I turn to the right and head into my office.
My mind flickers to yesterday when I met my new personal assistant. She was very pretty, too pretty actually. Straight, thick, dark hair, big blue eyes with long dark lashes, pale skin, beautiful figure, I already know there will be issues with temptation. She’s a sweet treat, ready for the feasting.
I smile to myself as I sit down at my desk. The other girls barely lasted and barely kept my attention, but I think this one is going to be different. I never took it too far with those girls, just simply pushed them too far and was too harsh, made their weaknesses clear.
This new girl, though, she doesn’t seem weak at all. Her answers made me smile, and her beauty kept my attention.
I suspect she’ll be perfect, but I don’t have high hopes anymore. I’ve been disappointed too many times in the past, and besides, I don’t get involved like that anymore.
Not since her. I don’t let myself.
Forty years old, I muse to myself, sighing. I turned forty years old a week ago. I’m still a young man, but I’ve aged so much deep down inside these past five years.
A buzz sounds, pulling me from my thoughts. I hit the button to respond. “Yes, Rogers?”
“Declan here for you, sir.”
“Send him in.”
Declan enters a moment later, swaggering across the space with a stupid smile on his face. “How’s it going, Mason?” He grins as he heads over to the little bar I have near my desk.
“Fine, Declan. Still making me money?”
“Always.” He pours himself a whiskey and sits down in the chair facing my desk. “This quarter’s shaping up very, very nicely.”
“You say that every day.”
“It keeps being true.”
I smile a little bit. “Make sure it stays that way.”
“Of course.” He grins and sips his drink. “How is it in here, boss?”
“The usual,” I say, glancing at the window.
“You think about coming to the staff meeting tomorrow?”
I give him a look. He just shrugs a little. “Gotta try,” he says.
I roll my eyes. “No, you don’t.”
“Anyway, trades are going smoothly. The Chinese guys are coming in a few days, and we’ll discuss further integration with them.”
“Good. Make sure they understand how much I wish this partnership to happen.”
“Of course.” He waves his hand, still grinning.
Declan is a good soldier, if a little too ambitious. He’s my eyes and ears outside of this room, and I rely on him to run the company in ways that I’m unable to. I keep the big picture in mind, building our overall strategy from the ground up, while Declan oversees the day-to-day operations.
I’ve known him for a long time. He was there when I took over Ward Investing from my father, and he’s been with me ever since. He’s a few years older than I am, thinning hair, paunch around the middle, but a solid performer. I know he wants to muscle me out completely, but he’s too useful just to simply remove him.
So far, we’ve struck a balance of power.
“Anything else?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “Heard you got a new girl today.”
“Rogers brought her in.”
“What do you think?”
I shrug, seeing her pretty eyes in my mind, her full lips, her beautiful hips. “She’s like the rest of them.”
He laughs at that. “Come on, boss. You gotta lighten up. Nobody’s gonna be perfect.”
“I need perfection.”
“Nah, you don’t. You just need a pretty girl that only messes up sometimes.”
I sigh, glancing at the window. “Wise as always, Declan.”
“Happy to help.” He knocks back his whiskey and stands. “Call if you need me.”
I nod and he goes to leave, but hesitates at the door.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him.
“Don’t fire this one.”
I raise my eyebrow at him. “What do you care?”
“You’re just so miserable when you fire them. Keep her around, okay?”
For a second, I think Declan might actually care.
But then I remember who I’m dealing with.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He sighs. “And come to the staff meeting.” He leaves my office, the great doors swinging shut behind him.
I stare out the window again, thinking about what he said. Maybe I have been too harsh on my assistants, but I can’t help it. I can’t abide laziness and all their pathetic excuses. Two of them quit on me, just because I’m a little demanding, and the others couldn’t hack it at all.
This one, though, I’m hopeful. I think she might be different, and maybe it’s time to find out.
I buzz Rogers, and he answers immediately. “Send her in,” I say.
Thirty seconds later, the doors open again, and Hazel steps inside. The doors swing shut behind her as she approaches my desk, hands clasped in front of her, big, pretty eyes locked on mine. She bows her head slightly and I feel my pulse thump in my chest.
She’s wearing a cream-colored blouse, tight around the breasts, tucked into tight black slacks. Her heels are short, but they still make her hips and legs look gorgeous. I take her in for a moment, inspecting her body, her makeup, her hair.