Desk Job (London Menage Book 2) (3 page)

Again he smiled. “And what was it about Naddra that made you happy?”

Interesting question.
“Well, it was a convenient commute, only a few minutes from here in fact.”

He nodded as though he already knew this.

“And it kept me busy. I don’t like twiddling my thumbs, looking for things to do. I’d rather be on the go when I’m at work.”

“Well you certainly would be here.” He studied me for a moment. “You’d actually be personal assistant to both myself
and
my partner, Tristan Wainwright.”

“Both of you?” I pressed my lips together and thought about it. I hadn’t been PA to two people before but I didn’t see it would be a major problem. I’d just have to be super organized, but I was good at that, heck, organized was my middle name.

“Do you think that would be manageable for you?”

“Well it’s a full time position so I don’t see why not. Perhaps on limited hours being PA to two busy marketing directors would be a challenge but that’s not the case here.”

He smiled, his eye line dipping to my throat as though looking at my necklace. “Tristan is out of the country at the moment, otherwise I’d introduce you.”

“Do you both travel a lot?”

“Yes, we like to show our faces to the clients who are investing so much money and trust in us.” He looked back up at my face.

I nodded.

“So there would be plenty of flights to book, hotels, car hire, conference rooms, restaurants all that kind of thing.”

“That’s fine. Any other duties over and above the normal?”

“Not that I can think of.” He swept his tongue over his bottom lip. “It’s just having two of us to handle that you need to be sure about.”

“I can manage that.” Could I? Yes, of course. But damn this guy was cute as a button in a hot and sexy kind of a way. Blonds weren’t usually my type but his angular features and broad shoulders had made my temperature go up a degree or two.

He curled his hands around the arms of the chair. I glanced at his left ring finger. It was bare. A surge of something scarily like excitement burst in my stomach. I beat it down. What was I doing? I hoped he was going to be my new boss. The man I’d have to be one step ahead of. There was no point thinking of him as a potential bed partner. That would be just too damn awkward for my job when things went wrong.

I uncrossed my legs and smoothed at a crease on my skirt, and then pulled in a deep breath. “Would you like me to go through my qualifications?”

“No.” He shook his head and smiled. “I’ve already looked. I can see that you’d be perfect for the job. You have over and above the experience we were hoping for.”

“Oh … that’s good then.”

“Yes. It is.” He stood and walked to the window, then stared out at the city sprawling in front of him. The fractured light littered his suit jacket and dust motes floated in the air around him. “When can you start?”

“Er … pardon.”

“When can you start?” He turned. “I’ll be completely honest with you, Stella.” He paused. “May I call you that?”

“Yes. Of course. It’s my name.”

The right side of his mouth twitched into a half smile. “Yes.” He sat in the big leather chair on the opposite side of his desk and studied me. “We need someone now. Someone who can start right away and get to grips with the job as quickly as possible. We’re a fast, dynamic company, there’s always something happening, we’re on the move, upwards, and there’s no time to waste.”

“I understand that.”

He nodded. “So you could start tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” I was expecting the beginning of the next month, or the following Monday, but tomorrow…

“Yes. Tristan is away, I have a ton of things to be getting on with and I’m here in the office all week. I could show you the ropes so to speak. I’d be around to answer any questions you have.”

“Isn’t the er … old PA here?” That would be usual procedure, to have a hand over as such. I wondered if it were the girl who’d shown me into the office.

He shifted in his seat and his shoulders tensed. “No. She left, suddenly.”

“Can I ask why?”

He tilted his chin. “I guess Tristan and I…”

A silence stretched between us. A clock ticked in the corner.

“Tristan and you…?” I prompted.

“We try to be thoughtful, considerate, not too demanding but sometimes, when our heads are full of a new project, new ideas, we can be a little distracted.”

“I see.”

