I don’t like the change in her face, though, the look in her eyes.
Like maybe she’s having second thoughts about this job.
Having second thoughts about me.
“I’m smiling because I like your fire, Vanessa,” I tell her plainly, making her blush with something less than anger now.
“I think you and I are a perfect fit…I mean…you and Hart Construction.” I add, correcting myself quickly.
She thinks for a moment. I can tell there’s a question in her mind, and I coax her with a little jut of my chin.
“I thought…Jase said he’d be my boss,” she murmurs, and I suck in some air, leaning back again.
“Jase is head of accounting,” I remind her. “But I’m not concerned with titles. And we haven’t discussed your terms yet either,” I add.
I don’t feel the need to explain that I am Hart Construction. One reason I’ve never liked titles.
Plus, I wanna get to the good parts of this interview. Like what I have to offer her, I want to know what she thinks she’s worth even though I can see that she’s one of a kind.
Priceless.
Fucking perfect is the word.
“My…my terms?” she stammers. Her eyes widen with innocence.
“Sure,” I exclaim, gripping the edge of my desk, holding onto it with an iron grip.
Wondering just how long I can go on like this. The aching hardness in my jeans is becoming unbearable.
Almost.
Because the one thing making me so hard is a mere foot or two from me.
The only unbearable part is not being able to take her right here, right now, on my fucking desk.
It would be the most work I’ve done at this desk in a long time.
And I will take my time with Vanessa when she’s ready to feel what I’m feeling. But there’s only so much I can get out of her at a job interview.
I mean, she’s fucking hired. No doubt in my mind. She was hired in my mind the minute Jase suggested it.
“You can write a figure on a piece of paper if you like,” I offer. Something I only usually do with big deals with lots of zeroes.
And Vanessa is a big deal.
She’s my prize asset, and I won’t let her slip through my fingers. I’ve wasted enough time already.
She slips into her version of professional mode. A little smile threatens to play on her lips before she opts for chewing it as she looks up and past me.
A figure of her salary in her mind.
“We do offer full insurance with a dental and pension plan, plus eight weeks of paid leave,” I hear myself saying.
I do make sure all our employees are looked after. It’s why we have so many people wanting to work for us.
Me, I mean.
Christ, I’m already thinking of her as my right hand, living the life I know she deserves.
This whole job offer thing is just to spend time alone with her.
Once I stake my claim on her, once she’s mine, Vanessa Campbell will never work a day in her life.
Our life.
Us.
If she doesn’t want to that is.
I stifle a groan watching her still think, the way her little button nose wrinkles and her eyes narrow is something no one else can see.
Cute isn’t the word. More….
“There,” she says with a note of triumph, sliding the paper across to me.
I fight another groan off but only furrow my brow, giving her the impression that I’m seriously considering such a meager amount.
“This is what you’re worth. To you?” I ask her, the tone of disbelief showing in mine as hers trails off when she answers.
“It’s too much, isn’t it…? I mean, it doesn’t have to be that…,” she starts to say, but my hand balling up the paper and tossing it into the trash with her resume silences her.
“Double that figure, for starters. And you start Monday,” I tell her firmly but pull my lips into a smile to ease my firm words.
I could lecture her on self-worth, about how she’s worth ten times what she just put on paper. But we can get to that.
I just want her close to me so I can at least watch over her from now on.
“Vanessa,” I say. “You’ve got the job. You’re hired,” I tell her, noticing her stunned, vacant look before it finally hits her.
“Really?” she squeaks, looking doubtful for what I hope is the last time whenever she’s with me.
“Congratulations,” I smile, and she goes from church mouse quiet to a shrieking whirlwind.
She’s like a girl who’s just won the lottery, once it all clicks in her mind.
“Oh my god. Thank you, Mr. Hart. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!” she squeals.
Leaping up from her chair, she totters around to my side of the desk.
And catching me unaware, she hugs me around the neck. Squeezing me tight in her youthful excitement.
I was going to stand, but my massive member was still at full attention.