“She’s not in this building?”
“Oh no, as I told you yesterday this is my personal space.”
I started to ask why I was there then, but decided to keep my mouth shut. No need to say something that I’d likely regret or worse yet, stick my foot in my mouth. “Sounds good,” I said.
“Just shout out if you need me. I’ll be around.”
“Thank you.” With that, Marshall left and I got down to work, sorting through the stacks of files and financial information that were on the glass table. It really was a lot to go through.
My main task was to review contracts and financial documents for a studio that Foothills Studios was trying to merge with called Silver Fern Productions. Before Marshall had an interest and ran the studio in LA, it seemed that merger proceedings had already been started.
Marshall stepped back in for a while to explain the merger to me. Apparently he didn’t know the least thing about it. That was why he needed me to sort things out and explain everything to him. Most of all, he needed me to make sure that he wasn’t getting screwed over and that everything was as organized as possible for the inevitable transaction. I somehow doubted that would be the case. He seemed to be the type of guy who made sure that he got the last word in despite the merger having been agreed upon long before he took over the studios.
After his explanation, I whole-heartedly dug into the files, trying to tackle at least the top third today. I didn’t know how long I had been working, but time was flying by. The next thing I knew it was 12:30 in the afternoon. I didn’t even know if I would have realized that, but Marshall brought me in a sandwich and a glass of Coke Classic—my favorite. He was also carrying his lunch and sat down to eat with me. Hopefully this would be a better lunch than yesterday, I thought, laughing at the thought of a repeat now.
“Thank you. I guess I am hungry now that I realized the time. There’s a lot to go through here.”
“You definitely have to eat. It’s important to keep a clear mind and a high energy level, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely,” I agreed. I did need to keep a clear mind and a high energy level. There was a lot to do.
“I know you have a lot to do in a short period of time, but I’m highly confident that if anyone can manage this it is you.”
“That’s nice to say. So, if you don’t mind my asking. How did you manage to inherit this studio?”
“It was a good companion piece to Foothill Studios, which I started in New York. As for the one that is the merger, that was an unexpected inheritance gift from my father, one that was lost in his estate for about eight years now. You see, I never knew my father existed until I was twenty years old. It seems that my mom had been an actress want-to-be before she was a druggie and didn’t tell my dad that she was pregnant with me. Kind of odd, you would have assumed she would have taken advantage of the money, to support her habit if not me. Nope, it was the one time when she apparently didn’t reach out for help. Rather ironic, don’t you think?”
“Definitely. That must have been tough,” I said, wanting to take back my heated comments from the day before in some way. Seeing this side of Marshall Kent before me, made me feel a bit more embarrassed about what I’d said to him yesterday. “I’m a survivor and that’s in the past,” he said. “My dad discovered that he had a son when I was twenty and had his attorney’s contact me first. Once they determined that I wasn’t completely crazy or troubled like my mom had been, he contacted me. Hugh Henley was a bold man, a real visionary. It was such a shame that I only got to know him for five years before he passed away. He never had any other children, but those who had thought they were going to get his estate were plenty mad when they discovered that the up and coming actor, Marshall Kent, was inheriting the entire thing.”
“A common story for estates unfortunately,” I added. People were always so greedy, thinking they were entitled to what was someone else’s. “You seem to manage your wealth very well.”
Marshall looked at me and had a half grin on his face. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration because he was one eccentric guy for just barely being thirty years old.
“All I need to do is make sure you uncover everything and tell me everything before this merger goes through and we’ll be off to a wonderful start,” Marshall said.
“Sure. That’s why I’m here.”
With a mischievous grin on his face, Marshall got up and went to stand behind me. “Yes, that’s one reason why you are here,” he said. Before I knew what was happening I could feel his large firm hands gently kneading my shoulders, massaging them and making me instantly melt from their touch. It felt so good, I bit my tongue to keep from moaning. He kept going, reaching my shoulders and lower back too. I could get used to a massage like that.
“You’re very responsive to my touch,” Marshall said softly behind my ear. Yes, I was, but I couldn’t admit that. “You’re also very accommodating to my requests. It’s rare to find someone as beautiful, fiery, and responsive as you. It’s a very intoxicating blend of qualities, Ms. Rowland.”
I was holding my breath, enjoying the moment and in awe at the silky tone of his seductive words. My inner voice saved me, helping me regain my composure. “Um, Mr. Kent…”
“Marshall,” he said, interrupting me.
“Okay, Marshall. I think that I should…”
He interrupted again. “There you go, Ms. Rowland.”
“Becca.”
“There you go, Becca. I think I’d better leave you so you can finish your lunch and get back to work. Have a nice day.” Without another word or even a glance backward, he walked out of the room and that was it. I didn’t see him for the rest of the day. What a peculiar man; a peculiar man that I was longing to know more about on every level.
Chapter 6
I continued to work for the rest of the afternoon in complete silence. Nobody came back to this area unless Marshall was around. That much was clear. I’d wished there was some subtle music in the background or something to break the silence. For some reason it made it almost difficult to think. Plus, the lingering touch of Marshall’s hands on my neck and shoulders remained, making me think of things that were definitely not related to law. He was so complex and that made him wildly desirable. Naturally every alarm I have about trusting a guy like Marshall was going off as a result.