“But we’ve vowed to do better. By you.” He leaned forward. “I want you, I mean
we
want you, to be happy here. To stay long term and enjoy your work. So please, anything you need, anything that’s not right. You must say, give us a chance to fix it before you walk away.”

I couldn’t remember even agreeing to take the job on and yet here he was asking me not to leave.

I stroked my necklace. Clearly they were desperate for someone to pick up the slack, sort out their diaries and the logistics of their lives. I could do that. And it was a very decent pay package too. “Am I the only applicant?”

“The only one who could interview today.”

“And you want me to start tomorrow?”

“If you could, that would be great.”

“And do you have more candidates to interview tomorrow?”

“They’ll be cancelled immediately if you accept the position, Stella. I have a feeling you’re just what we need and I hope we’re just what you need.”

“Well in that case.” I reached for my bag, then stood. I set back my shoulders and let a smile spread on my face. “Get on the phone and tell the agency the position is filled.”

He grinned. “Great.” He also stood, then stretched his hand out.

I took it. His fingers were big and warm and he shook with strength but also with a slight reserve that I suspected he kept for women.

“I’ll see you in the morning then.”

“Yes,” he said. “You will.”

Chapter Two

“And I need flights to Barcelona on the eighth, all the usual, hotel, parking etc. Plus, a nice restaurant to take the clients to, if you could sort that. Go for something fancy, with good reviews, we want to wow them with what we have to offer
and
wine and dine them.”

“Okay.” I jotted everything down in shorthand. “And would you like me to book a driver or will you use taxis while you’re there?”

Andre tapped his bottom lip with the tip of his index finger. Something I’d noticed he did a lot when thinking. “I’m sure taxis will be fine, don’t you?”

“Yes, it’s not like there’s a shortage of them in Barcelona.”

“I agree. Oh, and did that legal stuff from Gent come through?”

“It’s on your desk,” I said. “It just needs checking and signing.”

“I’ll get straight to it.” He glanced at his watch.

“They’re hoping to have it returned by the end of the day.” Which meant he had one hour to do it. A push, it was a lot of reading, but it could be done.

“Andre, I need to talk to you.” James, a young graduate from the graphic team rushed up, a large folder under his arm. He had dark hair, a bit over long, and his shirt was untucked.

“Well I…” Andre said.

“It will only take a few minutes.” James tapped the folder he was holding.

“Okay then.” Andre turned and led the way to his office.

I frowned. I’d had a phone conversation with Gent Ltd that morning. Their lawyers were hopping on the spot for the legal documentation so the whole project could get underway. I’d promised it would be seen by Andre immediately, but my new boss seemed to be permanently distracted by his team—it was a wonder he got anything done.

I waited five minutes then stood and went to the door of his office, setting my hand on the frame.

James had spread a pile of images on the desk and was talking animatedly about them. “You see this one is perfect for their new range, the colors and the shapes just spring from the page, and this one is—”

“Excuse me,” I said. “I hate to interrupt but Gent just called to make sure the documents were on the way.”

“Oh … yes.” Andre loosened his tie and glanced at the legal file that was now covered with James’s artwork.

“Perhaps James could make an appointment to come and show you the rest of this artwork. You’re free tomorrow at eleven for thirty minutes.”

“But—” James started.

“I think it would be for the best.” I folded my arms. Okay, so I was being bossy, I was organizing my employer’s day and workload, but that was my job. It was also clearly what he needed.

James studied me for a moment, he looked about to say something but then obviously changed his mind. He began to gather his stuff, shuffling and shoving it away.

Andre picked up the documents he needed to work through. Signing them would mean a cash injection of hundreds of thousands into the company. James’s fluttering thoughts and ideas about future jobs could wait. Gent was concrete business. Here and now.

I stepped into the office to allow James to pass through the doorway. He still didn’t say anything to me.

Andre sat heavily in his big seat and flipped open the first page of the file. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” I would have liked to discuss the situation further with him, the way his staff thought they could just interrupt him at any moment, but that would mean I was as bad as them. No. I’d have to wait until we could talk without it interfering with things he’d had to prioritize, or rather
I’d
prioritized for him.

