Another Chapter. I apologise for the lateness but I am in the middle of exams so I have no time what so ever. However, I managed to get this one done…

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NICO

"Thalia seemed certain she couldn't make the meeting when we discussed it yesterday." I told my father as we sat talking on the phone.

"Well she doesn't need to come if you know what you're doing does she?"

"I want her to come with me because with her there it takes some of the pressure of me." I whined.

My father chuckled lightly over the phone, "Nicolas Alessandro Di Angelo, please do not tell me you're sleeping with your secretary," I blushed slightly but he continued before I could deny his claims, "You know what, what is her name? I need to do a full background check on her. Just in case you do end up falling for her, I don't want any gold digging whores in my family."

I rolled my eyes at his antics, "Her name is Thalia Grace, and she's at Columbia. Please don't let her find out about this so called background check. And what happened to that woman who you said you'd met before the Christmas exhibit?"

"Oh, so you are sleeping with her! Oh Nico, perché si mescolare lavoro e piacere? Pensavo di averti insegnato meglio (Oh Nico why would you mix business with pleasure? I thought I taught you better)" He responded ignoring my last question.

"Non ho mai detto mi è stato a letto con lei!" (I never said I was sleeping with her!) I retorted.

"Ma tu non lo nego. Nous discuterons de cela plus tard, je suis arrivé à la maison de Zeus nous allons avoir de golf ici cette semaine. Plus tard Fils" (But you didn't deny it. We will discuss this later, I have arrived at Zeus's house we're having golf here this week. See you soon Son.)

"Ciao Dad." I sighed as I dropped the phone. I hadn't forgotten about the mystery woman but I decided that now wouldn't be the best time to bring that up.

My dad rarely got upset with me; it was even rarer if he was angry. But when he started switching languages half way through sentences, I could tell he wasn't pleased.

I sighed and noticed that it was almost time for Thalia to come over so we could discuss the presentation in detail, so that I wouldn't have to worry about not having her there to keep notes organised. I hoped this meeting didn't last more than a day or two; I didn't want to be away from the office (or Thalia) for too long.

My thoughts continued to stray as I took a quick shower. She was very beautiful with her long legs, shapely body, perfect breasts and a toned figure. It didn't help that her moans and mewls haunted my late night fantasies not to mention the way her mouth made a perfect "o" shape when she came or was preoccupied with certain…things. It really didn't help that she was funny, not a girly girl and remarkably smart.

I dressed quickly, subconsciously anxious to be with her but I managed to convince myself that it was because she would be horny and I just wanted to have sex with her. I sent her a text telling her to tell me when she was here.

I didn't think I would be able to resist her if she was even slightly scantily clad. It didn't matter that our sex had been more regular than not in the earlier part of the year, but we hadn't slept together in a little over three weeks and if she wasn't about to explode from horniness, I sure as fuck was. Regardless, I couldn't sleep with her again because I was starting to notice a difference.

Just as I buttoned up my shirt, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and there she stood looking absolutely beautiful with her laptop and hand bag. I could tell she was just coming from lectures because she looked exhausted.

"Long day?" I enquired as she stepped over the threshold.

"You have no idea." She sighed then dumped her stuff on the table and collapsed against the chair. "It was stressful more than anything now I'm all wound up with no way to de-stress"

I shook my head and stood behind her giving her a shoulder massage. "What would you like to eat?" I asked as I continued massaging her neck."

She arched her back into my fingers and closed her eyes. "I would actually quite like you if that's alright" she opened her eyes and smirked.

I stiffened for a second and shook my head slowly, "Thalia we have to work,"

"When has that ever stopped us? If you don't want to have sex with me just say so, don't make up excuses," she snapped as she closed her eyes again.

"It's not that I don't want to have sex with you because trust me, I do," I whispered in her ear. "I just can't right now. It's my fault not yours."

She moaned into my touch and then sat bolt upright and said, "Is there another woman in your life because I'm sure I can find another fuck buddy, don't let me keep you from being happy."

I stared at her like she had grown a third head, "Why on earth would you think I was dating someone?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, you haven't touched me in three weeks and you just turned down a blow-job and possibly quick sex" she shrugged. "I know you aren't gay, I know your sex drive and recovery time are perfect so the only other option was that there is another woman on your mind."

