Worlds Apart.

I tapped my pen against the conference table impatiently as I tried to listen to this utter buffoon present our quarterly numbers. I knew all of this already. I don't know why I decided to make this a mandatory meeting for the company... I mean, I know why I made it mandatory for everyone else, but why exactly did I have to be here?

Oh right... I'm the boss.

I sighed at my own thought but then realized everyone was looking at me, so I cleared my throat.

"Thank you Johnson, that's enough. Any questions? No? Perfect." I collected my things and walked out then, Jarrett was behind me of course, but once we made it back to my office he made a noise. I'm not sure if he meant to, or if it was an accident but it caught my attention.

"Yes Mr. Hilton, is there something you need?" I turned around to see a look of confusion on his face and I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

Over the last few weeks I may have been toying with him. Nothing too mean, but enough to keep him on his toes. We kind of made our luncheons a weekly to biweekly event -depending on how the week was going- so I wanted to see how well he could switch from friends to colleagues. So far, he has yet to let me down.

"No sir, just breathing." He said, and there was the tiniest hint of a smirk gracing his lips, and God did it drive me wild.

The more time I spent with him, the more I saw little things I craved to see more of. Like the way he chewed on his bottom lip while he was deep in thought, or the way his eyes would light up when I would compliment him.

But there was this god damn barrier between us, and I knew it was all me. I was a married man, I was his boss, and I had yet to make any more of a move than just casual lunch... But I was done with that. I wanted more, and he knew he was free to tell me no. He's done it a few times already when I've offered extra lunch dates. He always had a reason, but I think he was comfortable enough with me to know I was a reasonable man.

If he wasn't actually interested, we'd be friends and I'd act like a grown ass man and work my way through the disappointment. Simple as that.

"Would you join me in my office, Mr. Hilton?"

"Certainly sir." As soon as the door closed behind us I took my suit coat off and hung it by the door before sitting down behind my desk. Jarrett gave me a curious look before taking the seat in front of me, he didn't outwardly seem nervous but I could tell he was definitely confused by this.

"I want to take you out." I blurted since I really didn't know how to finesse this up. "Not as colleagues, not as friends, but out as in on an actual date." He gaped at me for a second so I smirked. "I like you Jarrett, you are one of a kind and I actually look forward to coming in just to see you."

"I... But what-"

"There's no buts." I interrupted. "Either you want to or you don't."

"What about-"

"Let me worry about those things." I chuckled and he looked frustrated... Probably since I kept cutting him off.

"I... I should think about this."

"What's there to think about?" I asked, now a little more intrigued.

"Well, the backlash of those things I was going to ask you about aren't just going to effect you. They'll come back on me too. If we go public I'll be called a home wrecker, people will think I'm just sleeping with you for your money, and so many other things! I'll be a complete joke!" I got up and walked over to Jarrett and he looked up at me, he definitely put a lot of thought into this already -which was flattering and cute- but he was worrying over nothing right now.

"So you've thought this through?" I asked as I took his hand and guided him to his feet.

"Uh, yeah... A little." His cheeks were flushed and he was looking everywhere but my eyes.

"So you think about me outside of work?" I reached down and took his hand in my own again and used it to tug him closer to me. There was probably about an inch of space between us now and his eyes were dancing between my lips and my eyes. "It's just one date, yes or no?"

"Y-ye-yes." He stuttered and I smiled. He was too cute.

"Wonderful, Friday okay?"

"Sure, yeah that's fine."

"Perfect." I leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I can't wait."

He looked at me like a deer in headlights as I went back and sat behind my desk.

"So... That's it?"

"Yup! That's it!" I opened an email from Nike and looked through it, but Jarrett was still staring at me. "Uh... Close the door on your way out?"

"Oh! Yeah, sorry." He glanced around before scurrying towards the door quickly.

"Wait, Jarrett..." I sighed, feeling bad. "Come back." He gave me a weird look before waking back cautiously.

"What's happening? I'm so lost..."

"I've been some what of a tool, I just like seeing the hundreds of different shades of red your face can change to. What are you worried about - besides what you already mentioned?"

"Well, am I a secret? Like until you get divorced? How should I dress?"

"No, you're not a secret. If people find out they find out. My divorce will end fine with me on top regardless of where this date takes us. AND lastly, it's a date love, not a marriage proposal. No matter what happens, your job is safe. So take a deep breath, give it some actual thought, and text me tonight if you want to go. Okay?" He nodded and smiled, seeming way more at ease now so I smiled back at him. "Now I really do need to respond to this email. Something about Shia getting arrested and... Well I'm sure you'll hear about it soon enough."

"Okay, I'll... Text you with my actual thought through answer tonight?"

"Sounds good." He left my office then so I sighed happily and got back to work.

When the work day was over, I headed out and Jarrett was no where to be seen, his stuff was still at his desk though so I figured he must have just ran to the bathroom or something. I figured it would be weird and kind of desperate looking if I sat out here and waited for him, so instead I wrote him a quick note.

"I look forward to hearing from you later. -C"

Was all I wrote, but really, what else could I write? I could have told him all about how I had a dream the other night of the two of us on my boat. But the little part about him wearing nothing more than a captains hat seemed a tad bit inappropriate for the work environment.

Oh, or the other one of us alone in the office... But that one was about twenty times more inappropriate... So yeah, my note said plenty.

When I got home there was a note on the counter by a bottle of wine. I was tempted to ignore it, but curiosity was a bitch.

"Drink this and come find me upstairs. - Me"

I snickered to myself and threw away Graces note before downing a glass of the wine. I contemplated going upstairs, but I figured it would be way funnier just to go to sleep on the couch.

So I settled in with the bottle and the couch throw blanket and dozed off after about half the bottle was gone.

I don't know how long I was asleep for or what actually hit my face, but I was rudely awoken by my wife.

She was standing over me with some insanely sexy lingerie on and her hands firmly placed on her hips.

"I've been waiting upstairs for three fucking hours Carter, what the hell?!"

"What did you hit me with?" I looked around until I noticed she had one of those ridding crop things in her hand. "Oh..."

"Oh what? I planned an evening for you and I and you ruined it!"

"I see that." I laughed. "Were you planning on spanking me?"

"I figured we could spice it up Carter! I thought maybe I just... Maybe it was dull in the bedroom and-"

"Are you trying to make me feel bad?" I laughed "Really Grace? I wasn't born long ago, but it definitely wasn't yesterday."

"Carter, I'm trying..."

"No, trying would have been a word to use before YOU cheated. Now you're doing damage control so I don't rip your world to shreds. I want a divorce. Not shitty half assed "kinky" sex." I said using air quotes. "I'm moving forward with this Grace. So just leave me alone and I won't leave you high and dry. You're still kind of young, you will find some other wealthy... Well moderately wealthy man to take care of you."

She scowled at me, but ultimately went away after throwing her ridding crop on the ground. I picked it up and examined it. The word "Naughty" was written on it in big swirly letters, and I nearly tore at the seams from laughing so hard.

God this woman was something else.