My alarm clock went off at 4:45 am and I groaned.

I kicked the covers off and sat on the edge of my bed contemplating if this job is actually worth it or if it was total shit.

Then I reminded myself that I definitely needed and wanted this job so I stood, stretched, and walked blurry-eyed to the bathroom and proceeded to start my daily routine.

***

I was just about to apply some lipstick when my phone started ringing and for a moment I thought it was my grandma and I felt excited to tell her about my new apartment and my new job...

But then I remembered why I was in Dallas and my heart ached. She was in a better place and I knew that...but I missed her like hell and wished I had my best friend back.

After all, it wasn't like I could exactly call my ex-boyfriend who happens to still be in love with me and tell him all about my hot boss...

And then my mind was brought back to the present and my still ringing phone and how it was 6:26 in the morning...

Who could be up this early, let alone calling people?

I looked at the caller ID and saw a number I wasn't familiar with but I answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"Genevieve, good morning. On your way into work, grab me a coffee: medium, dark roast with three sugars and one creamer. I'll see you in 30," he stated in a no-nonsense tone and then hung up.

I thought about saving his number under 'Dominating Dom' and chuckled but decided against it just in case he ever saw it. Instead, I went with 'Dominic Blackstone'. Plain and boring, everything I had a feeling he was not.

It was smart of me to have woken up earlier than needed, I guess. I was basically ready to go but that extra stop would have me cutting it close.

***

I was rushing into the office at 7:08 with two coffees in a drink carrier in one hand and a bag of muffins in the other.

"Good morning, Dariah," I exclaimed as I rushed past her to the elevator, all while still trying not to trip in my heels. I couldn't afford a mishap of that proportion on a day like this.

She was looking down at her phone in one hand with a cup of coffee in the other but I heard her mumble out a, "Morning".

I pressed the button for the elevator and when it finally arrived, I stepped inside, pressing my floor number.

"Hold the elevator," someone yelled so I stuck my bag of muffins in between the doors, stopping them before they shut.

Jeremy rushed into the elevator and gave me a smile, "Good morning, Gen. I assume the interview went well if you're here at the butt crack of dawn."

I chuckled and Jeremy pushed 12 on the elevator panel. I noticed that his cheeks were flushed from overexertion but his eyes were bright with excitement.

He cleared his throat and his smile fell as he looked at my hands, "Is all of this for him?"

I re-adjusted the drink carrier in my hand, "Uh, not all of it. I didn't have time to fix breakfast so half of this is mine. I didn't realize I'd get a 'coffee run' phone call this morning before breakfast so I'm late and I'm hungry," I pouted at him.

He laughed, "Oh yeah, that's probably the one and only phone call that he'll give you. Now you know his order so he'll expect you to get that every morning," he looked at his watch and raised his eyebrows, "Nine minutes late... Not a very good impression on your first day if I'm being honest."

I huffed and smiled at his playful grin, "Oh, hush, you! I had no idea he would call demanding the world of me before seven! But now I know better so it won't happen again."

The elevator doors opened and he got out with a chuckle and a wave, "Tell that to the big guy, not me. See you around, Gen."

Same as yesterday, I made it to the 25th floor, the voice asked for the code, I typed it in --all while juggling the drink carrier and bag in one hand, I might add-- the doors opened, and I was in just as much awe as I was yesterday but I quickly pulled myself together and rushed down the hallway.

From his desk, I heard him call out, "Good morning, Miss Carlyle. You're late so I hope you, at least, got my order right."

I slowed down to a walk as I rounded the corner before continuing to make my way to his desk.

When I arrived in front of him, his head down as per usual, I set his coffee cup on the desk and cleared my throat, "I'm sorry, Sir, that I was late," in my defense, I had no idea he'd call, "But I'll be more prepared tomorrow...Sir."

'Did you just fuck up on your first day?'

With any luck? No.

He didn't say anything, he just kept his head down as he looked over the documents on his desk.

"Mr. Blackstone," I asked, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth.

"Dom," he stated, never looking up.

"Right, sorry. Dom?"

"Hmm?" Still looking at his papers.

"Would you like a muffin, Sir? I wasn't able to have breakfast so I grabbed a few..."

Surely, even big and bad CEOs needed breakfast too, right?

He finally lifted his head and said, "Did you get chocolate?"

I smiled and reached into the bag, pulling out a chocolate muffin and a napkin before placing them beside his coffee cup.

He picked up the muffin, took a bite out of the top --obviously a 'save the worst for last' kind of man-- and pointed to the other side of the room while holding a hand over his partially full mouth, "Your desk is over there. I need you to go through all of my emails and set up my schedule and calendar. I'm trusting that you're competent enough to figure that out..?"

I turned around and saw a slightly smaller mahogany desk where his liquor bar was yesterday. He had already set it up with a computer, printer, phone, and calendar.

"Yes, Sir. I'm quite sure I can figure it out," I answered and tried not to sound snarky.

I walked over and set my things down at my desk and pulled the chair out to sit. At least the chair was comfortable if I had to spend large amounts of time with my ass planted in it.

"Oh, and Genevieve?"

I hadn't realized that he had followed me to my desk or that he was almost touching me with how close he was, "Your skirt is a little short."

Looking down, I saw that my skirt was showing the clasp where my thigh-high stockings connected to my garter belt. I gasped and pulled my skirt down, all while blushing profusely.

Turning on the computer to lighten up some of my embarrassment, I finally acknowledged that he was still standing beside me, "I'm so sorry, Sir. I won't let that happen again."

I admittedly was trying to get a reaction out of him with this outfit like I had gotten with yesterday's outfit, but I guess I didn't realize how short my skirt was.

I mentally facepalmed at my stupidity.

"It's fine, Genevieve. I just wanted to bring it to your attention," he said as he headed back to his desk.

The computer booted to life and for the rest of the morning, I tried to distract myself from the thought of Dominic being mere inches from me this morning.

And now he knew basically what I was wearing under this black blazer and skirt suit.

'He's probably hard as hell over there daydreaming about what's under your outer layer.′

If only.

I shook my head and dove into my work.

***

The rest of the day went without event.

Dominic didn't speak more than two words at me except to say, "Good night, Miss Carlyle, I'll see you bright and early. Don't forget the coffee...and the muffin," before he left.

He tried to hide it but I caught the slight smile before his face went stone cold.

Tomorrow, I decided, I would make it more eventful.