I couldn't find a fault with her logic, "And if I just wasn't in the mood for it?" I asked.

"That would only happen for two reasons. One, you were getting it elsewhere and loving it or two, you were masturbating to relieve yourself." She countered.

I shrugged, avoiding answering the question. "Doesn't matter let's get to work. There's a lot to be done."

She raised her eyebrows and looked at me a while longer before slowly turning back to the files before us.

"You never told me what you wanted to eat," I spoke without looking at her.

She shrugged, "Surprise me boss."

She didn't seem happy about the fact that I had turned her down. "I'll just make some quick pasta then, hope that's okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Her tone seemed detached as she continued poring over the files

I raised an eyebrow at her sudden change in attitude but shook my head before I walked into my kitchen to start preparing dinner.

After a few minutes, I left the kitchen as I waited for the meal to cook. When I walked out I saw Thalia on her laptop smiling.

"Why are you so happy?" I asked her as I walked towards our work area.

"Before I answer your question, when are you leaving for Milan?"

"On Monday I believe, why?" I asked looking confused.

"Because by some miracle my important lecturer is ill with some weird disease and is out for the week. My remaining classes are mostly coursework now so we don't need to go unless we need help." She said with her eyes twinkling.

My expression changed from a frown to a smile as she explained. Now that she was done explaining, I was beaming. "Does that mean what I think it means?" I asked.

"Yes it does boss." She said smiling and sauntering over to where I was standing.

I could see where this was heading as she made her way over to where I was and in the ten seconds it took her to walk over to me. I had fought an internal war but my self-control was seriously waning as she morphed into a predator before my eyes.

She knew what she wanted and she knew that I wanted what she wanted so whether or not I was willing to give it to her; she was going to take it.

But she surprised me, she brushed passed me and whispered as she did, "You might want to go check on dinner, you wouldn't want to burn the house down would you?"

I shivered involuntarily and made my way to the kitchen in my dazed state.

Another twenty minutes later I walked out of the kitchen with our dinner and wine and I noticed Thalia wasn't in the room. "Thalia!" I called out to her but I got no response.

I walked to where she had been working and saw her stuff still there but she wasn't there.

Suddenly she comes in from the pool area, wrapped in my dressing gown and with her wet hair framing her face. She spotted the wine and grabbed it from my hand.

She studied the label and raised an eyebrow, "A vintage, 1989 Meursault-Perrieres wine bottle, what's the occasion?"

I shrugged, not sure how to tell her my grandfathers had been highly involved in French and Italian vineyards and I now held part ownership of a reasonable amount of them.

She eyed me for a second longer before she took the wine opener from me expertly opened the bottle. For some odd reason, I was turned on by her at this moment.

She motioned for me to pass her one of the glasses which I held and I mutely agreed. She poured herself half a glass and swirled then lightly took in the smell. Once she was done she took a sip and savoured it momentarily before downing the entire glass and doing the same for two subsequent glasses.

I stared at her realising that she had just aroused me even more. She seemed aware of my staring and poured a full glass for me and for herself. "Want some?" she offered.

I nodded and extended my hand to get the glass. "A toast," she announced, "To getting what you want"

I raised my eyebrow and took a sip of my wine as she finished hers rapidly. Once she was done she dropped the glass and in one swift movement she untied the belt of the dressing gown and slid it off her shoulders.

I almost choked on my wine.

There she stood, very naked, in front of me.

She walked over with a smirk on her face and pulled on my hand as she led me to my bedroom. I didn't even bother fighting it. I followed her very willingly into the room and gave her exactly what she wanted.

The next morning, I walked out to see her in my shirt sitting on the couch doing some work.

"You stayed over, what happened to Jason?" I asked as I sat beside her.

"He is at his friend's house for the night." I nodded at her and pulled her into my lap as she tried to work.

"Go away Di Angelo or help me or something, this is the work that we were supposed to be doing yesterday before you intoxicated me and got me into your bed."

I smirked and kissed her neck, "If I remember clearly, that is not how yesterday went."

She smirked and shrugged, "That's how I remember it."