I headed back to my desk and started planning his trip to Barcelona. It took me a little while to settle on a nice restaurant but I eventually found one I thought would be up to standard. It was on the waterfront and when I called and asked for the best table, they assured me it would be possible on a weekday evening.

It all took longer than planned and I realized the office had gone quiet. From what I could gather, there was just Andre still in his office and me sitting outside, like a guard on sentry duty.

I glanced at my watch. It was past seven. I tutted. This is what happened. I lost track of time. I would have to grab something to eat on the way home, otherwise I wouldn’t bother and I knew that wasn’t good for me.

Standing, I straightened my pale green dress, and went into the office. Andre appeared to be deep in concentration with the documents in front of him as he twirled a pen between his fingers.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Mmm … not really.” He shook his head. “I’m glad I took the time to go through this with a fine-toothed comb. A couple of things are not as agreed.”

“Really?”

“Yes. These legalities are not the sort of thing that can be rushed or that you can keep getting distracted from.”

“I agree.”

He pushed it to one side and laid the pen on the top. “But I’ve done it now. Gent will just have to wait until it’s correct for Wainwright and Bramon too. And if that means another sweep through by our lawyers, so be it.”

“And that discussion can wait until tomorrow now.”

He looked at the big clock that sat on a shelf to his right. “It will have to. Lawyers don’t work after five-thirty.” He stood and reached for his suit jacket that was set on the back of his chair. “Have you eaten?”

“Pardon?”

“Have you eaten? It’s late and I’d planned on debriefing with you about how your first few days have gone. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Perhaps we could have the conversation over dinner rather than hanging about here any longer.”

“Dinner. Now?” Was my handsome new boss seriously asking me to go out for dinner with him? Didn’t he have some pretty girlfriend to whisk off to the theater or something?

“Yes, now.” He stepped around the desk and came up close to me.

Fuck. I tried to imagine an invisible shield around myself that would protect my hormones from his allure, from his gorgeous cologne, his wide shoulders, sexy eyes.

But it was no good.

“There’s a nice Italian restaurant, not far from here. I usually manage to get a table if I drop in,” he said with a smile.

“Italian?” I tried not to squeak.

“Don’t you like Italian?” A small crease formed between his eyebrows.

“Er, yes, of course. I mean I do, very much.”

He smiled again. The soft, easy smile I’d gotten used to him showing to everyone as the week had gone past. “Good. Let’s go then.”

****

Twenty minutes later I felt like I’d been transported to Italy. The restaurant, situated down a small back street, was a hive of activity and Italian was being spoken by the majority of staff and customers. The scent of garlic and parmesan and herby tomatoes filled the air, and the walls were crammed with pictures of Tuscany, Rome and Venice.

“What do you think?” Andre asked, pouring us each a glass of pinot from the bottle he’d ordered as we’d sat.

“It’s lovely.” I smiled, and as I looked around, realized that I was really hungry. It had been ages since I’d had lunch and I’d forgotten to eat my mid-afternoon snack. “It’s like stepping into another country in here.”

“I always feel the same way.” He smiled. “Which is probably one of the reasons I like it so much.” He held up his drink. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” I did the same and we clinked glasses. “What are we toasting?”

“To the fact that you’ve lasted three days without running off.”

“I wouldn’t leave you in the lurch.”

“That’s kind of you but I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch. You’ve only had me to deal with this week. Tristan will be back on Monday.”

“Well if he’s anything like you, I’m sure it will be fine.”

“He’s not like me.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“He’s the handsome one.” He laughed.

I laughed too then bit on my bottom lip. Andre must be joking. He was so damn cute I’d had to stop myself going to sleep with thoughts of him spinning in my mind. The more I’d gotten to know him, the more I’d seen what a lovely genuine person he was on top of the good looks.

