Chapter 2
Chapter Two
MAGNOLIA
I t had been a day from hell. Nothing had gone right. Earlier, I’d overslept, missed my bus, and the temporary agency I had been working for let me go. I spent some time dropping off résumés, and while waiting on the corner for a light to change, I had been splashed by a car. I had to go home to change before heading to my late afternoon appointment. I realized I had lost my keys and had to wait for my friend to get home and open my door. By the time he did, I was cold, miserable, and feeling down.
Determined to finish off the day on a better note, I dressed in my best outfit, put on heels, and headed to the interview I hoped would go well. I had been pleased to receive a call the night before, the low voice on the other end asking me if I could come in for five forty-five, giving me the shivers as he spoke. I was quick to agree, jotting down the address as he dictated it, then hung up.
But again, the damn bus took off as I was running to catch it. I started walking, half jogging, and caught a different bus, managing to somehow slip getting off it, and snapping a heel. Then, walking like a drunk on a Saturday night, I made it to the building, fifteen minutes late. The security guard refused to let me up, but I was determined and dodged into the stairwell. I pulled off my shoes and raced up the steps, glad I kept up my cardio.
I hadn’t expected to run into someone and get tackled to the floor.
I hadn’t planned on the sensation of how good it felt with the stranger’s arms around me, holding me as if to keep me safe.
And when I lifted my head and met those intense, icy blue eyes, I hadn’t expected his words.
“I am the boss.”
After muttering a curse, I carefully rolled away, wincing a little as I pushed up off my knees and ran a hand down my skirt. I followed his lithe rise to his feet, staring at him in the semidarkness.
“Mr. Bane, I presume?” I asked, pleased to hear my voice sound almost normal. A little shaky, but okay.
“Yes.”
He reached past me, flicking on the light, and I caught my breath. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wide-chested. His suit was pulled tight across his arms. He had light-brown hair, thick and wavy, brushed off his forehead. His full lips were drawn into a frown, and heavy eyebrows set off his incredible eyes. Clear, brilliant blue. Glittering and frosty, looking at me as if I was a bug he wanted to squash under his fingers. He was handsome, intimidating, and confident. I knew he was thirty- four, eight years older than I was. Somehow, his self-assurance made me feel younger.
He studied me, no doubt finding me lacking. I was far shorter than he was, and I knew I looked anything but professional. I glanced down, trying to hide the fact that I was shoeless, my coat damp, my hair had fallen out of the careful ponytail I had wrestled it into, and I was breathing hard.
Maybe I had to work on my cardio a little more.
“I assume you are Ms. Myers?”
“Yes. Magnolia. Maggie to my friends.”
I shut up as I watched one eyebrow lift, effectively silencing me. It was a pretty cool trick, and I wondered how long it had taken him to perfect it.
“I was leaving. You’re late, and I’m done for the day. You missed your chance.”
I grabbed his sleeve before he could move. “Please. I ran almost all the way here and then… ten flights of stairs! You have to give me credit for that. Please. Give me a chance.”
He looked down where I gripped his suit jacket. He said nothing. “I can do this job well,” I pleaded. “Interview me.” I dropped my hand. “Please.”
He scowled, turning and heading into what I assumed was his office. “You have ten minutes,” he said over his shoulder.
I blinked.
“The clock is ticking, Ms. Myers.”
I shook my head to clear it, and I followed him.
BANE
I watched her struggle out of her coat, pulling down the cuffs of her ivory-colored blouse. It was an old-fashioned affair with lace and ruffles on the long sleeves.
It was oddly sexy on her.
Her skirt was black with a slit on the side. It drew attention to her shapely legs and the fact that she wasn’t wearing shoes. Her stockings had holes on the feet. I tried not to laugh at the mental image of her darting around Pete downstairs and rushing up the steps. I was surprised he hadn’t called up to warn me of a security breach and imminent attack.
Then again, he was old, had trouble seeing from his left eye, and probably didn’t notice her sneaking past him. None of us had the heart to fire him. He was retiring in a year, and the “assistant” we’d hired to help out did most of the work. He must have been absent from the desk when Ms. Myers showed up.
She sat down with a small huff, smoothing down her skirt. “Ready.”