"By the way, it was Valentine's Day on Thursday and we didn't do anything to celebrate so I got you something if that's okay?"

She froze, and looked into my eyes, "Why do we need to do anything to celebrate?"

I considered that for a moment, she was right; it wasn't like we were romantically involved. I guess I just wanted to make her smile. Friends, always want to make their friends happy right?

"Just humour me. I've always been a sucker for Valentine's Day."

She studied my face for a second and shrugged, "Depends on what that something is."

"What do you mean?" I asked not liking where this was going.

"If it's something that cost you more than fifty dollars, take it right back because I am not accepting it"

I thought for a second and then shrugged, "That's fair enough"

I put her laptop on the chair beside her and lifted her by the ass and then wrapped her long legs around my waist as I kissed her and took her to the location of her present.

I entered my spare room and placed her back on her feet as I told her to close her eyes. "This didn't cost me a dime by the way, I promise."

Once I held it in my hand I went up to her and told her to open her eyes.

She seemed to be at a loss for words as she stared at the X-box in my hand. "Why did you get this?"

"I heard you arguing with Jason over the phone about it and I thought since I had one lying around, I'd give it to him."

"But how does that make it my Valentine's Day present?" she asked with a smirk

"I was hoping you'd ask that so I'd have an excuse to give you one as well." I smirked and handed her a carrier bag from Tiffany and Co. To be honest there was an iPod inside but she didn't know that and probably thought I was about to propose or give her a diamond necklace.

She hesitated a bit before she collected the bag, "What happened to the fifty dollar cap?"

"If I remember, you said it couldn't have cost me more than fifty dollars and it didn't" I shrugged,

"Then how did you get them?" she seemed confused.

"That's what I get for being the very young CEO of a very big company. I get wine and other things obviously but mostly cool gadgets. Now look inside the bag before you jump to conclusions in your head" I nudged her slightly.

She hesitated again but decided to open the bag. Her eyes widened as she took a look at what was inside and brought it out of the bag. She looked back at me, and then down at her gift then back at me again. "How did you know?"

I shrugged, "Does it matter?"

"Actually no it doesn't. I can't take all this from you." She said placing the gift back in the bag and handing it to me. "I can't keep taking all these things from you; you've done too much for me already"

She began to walk away from me but I held her arm. "Wait Thalia, Jason's birthday is in a couple of weeks at least let me give it to him for his birthday."

She looked at me and sighed, "Fine, but you can't give it to him till then." I nodded and let her arm go. I stood there for a minute staring at the Tiffany and Co bag wondering how I could get her to accept it.

"Come on boss, we need to work." She called at me from the living room and pulled me from my thoughts

"Yes ma'am!" I called back and sauntered out of the room to where she was seated in the living room working.

Six Hours Later…

"Done, finally!" she exclaimed as she hopped to her feet and stretched. I gazed at her, still wearing my shirt and her small underwear, and drank in the sight of this beautiful woman before me.

"If you don't stop staring and close your mouth, you'll attract insects" she said as she placed a hand on her hip and smiled down at me.

"What can I say," I countered as I lifted myself off the floor, "there is a hot woman in front of me and she's only wearing my shirt so I guess I can't help but stare." She blushed lightly at the compliment and as I leaned down to kiss her, the doorbell rang.

"Nico open the door, its Percy and Annabeth." Percy screamed from the other side of the door.

"Wait I'm coming you moron!" I shouted back. I looked down at Thalia who seemed to be chuckling. I slipped my hands under the shirt and rubber her sides as I kissed up and down her neck and at her collarbone. "You should probably go and get some clothes on; we don't want Percy seeing you this way do we?" I whispered against her skin.

She shivered but detached herself from me and winked at me as she removed my shirt, dropped it on the floor and then walked naked, bar her underwear, down the hallway.

She could be such a tease. I had to restrain myself from running after her as I walked to the door and opened it to find Percy and Annabeth and the twins. "Hey guys, come in." I hugged Percy and Annabeth who each had a twin on their arm.

They walked into my living room and noticed the two laptops and numerous papers. "Are you busy, do you have a visitor?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah, Thalia's here if you wanted to see her, she's in there somewhere." I answered.

