Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79328 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79328 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
She was wearing a pale pink blouse, silk or something like it, tucked into a black pencil skirt that hugged her hips. I’d noticed when she walked into my office this morning. I’d also noticed the way her blouse accentuated her full breasts, and how that same skirt emphasized her narrow waist. When she’d turned to leave, I’d noticed even more—the subtle sway of her hips, and the perfect curve of her ass that made me think about bending her over my desk and—
I immediately cut off that train of thought. I shouldn’t have been looking. I definitely shouldn’t have remembered every detail about her hours later. But I did.
Now I watched her nibble on her bottom lip as she worked, a small furrow of concentration between her brows, and felt heat coil low in my stomach. Desire. Pure and inconvenient and completely inappropriate.
I needed to stop this. Right now.
I walked toward her desk, irritation at myself sharpening my tone. “You have an hour-long lunch break built into your schedule. You don’t need to eat at your desk.”
Raina’s eyes snapped to mine, and a pink flush spread across her cheeks. It made her even prettier; I resented that and the way my body responded to something as simple as a blush.
“Oh—sorry,” she said, looking genuinely contrite. “I didn’t realize it would be a problem.”
That sheepish expression bothered me more than it should have. Even worse was knowing I’d put it there.
I was being too hard on her. I knew that. But acknowledging it meant examining why I was on edge around her, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.
I cleared my throat, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly and forcing myself to use a softer tone this time. “It’s fine. It’s just… not necessary.”
Her gaze dropped to the desk, and I followed it to the printed pages beside her keyboard—my email outlining her duties, dense with text. Seeing it laid out like that, I understood what she wasn’t saying. The workload I’d given her was substantial. If she wanted to actually complete it, eating her lunch away from her desk probably wasn’t optional.
A pang of something uncomfortable moved through my chest. Guilt, maybe.
No. This was the job. If she wanted to work for me, she’d have to adapt. I paid well enough to compensate for my expectations.
“What are you working on?” I asked, redirecting.
Raina turned her monitor so I could see the screen. “I’ve been switching you over to a new scheduling system.”
I frowned. “A new one? Why?”
“This one is better.” Her voice carried a confidence that hadn’t been there this morning. “I used it at my old job to manage the calendar of a very busy executive. Someone a lot like you.”
I came around her desk to get a closer look, and her perfume hit me—vanilla and something floral, warm and soft and distinctly feminine. I inhaled before I could stop myself, and for a moment, my thoughts scattered.
Focus, goddamn it. This wasn’t like me at all.
“See here?” Raina pointed to the screen, seemingly oblivious to the effect she was having on me, which I was grateful for. “The interface is much more intuitive than what you’ve been using. It integrates with your calendar to prevent double-booking and sends automated email reminders to clients before meetings.” She clicked through a few screens. “There’s also a synced mobile app. I’ll install it on your phone later today.”
I studied the system, looking for flaws, for reasons to criticize the change. I’d been prepared to push back on her making alterations without permission.
Instead, I found myself reluctantly impressed.
Not that I was going to tell her that. Praising her work this early could lead to complacency, and the last thing I needed was an overconfident assistant who thought she’d already proven herself.
“Have you scheduled the meeting with Nexus Solutions’ CFO?” I asked instead. I’d given her that task this morning.
A flicker of annoyance crossed her face, there and gone so fast I almost missed it. “I sent him a message, but he hasn’t responded yet.”
I sighed. Not what I wanted to hear.
“I guess I’ll have to take care of it myself,” I muttered, already turning toward my office.
Raina heard, and before I’d taken three steps, she was in front of me, blocking my path.
The movement triggered a memory. Sarah, just last week, getting in my face before I fired her. And before that, a string of other assistants who’d called me a micromanager, who’d bristled at what they perceived as dismissive behavior.
I braced for anger. For accusations.
But Raina didn’t look angry. She stood before me with her hands on her hips, her chin lifted, her blue eyes steady on mine. Determined, not defensive.
“No,” she said firmly. “I’ll handle it.”
“I expected a meeting on the books by now.” The words came out more exasperated than I intended.