came in again. How does he do it? How does he manage to distract me so fast? I feel like strangling him because I don't like how I'm reacting to him. It's annoying. "I came in here for something," I state.

"That's right. Take a seat."

I look at the chair that's right in front of him and decline, knowing I don't trust myself to get too close to him. "I want to quit."

"I already told you you can't, Aria." He says softly like he doesn't like the situation I'm in but he can't do anything to help me. "Besides, it's your first day. You can't give up because of a bunch of insecure asses."

That's what I thought at first, but I soon realized they are right. "They're not insecure. They just know that I don't deserve this job. I showed them my pitch. They were impressed, but when they realized you told me what pitch to present, they concluded that we were having sex."

Gabriel shrugs innocently. "I mean, we can at least confirm the rumors."

"Gabriel!" I snap with burning cheeks.