I knew without looking that her feet didn’t touch the floor. Again, a wave of amusement hit me, but I refused to show it.
“Why should I hire you? You’re late, unorganized, and, frankly, a hot mess.”
“You think I’m hot?”
I blinked, once again fighting a smile. “I didn’t say you were hot. I said you were a hot mess. Broken shoes, wet coat, ripped stockings. You look like an orphan.”
“I am,” she said in a small, broken voice. “I have no one in this world. I’m all alone.”
I was at a loss as to what to say next. Then she laughed. “Gotcha. Oh, the look on your face. Priceless.” She giggle-snorted.
The sound made my lips twitch again, but I schooled my expression, scowling at her. “You’re wasting your ten minutes.”
She straightened her shoulders. “I am normally very organized. I don’t know much about plants, but I can revise your calendar, make your days seamless, your files perfection, and deliver an awesome cup of coffee and lunch every day without fail. I can work late if needed, be available to accompany you on site visits or out-of-town business trips. I’m very good with numbers and spreadsheets. I’m an Excel genius, and no one will get past me if that is what you tell me to do.” She drew in what I assumed was a much-needed breath. “And I am very cordial and friendly on the phone.”
I resisted laughing at that. I had a feeling this woman was way too friendly all the time.
She cast her eyes around the room. “I know how to use a 3-D printer, and I am familiar with CAD.”
I liked those attributes. No other candidate had them. I didn’t need for her to know about plants. As a landscape architect, that was my job. I needed her to run my office.
“Who says I need my calendar revised or that there is anything wrong with my files?”
“Why would you be looking for an assistant again so soon?”
“So soon?” I repeated.
“I have applied for this job four times. This is the first interview I’ve gotten. I assume none of the other hires have met your exacting demands.” She lifted her chin, the light catching on her lovely hair. “You’ve been waiting for me.”
I liked her spunk, although I preferred my assistant less exuberant. I pulled a sheet of paper from a file, handing it to her. “You have a minute to tell me what is wrong with this budget.”
I studied her as she looked over the paper. Her lips moved as she read it, her eyes darting from line to line quickly. She bit one corner of her mouth, drawing attention to the shape of her lips. Pouty. Full. Sensual. She ran a finger along the columns, narrowing her gaze, then tapping her cheek. Her skin was creamy and looked soft—much like the petals of the tree she was named for.
Magnolia.
It was pretty.
So was she.
She was different. She wore little makeup, allowing her natural beauty to shine through. Her long, straight hair was chestnut colored. Reddish in the light. Dark in the shadows. Her eyes were a deep brown—so dark it was hard to see where the iris ended and the pupil began.
Her skin was smooth, kissed with a pinkish undertone. My gaze dropped to her mouth again. Her lips were full and soft-looking.
Inviting, if I was interested.
Which I wasn’t.
But it was the band of freckles across her nose that caught my attention. Gold in color, they were a perfect symmetry that swept over the bridge and diluted to a fan of dots along each cheek in flawless alignment. I could easily see that when she blushed, the band would be brighter than anywhere on her face.
Some would call it enchanting.
Not me.
I didn’t do enchanting. Or sassy-mouthed women who wanted to work for me. No matter how pretty they were. I’d drawn that line in the sand a long time ago, and I never stepped over it.
I didn’t date at all, to be honest.
Especially this woman.
Never.
This wasn’t a good idea. I would let her finish the interview and get Laura to start a new search next week. She could gloat, and I would keep my end of the bargain.
Ms. Myers’s throat clearing made me realize I had been staring. She slid the paper in front of me, tapping the third column. “I don’t know much about pricing, but this plant price is listed incorrectly. I doubt it’s that much cheaper than the other ones. That would throw the budget off completely.”
I had to say, I was impressed. No one else had spotted that. I had tried to make it simple, but she was the only one who’d noticed the price discrepancy.
I handed her a spreadsheet. She said she rocked Excel.
“Error,” was all I said. I studied her as she looked over the columns.
It took her thirty seconds. “Incorrect sum in the fifth column.”
I sat back, nodding.
She had been late, seemed like a bit of a disaster, but she was the best of all the candidates.
Dammit.