“But he can also be a bit … brisk.” Andre’s smile dropped a little.

“Brisk?”

“Yeah, you know, when he’s busy he can be a bit sharp. He doesn’t mean to be. He’s just in the zone, getting things done. Doing his stuff.”

“I can handle that … in fact…”

“What?”

“I think brisk is good.”

“It is?”

“Yes, I can be a bit brisk too, if I need to be.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“For example your staff need to leave you to be in the zone a bit more often. I’m happy to be a bit brisk with them in order for that to happen.”

“What do you mean?” He leaned forward and set his forearms on the table.

“Well, forgive me if I’m speaking out of line, but they wander in and out of your office regardless of what you’re doing.”

“I like to think my door is always open. It’s an open office policy. They can come to me with any problems or issues they might be having whenever they want.”

“Well yes … and that’s all well and good but…” I paused.

“Please, go on.”

“But there’s open door and then there’s never having any time to concentrate on a project. As soon as you get involved in something that needs your attention, it seems to me you get disturbed.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

I was quiet for a moment, letting what I’d said sink in.

“So do you have a solution?” he asked, sitting back and clasping his hands behind his head, his elbows stretched to the side.

I tried not to gaze at the way his shirt stretched over his torso and kept my attention on his face. “Yes, from now on they have to get past me.”

He raised his eyebrows. “What, like keeper of the gate?”

“Or the guardian of your sanity.”

“You’re questioning my sanity?” He dropped his hands back to his sides.

I didn’t think there was anything wrong with Andre’s sanity. He was one of the most switched on guys I’d come across in a long time. “No, not at the moment, but how long can you work at this speed?”

“True.”

The waiter appeared. Carbonara was on the specials list and the thought of all that creamy pasta made my mouth water so I ignored the calories and opted for that. Andre did the same and ordered extra garlic bread too.

“So how will it work?” he asked. “You guarding my door.”

“It’s simply a change in routine, habits. People can ask me if you’re free. If you’re not, then they can leave whatever it is they want to show you with me, or arrange a time when you’ll be able to discuss it with them.”

“Go on.”

“And twice, during the day, I’ll pop in with a list of all these matters so you can prioritize them. That way you don’t have to get engaged in chit chat about things you really shouldn’t be wasting time on.”

“But—?”

“It will work fine. I promise. I’ve used this strategy with everyone I’ve been PA for in the past. It’s the most time efficient thing to do.”

“It will work fine.” He paused. “You promise?” He reached for his drink and took a sip.

I mimicked his action. The wine was cool and refreshing. “Yes. I promise.”

“Well in that case, Stella, I’ll put my faith and my time management in your capable hands.”

His smile sent a warm wave of arousal through me. It was so genuine and gentle, as though I was the only other person in the room, heck the only other person in the world. The guy must have left a trail of broken hearts in his wake over the years.

“And will Tristan be up for it too?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Between you and me, I don’t think Tristan gets as bothered by the staff as often as I do.”

“Because he’s not as approachable?” My pre-conceptions of the now infamous Tristan were building him into a cantankerous character in my mind.

“He’s certainly approachable when it matters. When clinching a deal. But when it comes to the people who work for him, he wants efficiency, investment, the best out of them. I think that comes across as…”

“Being an old grump.”

Andre tipped his head back and laughed. A real hearty bellow that made his chest swell beneath his shirt.

I wondered if I’d gone too far.

“Old grump. Yep, that’s him, and do you know what, Stella?”

“What?”

“I think you’ll handle him just fine.”

“I hope so.” Though I couldn’t deny a few nerves were building the more I heard about Tristan Wainwright.

“Oh, you will. Trust me, you will. And what’s more, he’s going to adore you.”

I was about to reply that I hoped for that too, but a waiter arrived at our table. He held two large bowls of steaming pasta which he set before us. After a nod and a smile from us both, he then sprinkled them with parmesan and black pepper.