Her Irresistible Illinois Boss (Stateside Doms #29)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

I took a deep breath, trying to slow the thoughts racing through my head.

This was my fifth interview for the position of executive assistant to Mr. Caleb McDuffie, and it was with the man himself.

This prestigious job had come with many hoops to jump through, and I understood why.

McDuffie Corporations was the biggest employer in Illinois, and the CEO couldn’t have an inept assistant.

Knowing that didn’t help my nerves. Having to gear up for each interview, do it, and then wait to hear whether I could move on was difficult for me.

Part of me wanted to take my friends’ advice and search for another job with a less elaborate hiring process.

But the perks of this place were too much for me to pass up—full health, dental, and vision insurance.

Plus, an all-expense-paid apartment just a few blocks away from the office. I would save so much money on rent.

Doubt about the job crept into my mind again. Worst case, I’d try somewhere else. It wasn’t like Chicago or its suburbs lacked openings, I reminded myself. I was a smart woman who had attended a great university and had a strong resumé. I could do this.

“Miss. Van der Brooks?” the blonde secretary sitting at the opposite side of the room called. “Mr. McDuffie will see you now.” She gestured toward the tall, oak door.

“Thank you,” I said as I walked over to it.

This is it. I can do this, I reminded myself. I wiped my hand on my black pencil skirt and adjusted my light-pink blouse.

I can do this, I repeated to myself once more before turning the door handle and walking inside.

A faint scent of citrus and freshly chopped wood filled the air.

The room looked like any CEO’s office—large and impressive.

To my left, a bookcase lined with literature and memorabilia stood against the wall, with a drink cart next to it.

To my right was a small, empty desk. I figured that was where the assistant would work.

Abstract paintings decorated three of the four walls.

Straight ahead of me was a massive mahogany desk strewn with various items. I had to fight my inner organizational diva to resist straightening everything out. Something told me that wouldn’t be the way to get this job.

Raising my eyes from the mess, I noticed the chair on the far side of the desk.

It was deep-red leather, with its back to me.

I was surprised the CEO wasn’t facing me, but when I looked past the chair, the true focal point of the room filled my vision, and it made more sense. The entire wall was windows.

“Wow,” I murmured as I instinctively took a step forward.

I could see the whole city from up here. From this vantage point, I could make out the grid pattern of the streets.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets their breath taken away by this picturesque view.” The deep voice pulled me from my stupor as I realized that while I had been gawking, the man who’d be interviewing me had swung around in his chair to face me.

He was just as handsome as he appeared online.

His chiseled jawline had the slight stubble of someone who didn’t shave every day.

Dark-brown locks of hair swept back to one side, and his eyes sparkled like two perfect sapphires.

He was slim but muscular. He was the perfect specimen of a man wrapped up in a name-brand, tailored suit.

If he wanted, I was sure he’d be allowed on the cover of GQ magazine.

“Please excuse me,” I said, shaking my head slightly to pull myself out of my thoughts. “You must be Mr. McDuffie. My name is Theresa Van der Brooks.” I held out my hand.

He stood up, buttoning his dress coat, and engulfed my hand in his. A lightning bolt shot through me at his firm touch. It wasn’t painful—quite the opposite, in fact, as my pussy tingled.

Focus, Theresa, I scolded myself. I could not let the slump in my sex life cost me this job.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Van der Brooks. Please, feel free to call me Caleb,” he said, smiling at me. His teeth were perfectly straight and pearly white.

“Thank you, Sir.”

His eyes darkened, and a shiver went up my spine—not one of fear, but of excitement. What the hell was going on with me? I was in a job interview, not in one of the smutty novels I loved.

“Please feel free to call me Theresa, too.”

“Will do. Take a seat,” he said, gesturing toward the chair across from his desk.

I smoothed my skirt as I sat up straight, trying to radiate confidence.

“Please tell me, why do you want to be my executive assistant?” he asked.

Getting right to it. He was a busy man; there wasn’t time for idle chitchat, and I wouldn’t bore him with a long pitch.

“McDuffie Corporations is growing at a fast pace. I want to grow with it.”

“You aren’t wrong there. We started off as a small supply company to local stores.

Five years later, we now pair suppliers who make top-of-the-line products with customers all around Illinois, not just in the city.

This helps their businesses grow, while we negotiate to get our customers the best deal possible.

About two years ago, we started investing in our suppliers.

Helping their businesses grow makes us grow even more. ”

“It’s genius,” I admitted.

“Yes, it is,” he agreed, beaming with pride. I didn’t blame him. He had worked so hard and it had all paid off. “Tell me some attributes that make this position right for you.”

“I’m hardworking, focused, and stubborn.”

He chuckled. “How is being stubborn considered a good attribute for this job?”

“Because if you give me a task to do, I won’t stop until it’s completed. I won’t let myself, nor will I let anyone else, tell me that I can’t do what you want to be done.”

He smiled, and it made my insides quiver. “Fair point. Your resume says that you’ve worked at a radio station for less than a year and then as a secretary at a law firm for the past two years. How do you feel those jobs have prepped you to be my executive assistant?”

“In the last two years, I took care of scheduling all of the firm’s client intake meetings, answering every phone call, and keeping my bosses on track with their schedules.

I may have been labeled as just a secretary, but I kept that office running like a well-oiled machine.

” I wasn’t one to boast, but it was true.

My name might not be on their letterhead, but I was just as important to the office functioning as the partners were.

“With that being said, will there be a slight adjustment for me coming to work for you? Yes. But I’m more than up to the challenge. ”

“I like your drive,” he said, leaning back in his chair but never breaking eye contact.

“Thank you.”