“The salary isn’t negotiable.”
“I didn’t expect it to be.”
“A month trial period.”
“I won’t need it. You’ll be lost without me after the first week.”
I lifted an eyebrow in surprise. She was confident.
“I don’t do Sundays.”
“Off to church, are you?” I asked.
“I spend Sundays with my dad at the home. I would rather not throw his schedule out of whack. If it is important, I can adjust, but I would prefer not to.”
“Noted.” I paused. “There may be some travel. Most certainly overtime.”
“That’s fine.”
Silence fell as I made my decision.
The entirely wrong one.
“You start Monday. Be here at eight. You work until five. You get an hour for lunch and breaks—at least, that is what your employment contract will say. You’ll get what I give you and say thank you.” I met her gaze, her lovely eyes dancing with happiness. “I work hard. I expect you to?—”
“Work harder.” She finished my sentence. “I know the drill.”
“You answer to me and no one else. You work for me. I don’t do the friend thing. I’m your boss. I tell you to jump, you do it.”
“I’m kind of short. I hope you don’t expect much height. And my butt is kinda round, so that doesn’t work in my favor.”
I had felt that butt as she’d lain on top of me. My hands had slid over the round cheeks. I could argue with her that it did work in her favor—if this weren’t a job interview.
I stared at her, not smiling.
“No jokes. Okay, then,” she muttered.
“When you get here on Monday, you’ll be sent to HR. You’ll fill out the paperwork, get your pass, and report to me immediately after. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have any questions?”
“I probably will on Monday.”
“Fine. If so, we’ll deal with them on Monday.”
I stood, holding out my hand. “Welcome to Balanced Designs.”
She slid off her chair, confirming to me that her feet hadn’t touched the floor. She shook my hand, and I frowned at the feeling of her small hand clasped within mine. It felt oddly right there. I had to look down at her, and I realized I was well over a foot taller than she was. Which reminded me she had no shoes.
“I’ll call you a cab to get home.”
“No, I’m fine.”
I glanced at the window. “It’s raining again, and you have no shoes.”
“No, really. I’ll just break off the other heel and walk to the bus. I’m fine.” She shook my hand again, her grip tight. “Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Bane.”
Then before I could speak, she turned and hurried away. I glanced at the chair she’d vacated, rolling my eyes. She’d left her scarf. I rounded the desk, picking it up, and went after her, but I missed her.
Deciding not to chase after her, I returned to my office and inexplicably held the scarf to my nose. Her fragrance, the one I had smelled in her hair, clung to the diaphanous material. Light, floral, and citrusy, her perfume was fresh and feminine. Sexy in an innocent way.
For some reason, I wondered if it would be more potent inhaled from behind her ear or at the base of her throat. Or between her?—
I shook my head to stop that thought.
She was my new assistant, and I didn’t do relationships with employees. I barked out a laugh as I picked up my coat. I didn’t do relationships with anyone.
I headed to the elevator, hoping I hadn’t just made a mistake, yet somehow knowing I had. Ms. Myers was far too pretty and quirky to work for me. I needed an old, matronly woman with zero distractions.
Ms. Myers, with her dark eyes and sweet-smelling chestnut hair, was definitely a distraction. And I had a feeling she was going to be a problem. She was a lot of problems rolled into a small little ball of prettiness.
And I had hired her.
I was an idiot.
Then I shook my head. I handled problems all the time. Made fast decisions and stopped smaller problems from becoming bigger ones with one determined course of action. I could handle Ms. Myers. From now on, she was simply an employee. The fact that I was attracted to her was a problem I could contain.
I could do this.
I only hoped, come Monday, she didn’t look as appealing as she had today.
In fact, I was certain I had overstated her attractiveness. She had knocked me off my game when she had…knocked me off-balance. I grimaced, recalling how she’d felt on top of me. I shook my head to clear it.
She was just an employee.
And I only had to remember that for six weeks to win my bet. By that time, I was sure she would have faded into the background.
Then I realized I was still holding her scarf. Fingering the silk like it was her skin.
With a curse, I dropped the scarf on the desk she would be sitting at and walked out of the office.
I only sniffed my hand once on the way to my car.
Handling it.
Yep.