"Oh cool, I'll just go hang out with her then." Annabeth said as she walked into the hallway.

THALIA

I had just finished pulling up my jeans when I heard a knock in the door. "Hey Thalia it's me Annabeth" I turned round and opened the door for her, "Hey Annabeth! Oh my gosh is that your son? He is gorgeous!" I stretched out my arms to hold the little boy and Annabeth placed him gently in my arms.

I cooed and cuddled the giggling boy as Annabeth entered the room and sat on the bed. "So how are things with you and Nico?" she asks.

I momentarily forgot the lie Percy told and shrugged, "Same as any working relationship"

"What do you mean working relationship?" she asked and I froze as I remembered the ruse.

"Uh, how do I explain this." I said sheepishly. She raised her eyebrow at me, "Explain what?"

"Okay before I start, promise not to kill Percy."

"Did he do something wrong, why would I kill him?" she asked in a confused tone.

"Yes he did do something wrong but you have to promise not to murder him?" her expression grew more worried.

"What did he do?" she asked, "Is he in trouble?"

"He will be once I finish what I'm about to say," I mumbled under my breath and then sighed outwardly.

"I'm not really Nico's girlfriend and I never have been" I said with a rushed breath.

Her face was scrunched in confusion. "So why did Percy say you were, and why are you here at six on a Saturday evening?"

"Remember the day we met? Percy left his wallet at home and got Nico to send me down with a credit card he could use for your date. And I'm here because I'm Nico's secretary/PA at work"

Annabeth nodded her head. "So why was Nico without a shirt when we entered, surely that's inappropriate behaviour? Come to think of it, I believe I saw that shirt on the floor." She looked right at me, observing my reaction

I froze for a second then blushed as I remembered what we were doing or about to do before Annabeth and Percy interrupted us and I noticed Annabeth's gaze harden and intensify. "I guess we became friends from working together so often"

"Just friends and nothing else? Well that's funny because I can smell sexual tension a mile away and if I'm not mistaken, there was a lot of it that night we went for dinner and need I point out the incredibly inappropriate dancing which led to a hastened exit by both of you, or the morning after glow on Christmas day and New Year's Day? She drawled on as she circled me like I was her prey.

And in a sense, I was. She had me by the jugular and I could either lie and look bad, or tell the truth and look just as bad. I sighed, "No we're not just friends."

"You're sleeping with your boss?" Annabeth asked sceptically, "you know this makes you look like a massive gold digger right?"

I sighed, "I know what it makes me look like and I tried to stop but you've seen him, he's not exactly ugly or bad in bed either. And what makes it worse is that we work in such close proximity that he is virtually impossible to resist. Trust me, I've tried."

Annabeth nodded as if she understood but still wore a frown. "Do you think there's a possibility of there being a relationship apart from this?"

I frowned as well; I had never thought that far ahead. Did I see myself and Nico being more than fuck buddies? We were friends now obviously and he knew a lot about me but could we be more? "I-I don't know. We never really set ground rules but I don't think Nico sees me that way."

Annabeth's eyebrows rose and disappeared into her bangs, "You didn't answer though, what about you?"

I was left speechless again, I hadn't really thought about what would become of the non-physical side of our relationship. But before I could think in depth, Nico ran in with my ringing phone and handed it to me. "Hey Jason," I spoke as I picked up the call. I excused myself from Annabeth and Nico as I walked into the bathroom to take the call.

"Hey Thalia, I'm still with Leo and Lee and I wanted to ask if I could stay till tomorrow?"

"Sure Jason, just be careful. Oh and ask Leo or Piper if you can stay at theirs for the week. I have a business trip this week that I cannot avoid."

"Sure thing sis, See you tomorrow"

"Bye Jason." I ended the call as I walked back into the room where I overheard Nico and Annabeth arguing.

"You blew off your father Nico; you never blow off your father for anyone so how do you explain that?" Came Annabeth's voice, "Think about it you know I'm right and Percy agrees with me. I never thought about it this way but now I have and I think you need to tell her the truth before it's too late."

I didn't want to hear anymore cryptic remarks that would keep me up at night. So I walked into the room and acted like I hadn't just heard the last part of that conversation.

Ohh.. And the Plot Thickens…