The noise of the keyboard was rapidly tapping away. Jade's fingers going faster than her mind was. She just got in a new assignment. Pictures littered her desk. Notes stuck up with pins on a board. Katie appeared on Jade's screen. Jade accepted the connection with her boss.

"I wish I could tell you to step in my office and we could have this conversation in person but that isn't possible right now. You've been so busy with work and the other a million things you do for the company, nevermind all the things you do outside of work." Katie winked at her then. Katie knew all the dirty details of her love life.

"Are you firing me" Jade asked. She couldn't believe this. It sounded like Jade was getting canned.

Katie laughed into the screen. "God, no. I would never do that to you. I've decided with all the work that still needs to be done that I'd hire someone. Since I'm not always available in Seattle, you'd have to kind of be a mentor to this person. Show how the business is conducted. Make sure this person understands everything. They will also be writing up news but you and I get the final say in what gets published."

"This sounds like a bad idea" Jade told Katie. "Too late. The person will be there tomorrow around 2pm. Be nice!" Katie announced. They then talked about all things unrelated to the job.

// next day

Jade is in the lobby of her work. A bell sounds near her. A tall handsome guy strolls into view. He's practically model martial.

Jade has no time for pretty boys right now. Just seeing someone in the same room pissed her off.

"The modeling agency is up those stairs." Jade points to the staircase that's sort of behind him and to the side. The guy is quiet. Jade says it again. He still hasn't spoken. Perhaps he's deaf, she thinks. In the next moment Jade goes over to him and starts using sign language.

The guy chuckles at her. It is music to her ears. So pure, subtle, like honey. She could get used to hearing that laugh.

"I'm not deaf. I'm not a model. I'm the person Katie warned you about." He states matter of factly in the most perfect British accent Jade has ever heard.

"Katie didn't warn me that you'd be so-----". So, what? Hot? Male? Model worthy? English?

The guy just nodded as if he knew what was going on in her brain.

"I'm Kipp Sebastian and you're Jade Harrison, right?" Jade nodded and gave him a tour of the place. "This will be your work station" Jade said. He sat down. Jade didn't know what else to say, so she went back to her own office.

Jade completely forgot that she wasn't alone. The knock at her door reminded her of that. Jade put her heels back on and casually got up to answer the door. She eyed herself in the mirror before opening it.

Kipp was there. A lost puppy look on his face. "I was wondering if you've already had lunch" he stated. "I could eat" Jade said but she was thinking of something else. "Good" Kipp rubbed his hands together. "Ready to go?". Jade took her coat off the coat rack and put it on.

They walked out together. Kipp walked over to his motorcycle. "I hope you don't mind" he said while holding out a spare helmet for her. Jade put it on. Kipp made sure it was on properly before putting his own on and climbing onto the bike.

It was a bumpy ride. Jade kind of felt like Mr. Sebastian was doing it on purpose. Each time a bump came, Jade would hold on tighter to him. Get a bit closer. Her legs would hold him tighter too. It was on impulse. Jade has never been on the back of a bike before. She didn't want to die. She was very happy that she ended up wearing jeans that day. All the vibrations did something to her. Being so close to someone she didn't know and basically straddling him was strange to her.

Kipp took her to a nice restaurant. They really had a huge selection. Jade felt famished. For all the wrong reasons. It kind of made sense though. She didn't really eat enough when being locked up with Smith those three days. They mainly just had sex. Didn't end up leaving the room. The Lodge either took them room service or they got things postmated to them. Jade had a great time at lunch. She didn't ever remember going to that restaurant before. Actually, since she's been back in Seattle Jade hasn't been to any restaurants. Maybe a coffee shop or something but has been liking buying her own groceries and meal prepping them. It's great having everything ready. Jade always seemed on the go and having things ready made her not want to eat out. Ironically, today Jade forgot to take her lunch with her. Probably why she gave Kipp a hard time earlier in the day. They went back to work afterwards. Jade showed him older articles the company has done.

//after work

Jade went back to her own place. Smith was in her kitchen. Jade was happy to see him but also felt like Smith should have took some alone time for himself. Being together again was so new. Plus, Jade was still sore from all the shenanigans that they did - not to mention being sore from Kipp's motorcycle ride. Did that stop the lovebirds from getting it on, again? Of course not.

Smith was snoring away. Jade was reading in bed. Her phone on her nightstand rang out. Mindlessly reaching for it, she noticed that the caller id had "Kipp Sebastian" on it. Jade pushed the button that let the call take place.

"Is everything ok?" Jade asked. It was a bit late for phone calls. His laughter filled her ears. Just hearing that made her go weak in the knees. "I was going to ask you the same thing" Kipp uttered out.

"What do you mean?" Came out of her vocal cords.

"I came across some bruises on my thighs when I got undressed tonight. I figured maybe you had some too. You had such a death grip on me." He sing songed.

Now it was Jade's laughter that came out. She glanced over at Smith. He was still asleep. Suddenly, it hit her how bad this looked. With the one she loved but enjoying the conversation with Kipp too.

Jade told him that he must have been imaging those bruises. How she couldn't have done that. How she possibly couldn't have held him that tight. Jade's phone beeped. A picture of a males lower body came up. Thighs, bruised. Perfectly sculpted thighs. The ones she held too hard with her own thighs. Jade felt so bad. Kipp assured her that it was a privilege and how he'd see her at work tomorrow.

Kipp Sebastian

FC: Julian Schratter