“This job will require you to travel with me all around the state. If we continue growing at the rate we are, I’m hoping to expand business outside of Illinois. Which means that you’d be coming with me out of state, too. Are you agreeable to that?”

“Absolutely. I love to travel and learn about new areas.”

I was excited to travel around Illinois. There was so much more to it than just Chicago. Yet, Chicago was what most thought of when they thought about this state.

“If you become my executive assistant, I expect you to arrive to work on time. I can promise you that I’ll try to be done with work by six most days.

But there will be some late nights. I’ll need you to be able to handle my schedule and help keep me on track.

You will also be responsible for doing a lot of my paperwork. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes, Sir. I’m ready,” I said, hoping to sound slightly eager, but not overly so.

“You sound like you’d be the perfect candidate.”

Yes! I wanted to pump my fist in the air and cry out in joy. I got the job.

“But,” he began, sitting up and placing his forearms on his desk, “there is one last thing for us to discuss. It’s the reason why you were asked to sign an NDA in your last interview.”

I was intrigued. Yes, I had signed a non-disclosure agreement at my last interview, but I thought it was because they were going to share some tidbit of confidential company information to see how I handled it. Not because the CEO had something special he wanted to discuss with me.

He continued, “As my executive assistant, you are going to oversee a good chunk of my life. If you aren’t able to schedule appointments well or handle my clients when I can’t speak with them, it’s going to be an issue.”

“I assure you, I won’t let you down.”

He gave me a half smile. “I don’t doubt that, but mistakes do happen from time to time. To help limit those, I would punish you anytime you made one.”

“Punish me?” I asked, feeling butterflies in my stomach.

“Yes. To put it bluntly, if you made a mistake, I’d spank you.”

I wasn’t ready for the sudden onslaught of images that crossed my imagination. I saw myself draped over his lap while he sat in his red leather chair, looking out at the city, his large hand smacking my bare butt.

“Why?” I croaked out.

Putting aside my desire, logic was starting to creep in. I was a grown adult, not a child. No wonder they had me sign an NDA in my last interview. I could only imagine what others would say if they found out about this.

“I’ve discovered it is the most effective way to reduce repeated offenses.”

“I can imagine,” I blurted out. It was an uncomfortable enough feeling when someone messed up at work, but to have to deal with that and a sore ass? No thank you.

“Miss Van der Brooks,” Caleb said as he leaned forward and put his hands together on his desk.

“I understand that this type of system doesn’t work for everyone.

I would never force you to do something that you didn’t want to.

But for my company, this is what I need to do to ensure that it is as successful as possible. ”

“So, you spank everyone who makes a mistake?” I asked before I could stop myself. How did he ever get any work done?

“No. You would be the only person I’d spank because you would essentially be my spokesperson.

Clients will come to you knowing that anything you say or do represents me.

It’s vital that you meet my high expectations.

Like I said, I want this company to grow to a national level. That won’t happen if mistakes occur.”

I should be out the door by this point. I had a college degree from a well-known school and decent experience.

The thought of being punished like a child had my skin crawling.

But it also excited a part of me like I had never felt before.

How many times had I dreamt about finding a man who’d pull me over his knee and spank me?

I’d had two serious boyfriends before and casually dated some other men, but I never had the courage to ask them to spank me.

I was afraid they’d laugh or judge me. Now the CEO of a multi-million-dollar company was offering to do it.

“What are you thinking?” Caleb asked, pulling me out of my internal debate.

“That I should be running for the hills.”

“Except?”

“Except like I told you, I’m ready for a challenge. This would definitely be one.”

“My hope is that I’d never have to punish you, but if mistakes happen, and with my last assistant, they occasionally did, I will redden your bottom.”

“Is that why she left?” I knew it was a personal question and none of my business, but I felt I deserved to know.

“She actually didn’t leave. She switched departments and now has the same job, but for the head of marketing.”

“Because she didn’t want to be punished by you anymore?”

He chuckled quietly. “No. She switched because she and the head of my marketing department are in a serious relationship.”

I nodded and went back to picturing him taking me in hand for an error I made.

“Theresa,” Mr. McDuffie said, pulling my focus back to him. He looked concerned. “I know this is a lot to take in. If you need, I’ll give you twenty-four hours to make your decision.”

The job was mine. A huge bubble of accomplishment swelled up inside of me. Thousands of men and women dreamt of getting this opportunity. It’d be crazy not to accept. It’d also be crazy to accept.

“Theresa?”

“There will have to be strict rules,” I said. “You’re not going to decide one morning you don’t like how I got your coffee and pull me over your leg?”

He nodded, and I found myself relaxing ever so slightly.

“Yes, there will be rules. I’m not going to punish you if you miss a phone call because you had to run to the bathroom, or I didn’t like the shade of eyeshadow you wore to work.

We will agree upon our rules, and if you break one, then you will be punished.

I also insist on you having a safeword to stop me if you change your mind about this. ”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I accept the position,” I said, standing up and reaching my hand across the table.

He smiled, stood, and shook my hand. “I’m very happy to hear that. I think you’ll be an exceptional fit for my company.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

He let go of my hand, sat back down, and turned his focus to his computer. Was that it, I wondered? I felt like there should be a lot more.

“What do I do now?” I asked, feeling awkward.

“Have a seat. We have a lot of paperwork to go over. I’ll need you to sign your work contract and another NDA. Then we’ll have to discuss your condo and arrange for your move-in date.”

I felt like a wave of electricity ran through me. This was a huge leap of faith on my part. It had the potential to be amazing for my career. It also had the potential to ruin me for the rest of my life, but I was ready to risk it. The payout was too great.